Aspen
AvalancheAnonymous · Jan 27, 2021 · Gunnison
Weather
Clear, Wind gust to 30 turning to overcast and snowing by 3 PM
Snowpack
2+N feet new snow on a buried layer. Really too much snow to keep any sort of speed.
Avalanche
We had a good run in the new snow. Which was almost too deep to get a decent amount of speed. We skied down to a bench above a rollover where we started or skin back up our ski track. When we got to the final pitch to get to the ridge and our way out. We separated and I began to put in the up track. The saddle where we were headed was not as significantly loaded but still suspect and we were aware that the pitch to our left that did slide have potential to release. I was halfway up when the dreaded collapse happened. About 2/3 the way up this 25 0 Vertical foot pitch, I came up to some small almost buried trees which had some hollowness around them and triggered a collapse. Thankfully we separated and my partner was in a safe place. No snow above me slid and I finished the final 75 vert feet noticing two slope wide cracks which made for anxious moments when my partner climbed. Thankfully the hang fire stayed put and my partner obtained the ridge with out incident. We climbed the small peak and toured out to Marble bowl and descended to our cars very grateful that my dumb decision to go back there in the first place was not more consequential. This was an R-2+ D-2+Avalanche. I did suspect that there could be a problem where the slide occurred and made the good decision to separate whilst putting in the up trail. The Avalanche report was spot on and I did read both the CAIC and the CBAC Northern zone report which was right on. I am humbled and I have no plans to push any more big lines this winter. I will try and send some video and photos to the contacts address.