Field Report

Gunnison - CO

2024/10/30
Lat: 39.009, Lon: -107.018
Backcountry Area: Gunnison
Author: CBAC Staff
Organization: Forecaster, CAIC

Report Information

Observation Summary

About 10-12" of dense snow was enough to keep us off the ground while skiing slopes that were bare and grassy a few days ago. Our only concerns on these southerly aspects were cross drifted wind slabs as we gained elevation. Yesterday's generation of wind slab was up to 3 feet deep, fairly dense, and produced isolated, stubborn cracking under hard stomps. Today's generation of wind slabs were up to 5" deep and were touchy underfoot and running naturally; a harmless problem in this terrain. We didn't travel anywhere that held old snow layers below the storm snow.
Instability Comments: Shallow cracking and thin wind slab avalanches running in todays wind drifted snow, harmless in size.

CAIC Notes

from CBAC database

Route Description

Quick rec tour on S and SE aspects of Bellview to 11,500'

Avalanches

Poor visibility of surrounding terrain. Saw one small debris pile off of the north bowl of Gothic and triggered/ observed natural releases of a handful of tiny wind slabs on wind loaded test slopes.

Snowpack

Cracking: Minor
Collapsing: None

Weather

Cloud Cover: Overcast (Cloudy, 8/8 covered)
New or Recent Snowfall (cm): 30
Snow Available For Transport: Moderate Amounts
Wind Loading: Moderate
Weather Summary: Light to moderate snowfall with blowing snow from west winds as we reached treeline. About 2" of low density new snow today on top of 10" of very dense snow from yesterday.

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