Sawatch

Avalanche

Justin Matis · Dec 12, 2021 · Sawatch

Weather

Bluebird day with temps in the mid-20s. Winds were moderate, and seemed normal for the divide, but strong winds were reported for Saturday. On Saturday, I could clearly see snow blowing off the peaks from down in the valley.

Snowpack

38.491725,-106.3097361 North-East aspect at 11,500 ft. Based on the crown of the avalanche, the snow from the recent storm was deposited in a layer that varied from 1 ft to 4 ft after being blown by the wind. There was a firm wind slab on top. The old snow was only about 8 inches deep to the ground and sugary.

Avalanche

This may be a duplicate report if you have received one from the party who intentionally triggered the avalanche. A previous party skiied just below the Continental Divide with the apparent goal of setting off a slide. Based on ski tracks, the avalanche triggered on a 4ft of new windblown snow. The avalanche ran 150m to where the terrain leveld out and was about 50m wide. There are adjacent slopes that seem just as primed to slide.