Front Range
AvalancheAnonymous · Dec 21, 2014 · Front Range
Weather
Overcast with active precipitation. Approximately 8 inches of snow had fallen throughout the day. The type of snow varied, being mostly heavier, wet flakes and some graupel. The wind was most clam in the trees, with an occasional gust powerful enough to blow significant snow and reduce visibility to approximately 50 feet.
Snowpack
The top 8 inches of new snow on top of older somewhat consolidated snow.
Avalanche
At approximately 3:00 PM Climbers A and B began to free solo the WI2 portion of the route, while my separate group of four climbers gathered under the ice curtain on the far left of Mo' Flo' Than Go. Climbers A and B indicated they were climbing up to establish a top rope route at a mixed climb further to climber's right. Within a few minutes we heard a rumble and saw a large amount of snow slide over the ice cliff and run downhill to climber's right from our position. We could not see the other climbers from our position. One of our group members called to Climbers A and B to see if they were okay. The Climber B had been swept off the top of the flow to the bottom and indicated he was okay. One of our climbing ropes had been swept downhill about 20 feet, but no other effects were noted. Our group began to pack up and one of our climbers was belayed to the top and recovered our top rope. The Climbers A and B traded off their rope and Climber A climbed back up the same route to establish a top rope. The avalanche appeared to consist of most of the steep north facing bowl above Mo' Flo' Than Go. It seemed to be the top 8-10 inches of new snow, with the sliding surface being the older snow.