Sawatch
AvalancheAnonymous · Feb 7, 2014 · Sawatch
Weather
Cloudy, winds from the west, some snow fall. Temps in the 20s. The North Western side of the bluffs were the ones that released their slabs.
Snowpack
A hasty pit was dug near the crown, which was over a foot from the top and triggered. There under it was a weak hoary snow layer about a gloved finger thickness.
Avalanche
Slab from above the falls on the North West was triggered by a climber hiking from the bottom of the canyon to the top to inspect the anchors at the top of the frozen waterfall. The climber on top triggered a slide which slid down into the canyon. Avalanche was "d2", it buried one climber over a foot deep and he was swept about 30 feet. Only the climbers forearm and hand was exposed and he was able to wave for help. The climber was fine. The slide was probably an "r3", considering the ice climbing area is very narrow and forced the snow into a tight space. The slide probably moved 100 to 150 feet total before stopping.