Gunnison
AvalancheKreston Rohrig · Mar 16, 2018 · Gunnison
Weather
Mostly sunny day in this part of the zone. Clusters of clouds were moving across the sky all day and ridgetop winds were blowing consistently from the west. The 2-3" of snow was blowing around at higher elevations and loading on easterly slopes.
Snowpack
Lower elevation below-treeline slopes were the only snowpack physically observed. 2-3" of new snow helped soften the snow surface. A stout crust just below the new snow was easy to penetrate with hard turn of the snowmobile and made is very easy to get stuck. Super weak facets make up the majority of the snowpack below the crust layer. This weak snow is unsupportable and boot pen was up to the hip in most areas. At higher elevations the new snow was loading in on easterly slopes. Lots of tiger striping and small wind slabs were evidence of wind-drifted snow.
Avalanche
Only very small loose snow avalanches/sluffs were observed below alpine ridges. D .5 in size. These were concentrated in leeward features where the wind was drifting the few inches of new snow.