Name: Donny (Irwin Guides)
Title: Coon Basin
Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 12/09/2014
Aspect: North East, East, South East, South
Elevation: 9185′ to 12,080′
Weather: Clear, Warm (above freezing at low elevations, near freezing at upper elevations), calm to light wind on ridge tops
Snowpack: HS of 0cm at trailhead to 75 – 90 cm in wind loaded areas. Generally weak structure with facets throughout snowpack. Ski pen of 5 to 10 cm in most areas. Ski pen of 20cm in upper slopes of Coon Basin. Boot pen of 70 cm on wind loaded pocket above Climax Chutes. Highly variable snowpack which doesn’t produce avalanche activity or signs of instability; but doesn’t inspire confidence either. No recent avalanche activity observed. Lower elevations and steeper slopes with SE-S-SW aspect are warming significantly and the crust seems to get thicker by the day.