Front Range
AvalancheTrace Baker · Mar 3, 2020 · Front Range
Weather
Mostly clear, windy from the west.
Snowpack
We had been skiing the "Continental Divide Trail West" on the Berthoud Pass Ski Area map, so did not observe the snowpack near the site of the avalanche. Where we were, 2 - 3 inches of new (or wind-deposited?) snow on a firm base. Probed with handle of my ski pole down about 18 inches, found no obvious layers. We were staying on low-angle terrain with no starting zones above, so did not evaluate snowpack beyond random pole probing.
Avalanche
Directional references relative to the observer (me) at the parking lot on the summit of Berthoud Pass. At about 1215, I saw a skier approach the top of the gully from the right, below the convex roll. Track is visible in the attached file. The skier paused before initiating the turn, then turned into the fall line. Skier made an arcing turn, ending up in the trees below the debris field. Ski track defines the right edge of the avalanche track. Skier triggered a (wind?) slab at the start of the turn. Crown face is visible in the attached photo. Skier remained on his or her feet, completing the turn ahead of the moving debris. From CalTopo, the fracture occurred at about 11,500 feet, on a slope angle of about 40 degrees.