Northern San Juan
AvalancheSkippie Zeller · Jan 15, 2019 · Northern San Juan
Weather
mostly clr, lite NE, 25F
Snowpack
Belayed over wind lip(not really a cornice). dug to ground. 11,900', NE aspect, 30+ degree slope, HS 100cm, HN over prior week 30cm, CT 12 x2 down 30 cm, believe CT results were on previous bed surface from debris evidence seen in toe of slide during prior obs. Oct "rain" (I can't think of what else would have caused this) layer down 60cm.
Avalanche
terrain is a bowl approx 100m wide and 300m long. decision to ski was based on lack of cohesion in top 30cm. skier 1 skied to mid slope tree island right of center as spotter. skiers 2 and 3 descended skier rt. of skier 1 to run out and right of hazard. skier 4 moved skier left of skier 1 and left of tree island. 4th turn in, the above mentioned failure occurred as skier 4 continued down the fall line. skier 4 easily stayed ahead of Au A SS R.5D1O. crown 20-25cm, width 3m, length 200m.