Northern San Juan

Avalanche

At approximately 11:00 am there was a close call in the Bear Creek drainage just outside of the Telluride ski area boundary. A party of 3, (2 skiers, 1 snowboarder) left the Telluride ski area boundary into Bear Creek from the Gold Hill ridge. The plan was to descend the San Joaquin Couloir. A steep north facing gully that starts at 13,400 ft. The three traveled to the top of the chute without incident. Skier 1 dropped in and skied to a spot just above the choke in the middle of the couloir. The plan was for the group to leap frog. Skier 2 planned to ski past skier 1 and stopping below the choke. As skier 2 passed skier 1 and went though the choke the snow started to move around him. A soft slab of snow fractured above him, went wall to wall, and broke about a foot deep. The skier was able to stay on his feet for about 100 feet until losing his balance. He then started tumbling head over heels and traveled a few hundred feet more with the moving snow. When the debris stopped skier 2 was uninjured and not buried. Skier 1 and Rider 1 were not caught in the slide. They decided the coulior and regrouped with Skier 2. Skier 2 lost a ski pole and backcounty radio during the event.