Details

• Date: 2016/05/17

• Observer: Public

Location

• BC Zone: Sawatch Range
• Area Description: Mount Elbert

Weather

• Weather Description: It was a cool morning with 28F deg temps when we started at the South Elbert trailhead at 4:30am. Skies were clear early morning with a low cloud cover down below in the Arkansas Valley. Near the summit we experienced cold winds and the snow was firm.

Snowpack

• Snowpack Description: From the summit to the Box Creek couloirs the snow was firm with no signs of instability. Skiing into the couloirs the snow was great up top. When I dropped into the couloir where the rocks started, the snow deteriorated very quickly with roller balls and pinwheels appearing suddenly. I did a hard cut to my left which did not release any slides before dropping into the lowest angle couloir.

Avalanches

• Avalanche Description: As I started skiing into the lowest angle couloir, my first turned triggered a point release which caught me in my second turn. The slide grabbed my ski and ripped it off my as I fell into the slide. Sliding downhill, I was struggling to get out until I reached down and removed my other ski. As soon as it came off, I stopped. I was able to hike down and recover both skis before skiing out. I was not injured.

	Date	Location/Path	#	Elev	Asp	Type	Trig	SizeR	SizeD
	2016/05/17  †	Sawatch Range	1	>TL	E	WL	AS / u	R1	D1
Date: 2016/05/17 (Estimated) Landmark: Sawatch Range

Media

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