CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

2010/11/15 - Colorado - "Corkscrew" Peru Creek

Published 2011/11/18 by John Snook - CAIC

Avalanche Details

  • Location: "Corkscrew" Peru Creek
  • State: Colorado
  • Date: 2010/11/15 (Estimated)
  • Summary Description: 1 skier and 1 dog caught
  • Primary Activity: Backcountry Tourer
  • Primary Travel Mode: Ski
  • Location Setting: --

Number

  • Caught: 1
  • Partially Buried, Non-Critical: 0
  • Partially Buried, Critical: 0
  • Fully Buried: 0
  • Injured: 0
  • Killed: 0

Avalanche

  • Type: --
  • Trigger: --
  • Trigger (subcode): --
  • Size - Relative to Path: --
  • Size - Destructive Force: --
  • Sliding Surface: --

Site

  • Slope Aspect: --
  • Site Elevation: --
  • Slope Angle: --
  • Slope Characteristic: --

Accident Summary

Party of six, all experienced with plenty of local knowledge. Skinned to top of Cadillac. Two in party dug 2 pits in vicinity of Cadillac cornice. Did not like what they saw so proceeded over to Corkscrew. Hiked into couloir through rocks on right side. Then ski cut one at a time on right side in leapfrog fashion. Cornice on left side which they tried avoided traveling under. Top guy started down, reached lowest member in party, told to continue, and then started a cut left across main gulley, which was a concavity in the slope, to reach other side which would be a safe zone under rock. While crossing, big gust of wind came up reducing vis to near zero, all in party heard a crack while lowest in party was in main gulley. All witnessed the powder cloud. It hit the crossing party in the back, but he was able to escape to the left side. Slide was described as shallow but a long runner (1800-1900’ vertical) and it stayed in the gully. RP believes it was a remote trigger while skier was crossing main gully. Slide started from below the cornice leaving some exposed rocks, but slide did not run to ground in the path. A stray dog followed the party. The dog was caught and last seen well down the track. Further investigation showed dog tracks climbing back up the gully. One of the party members knew the possible owner of the dog in Montezuma. Dog was missing for the morning, but did show up later that afternoon.

RP was not in pits dug on Cadillac. Others in party indicated 2” of facets at base of snow pack with 8-10” above.

SS-ASr? 18"x70'x1800'