Front Range
AvalancheChris Johnson · Apr 22, 2023 · Front Range
Weather
Weather was overcast, lots of new snow, but did not seem to be forming a slab. The top layer of new snow was consistently light and fluffy all the way to the old bed surface. Some wind from the N, but had been calm most of the morning. The wind had started to pick up, but still didn't seem to be affecting the snow.
Snowpack
8+ inches on top of what felt like supportive old freeze/ thaw crust. Once that top layer had sloughed off, crunchy icy snow remained. Once that layer had also broken loose, it was maybe 12" of loose unconsolidated snow on top of rocks, with large gaps between rocks.
Avalanche
West/ North west facing. 8" new, light snow with no obvious slabs. Started skiing down the middle chute of the Fingers face. Loose snow quickly flushed through the choke, leaving the icy freeze/ thaw surface. I made a few more turns and then another slab about 12" deep broke loose just below my skis and roughly the width of the chute (30'?) and flushed through to the bottom. I was not carried and remained on my skis. I took my skis off and climbed back to the top of the couloir, finding unsupportive, unconsolidated snow with many pockets of air between the rocks. The snow was not enough to bury a person.