Sawatch
AvalancheScott Toepfer · May 5, 2017 · Sawatch
Weather
Bluebird. Warming rapidly after 9 AM.
Snowpack
Extensive wet slab and wet loose cycle off S side of Mt Democrat and along the ridge south toward Buckskin Peak. Nothing larger than D 1.5. But a couple dozen ran today and yesterday.
Avalanche
Wide spread natural cycle on south side of Mt Democrat, especially along the steep and rocky ridge between Buckskin Peak & Mt Democrat. Saw one natural run this morning, and we triggered one Wet Slab avalanche on the east aspect side of a south facing gully feature. Ran around 450 vertical, but debris was not more than 2 feet deep in the apron-runnout. The leading wall of wet debris in front of the WLN would have easily bowled you over.