Gunnison area snow fall

redwoood · Mar 12, 2019

Can anyone tell me what the winter has been like around Gunnison? Areas 53 and 54.

Curious how hard it was on the elk and deer in the area this winter.

Thanks.

Buffs35 · Mar 12, 2019

Drove through there last weekend. Locals say they have been measuring in feet, not inches.

Nothing specific about the units, though.

Ottersix · Mar 12, 2019

>Can anyone tell me what the
>winter has been like around
>Gunnison? Areas 53 and 54.
>
>
>Curious how hard it was on
>the elk and deer in
>the area this winter.
>
>Thanks.

Spoke with the DOW last evening. Said they are getting hammered. Feet is right. I did a google search, sounds like winter kill is a definite concern. Rt 50 clogged with critters. If you can believe the internet. No first hand information. The gentleman at the DOW said its wide spread,not just the Gunny basin.

The_Coloradoboy · Mar 12, 2019

Pretty much the entire western half of the state is buried. This last storm dumped well over a foot at my place. Probably have close to 3 plus feet of snow on the ground right now. Going to be really interesting to see how animals handle it. Can?t currently speak for gunnison area but I have to imagine it's a similar or worse story. If we don't get hit with extreme cold the deer will be able to get through it. The death sentences typically occur more towards December and January when temps are typically colder and deer are in their weakest state.

Coloradoboy

buckhorn · Mar 12, 2019

LAST EDITED ON Mar-12-19 AT 07:48PM (MST)[p]Watching the news tonight looks like Colorado is getting a lot of moisture right now.( Tuesday evening March 12 ) Is it rain or snow falling in Eagle and Gunnison?
Is the snow melting or getting deeper? Thanks

BeanMan · Mar 12, 2019

From Rifle west along I-70 the wintering grounds are bare despite the massive amounts of snow that the high country is getting. It's raining here in Palisade but it should be snowing at Eagle and Gunnison but the temperatures are not low. If it were February I would be worried.

Hasbean

Waygoner · Mar 13, 2019

Snow keeps falling in the Gunnison basin. About an inch of new overnight. Temps have been warm and it's heavy wet snow. The cabin we care take in the West Elks had 52" on the ground 2 weeks ago. We're heading back up this weekend to shovel the roof again. Wouldn't surprise me to see another foot of accumulation up there.

FrontRange · Mar 25, 2019

I wanted to bump this post up.

Snowpack map looks pretty impressive state wide but monitoring stations are sparse and do not show the whole picture.

Can anyone provide some updated information about the condition of the winter range in your area and deer/elk impacts?

Grass is starting to turn green in my yard SW of Denver.

Thanks

BeanMan · Mar 25, 2019

From Grand Junction to Dotsero along I-70 is snow free in the wintering grounds. Although snowfall has been heavy up high it has been very warm at the lower altitudes. South facing hills all the way to Beaver Creek are snow free. Looking out my window at the Grand Mesa which has had the fourth heaviest March snowfall since records began in 1912 the snow line is about 8200?. We should have no winterkill problems in this area.

Hasbean