Sawatch
AvalancheAnonymous · Apr 7, 2020 · Sawatch
Weather
Clear Skies, sunny At time of accent tempreature was in the low to mid 30's. Winds calm below treeline, slight gusting above treeline. On decent tempretures had quickly warmed into the low to mid 40's.
Snowpack
On assent snow pack below tree line was already soft and becoming unsupportive in the creek area. At tree line snowpack was firm and icy and felt to be very consolidated, no punching through or collapsing. Above treeline the snowpack was still firm and icy. Slight wind scorring. Aspect was west. Elevation max near 11,900.
Avalanche
Solo snowboarder triggered avalanche after decending on to snow covered train track. Made a personal plan to stop for a break at the train track to asses what I assumed would be much warmer snowpack before continuing down to the Arkansas creek and out of avalanche prone terrain. When I rode onto the train track I continuted to the far west side of the track about three to four feet from the roll over which was approximately thirty degrees. Came to a complete stop with hard turn and decided to sit down. When my body touched the snow the slope directly in front of me propogated a crack and quickly broke and slid about thirty feet and came to rest in a small stand of old pine trees, breaking a few small diameter trees. If the stand of trees was not there my assumption is it would have continued to slide to the valley floor. The avalanche appearded to propagate on a potential ice layer covering the rocks and dirt. R1- D1.5 West aspect, approximately 11,000'.