Avalanche

South side of the Playground

Evan RossGunnison
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Observation photo 1Observation photo 2Observation photo 3Observation photo 4Observation photo 5Observation photo 6Observation photo 7Observation photo 8Observation photo 9

Quick report

Cracking
isolated
Collapsing
specific

Flat meadows were noisy; a number of collapses were also observed on easterly terrain features and wind wales. Cracking was very isolated.

Weather

Cloud Cover
broken
Wind Loading
previous
Snow Avail For Transport
small smounts

Mostly cloudy through the day, becoming partly cloudy in the late afternoon. Mostly light winds at 11,600ft. Looked much windier in the alpine, but no blowing snow.

Snowpack

Southerly facing slopes at ~11,600ft had recent storm snow over the ground or a crust on the ground. A test profile on a SSE aspect produced ECTN results on various storm instabilities that had otherwise become unreactive. Easterly facing slopes between 11,500 and 9.500ft produced collapses. We skied through or on the edge of those easterly slopes and saw no other results. HS on this tour averaged around 45 to 55cm. Ski pen remained in the upper third of the snowpack and made for some good skiing. 

Avalanche

Size
D1.5
Type
SS
Count
2
Aspect
E
Trigger
N
Elevation
10800 ft

The ladscape has been well smoothed over by the wind event, and/or terrain features are very wind-eroded. Old avalanches are difficult to see or have been hidden. There was a good-looking avalanche below the south side of Ruby. Picture attached. Will wait for a better view to try and code it.