Northern San Juan
AvalancheAnonymous · Dec 1, 2018 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Light snow/sun
Snowpack
Wind loaded but light, fragile, without a hollow sound. Lots of whoompfing but little cracking. Avalanche was completely silent.
Avalanche
Avalanche on NE slope. I was standing still thinking about how I was probably in a bad spot with a 33 degree rollover above me. There was also a significant rocky and wind loaded slope adjacent to me with large cornice. A kite could be seen above on the McMillan/Red Mountain side. I was standing still for 15 seconds or so coming to the conclusion I should turn around when the avalanche went. It seemed to trigger about 100-150 yards away. I played a roll in it but it is possible the kite skier did as well as the sun/wind on the cornice. My wife was well below the runout and I skied out via the debris path, which was surprisingly soft. 5 years and my first trigger. I am the guy who plays it safe but had an early season lapse of reason that was compounded by not skiing much last year and general foolishness. Luckily we skied away safely and with the biggest lesson yet here in the San Juan's. In the photos you can see my skin track got burried. The last turn to the right is where I stopped and the avalanche triggered, the turn to the right going into the debris path was me exiting after avalanche.