Front Range
AvalancheAnonymous · Dec 10, 2022 · Front Range
Weather
Sunny and mild with wind gusts in the teens
Snowpack
S-SE facing slope. Crown @ 12,800'. Avalanche ran approximately 950'. 18" crown on the SE side of the slope.
Avalanche
The plan was to ski the South facing aspect down to the valley floor. Obvious wind loading on the more SE-E facing terrain, so the plan was to stay away from those slopes. Skier #1 dropped in and stuck to the south facing terrain for the first 2/3 of the ski line and stopped just above the apron of the slope. Snow was slightly wind effected, but minimal slab present. Skier #2 dropped and skied along the tracks of skier #1 and made several turns past skier #1 before stopping. Skier #1 started skiing again and made their first turn slightly into the SE side of the line and immediately triggered the slide. The avalanche propagated below, above and adjacent to skier #1. Skier #2 skied off to the south side of the slope and out of the avalanche's path. The avalanche took out the majority of the SE-E side of the ski line. Crown averaged around 18" deep and ran on basal facets. The majority of the season's snow avalanched on the SE-E side of the ski line. Skier #1 was carried by the avalanche just above the apron of the ski line and was partially buried approximately 30 yards uphill from the toe of the debris. Skier #1 was able to self extricate and was not injured. This is an example of how dangerous connected terrain is right now. The south facing terrain we were skiing and ascending during the morning was a night and day difference from the adjacent SE facing slopes, which were heavily wind loaded with a very reactive slab. We let our guard down at the bottom of the ski line and skied slightly into the SE facing terrain, which resulted in the avalanche.