Avalanche forecast

Gunnison

Crested Butte Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

You might encounter a fresh slab on leeward terrain features at upper elevations.  Look for signs of recent drifting below ridges, underneath cornices, or crossloaded gullies; avoid these areas to reduce your chance of triggering a small slab avalanche.  Small loose avalanches are possible on steep slopes where you find dry, storm snow on shady aspects and on slopes that become wet from sunshine and warmer temperatures.  Loose avalanches may grow big enough to knock you down and could be a threat if terrain traps are involved.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    An increase in wind speeds Saturday night into Sunday may transport the few inches of recent snow at upper elevations.  Potential avalanche size remains on the small end of the spectrum, but could grow large enough to drag a person into cliffs, rocks, or trees.  Identify and avoid features with evidence of recent drifting, like fresh cornice formation, scoured ridge tops, stiffer textures, and rounded deposits below ridges and in gullies.  Cracking is a clear sign you found sensitive, wind-blown snow. 

    This avalanche failed on the lee side of a cross-loaded ridge of Mt Axtell earlier this winter. 

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    An increase in sunshine and temperatures will spur a period of loose avalanche activity.  There could be some natural slides from rocky terrain.  Most activity will entrain the recent storm snow and run on the crust below.  Low-elevation, sunny terrain was 'cooked' during the storm by periodic sun and mild temperatures, so the threat is diminished.  At upper elevations and on cooler aspects, the recent storm snow has not yet fully transitioned and may result in slightly bigger slides.  Avalanches are unlikely to bury a person and pose the greatest threat above terrain traps.

    Although a rare and very isolated issue, if you encounter a wet, unsupportive snowpack, avalanches could gouge deeper into the snowpack.  

    A natural loose avalanche on Mount Emmons on Saturday.  This slide represents the expected size on Sunday.  Wet Loose avalanches typically only entrain the few inches of recent snowfall and run above the old crust.

    (4/19/2025) Photo: Eric Murrow

Avalanche Discussion

Avalanche problems come in a couple of flavors on Sunday, but the size is generally small and poses a threat if you are dragged into a terrain trap, like rocks or trees.  An increase in wind speeds overnight may help form fresh slabs on leeward terrain features.  Observers did not note any significant slab formation in the past few days due to light winds, but this may change slightly today.  Look out for blowing snow and denser-feeling snow in leeward locations.  You wouldn't want to get dragged down a rocky chute or off a cliff by a small avalanche.  Even if you don't encounter a slab, you could trigger small loose avalanches in dry storm snow on northerly aspects like these folks did on Mount Axtell and Mount Emmons.  

The sun and increasing temperatures are likely to wet the recent storm snow on a variety of aspects and elevations.  Wet Loose avalanche activity will be most consequential at upper elevations, where more snow has accumulated recently, and on aspects that did not transition or become wet during the storm from intermittent sunshine.  For this reason, the avalanche danger rating is MODERATE at upper elevations and LOW at lower elevations.  You can trigger Wet Loose avalanches at all elevations today, but the size and consequence will be greater at higher elevations.  Even though the avalanche size remains small, they could grow large enough to knock you down; use caution if you travel above cliffs, rocks, or gullies where the consequences of a small avalanche are magnified. 

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