Gunnison

Avalanche hazards are small and isolated across our forecast area.   Stay alert for thin wind slabs in the alpine and shallow sluffs in sheltered terrain, especially if you are traveling in high-consequence terrain.  An inch of snow last night won't change conditions but expect major changes coming on Monday night.  

Yesterday a group of skiers altered their plan to cross a consequential gulley after getting more feedback than expected from small wind slabs.  This is a great model for decision-making under Low danger. It's appropriate to set your sights on a loftier objective, but stay alert for signs telling you that it's not the right day for it.  That's especially important if you are traveling somewhere that you can't afford to get knocked off your feet or pushed over cliffs.   With only an inch (or maybe two near our northern boundary) of snow overnight under light winds, conditions remain stagnant for today.  A potent storm will deliver heavy snowfall on Monday night and will cause the avalanche danger to rise rapidly by Tuesday morning.    

The snowpack has been growing weaker and weaker during the last few weeks of dry weather.  In steep, shady, wind-protected terrain,  anticipate triggering small sluffs where the snow surface is weak and cohesionless.  Use extra caution if you see sluffs gaining volume and gouging deeper into the snowpack.    Where last week's winds drifted the snow into harder drifts over that weak, faceted snow, you may encounter thin but sensitive wind slabs.  With only limited snow to transport, those drifts formed only in a few terrain features at higher elevations, such as concave catchments or behind ridges in the terrain.  

EVENTS:

• Tonight we are hosting a Fireside Chat at the Majestic Theater. Check it out! 
• Avalanche Awareness Night is December 3rd and Beacon Brushup is December 4th.  Details here.