Field Report

Gunnison - CO

2025/03/24
Lat: 38.873, Lon: -107.062
Backcountry Area: Gunnison
Author: Evan Ross
Organization: Crested Butte Avalanche Center

Report Information

CAIC Notes

Original CBAC ob: https://cbavalanchecenter.org/view-observations/#/view/observations/bf1622a4-e486-457c-aae4-3ba65d93f335

Area Description

Scarps Ridge

Route Description

Evans Basin to Scarps Ridge

Avalanche

Triggered avalanche

Piles of roller balls and small wet loose avalanches are plentiful across the southern half of the compass after two warm days. Throwing roller balls onto steep E-SE facing slopes produced piles of roller balls amassing, and they would occasionally trigger a small wet loose avalanche.

I got two separate collapses above a SE facing slope at 11,800ft. One collapse triggered a tinny slab that went on to trigger piles of roller balls. The other collapses broke a cornice, which amassed into a small wet loose avalanche.

i
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Date # Elev Asp Type Trig SizeR SizeD Problem Type Location
03/23/2025
1 TL E SS U D1

Snowpack

Cracking: None
Collapsing: Unknown

Targeted a steep east-facing slope at 11,000ft. There was about 30cm of soft snow down to the first thick crust. This snow was the fuel for the current wet loose avalanches. There wasn't water pooling on the crust yet at this location. Below that crust was a matrix of other crusts and ice columns down to two old ice lenses capping 1F rounding facets. Free water would need to descend about a meter to get to those facets in this location. .

Weather

Light wind on Scarps Ridge, partly cloudy and warm temps. cloud cover: scattered; wind loading: previous; snow avail for transport: small smounts

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