Field Report
Gunnison - CO
Report Information
Wet Loose avalanches remain an issue on steep slopes facing east-ish to northeast. Slab avalanche concerns exist in the upper snowpack and on basal weak layers. A test profile produced a propagating result on the upper weak layer. The slab is thin (10 inches) and may require additional wind loading to tip the scales. Basal weak layers and the midwinter drought layer seem hard to trigger but not impossible below treeline. A shallow spot in the snowpack or rocky terrain could make it more probable.
Original CBAC ob: https://cbavalanchecenter.org/view-observations/#/view/observations/1f38d67d-dae2-40aa-b4f2-8a608a75b5d3
Snosgrass
The standard route up and descended near the Gothic saddle.
Avalanches
I triggered one loose avalanche on a northeast feature. I also documented a few large Wet Loose avalanches that ran this past weekend off Gothic Mountain.
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Date | # | Elev | Asp | Type | Trig | SizeR | SizeD | Problem Type | Location |
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03/08/2025
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2 | >TL | SE | WL | N | D2 | Loose Wet |
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Date and Time
03/08/2025 -
5:00am
(estimated)
Location
38.936
-106.99
Start Zone Elevation
12,000 ft
Avalanche Comments
Failure date is a best guess. Likely Saturday, 3/8, or Sunday, 3/9. Coding here reflects the slides in the Spork zone. |
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03/10/2025
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1 | <TL | NE | WL | AS/c | R2 | D1.5 | Loose Wet |
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Date and Time
03/10/2025 -
7:10am
(known)
Location
38.936
-106.99
Start Zone Elevation
10,800 ft
Avalanche Comments
I initiated this slide with a snowball. It slowly gained mass before gouging into dry snow below the surface. |
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Multiple Avalanches
Snowpack
Snow surfaces became wet to moist on all aspects except the shadiest northerly slopes below treeline. Wet Loose avalanches do not seem significant on low elevation sunny slopes. However, easterly to northeast features seemed to be set up for small loose avalanches on terrain steeper than 38 degrees.
An Extended Column Test on a northeast slope at 10,200 feet produced moderate propagating results at the 3/3 interface, which consisted of 1-1.5mm facets and hard propagating results in basal depth hoar. Propagation Saw Test results required cutting half or more of the column to get a fracture (see image below). This site contained the full season's snowpack and was adjacent to a large natural avalanche just after the Valentine's stormy period.
I poked into a few bed surfaces from the Valentine's storm and found 10 to 20 inches of snow reloaded. Neither site has enough slab formation to be an issue at the moment, but the snowpack is faceting and will likely have a soft crust capping the dry snow by the time the next storm arrives. This could make for a repeat offender structure.
Snow surfaces on east and northeast slopes below treeline became moist to wet this afternoon. I was able to push a loose avalanche on an ENE slope that was able to gouge into dry snow in the track.
Weather
Warm temps and light winds below treeline. cloud cover: clear