Southern San Juan
AvalancheAnonymous · Mar 21, 2020 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Light snow in the morning, broken clouds and some blue sky around mid-day, and then snowing lightly after 2:30p
Snowpack
Dug two pits on N/NW aspect around 11,000 ft and then again around 11,600 ft. Specifically targeting information regarding the new snow from Wednesday night, and it's bonding to the weaker, faceted layer from the February dry spell. New snow had settled to ~50cm, and pit tests showed no results with ECTN in both locations. Small test slopes of similar aspect and slope angle were ski cut and jumped on, again producing no results. Two audible collapses observed with one producing surface cracks outward around 20 to 30 feet. This area is a known talus slope and snow depths here are generally shallow.
Avalanche
Group of 5 skied one at a time down predominately north facing terrain approximately 800 ft to ~11,000 ft. Stopped at small road to regroup, where 3 skiers decided to put on skins for another lap and 2 decided to continue descent. After discussion, descent route for 2 skiers was selected as NW finger that comes off of Deadwood and bisects Neptune creek. Old road was taken to the north to gain access to the finger while holding a contour line around 11,000 ft. Once on the NW finger, skier 1 approached a small open slope ~30ft x 30ft and ~32-34deg slope angle. Upon first step out, slope slowly fractured and skier 1 was able to pivot and grab a large tree off to the side of the slide. The fractured snow slid due north off a steep 40+ deg slope and into the drainage, where the debris entrained additional snow as it moved down the drainage. Both skiers maintained verbal contact during the event, were fortunately uninjured, and able to ski the bed surface and then debris pile down creek. In hindsight, the confidence gained from the lack of results in the pit tests overruled the avalanche forecast for the day (considerable near-treeline, moderate below), causing the group of 2 to venture out into steep and unfamiliar terrain.