Avalanche — West Elk and Sawatch Mountains, Colorado

2020-04-28 · West Elk and Sawatch Mountains, Colorado

Event narrative

The avalanche began as a wet-loose avalanche triggered by a backcountry skier. The wet-loose avalanche was only a few inches deep, and spread to 150 feet wide at the widest point. The avalanche carried the skier downhill and over a cliff, triggering a second wet-loose avalanche that eventually pinned the skier against trees resulting in a fatality.

Wider weather episode

A series of mid-April snowstorms dropped up to a foot of snow near Crested Butte, Colorado. From April 23 to 27, temperatures warmed above freezing during the day and dropped back below freezing at night with some melting of the snowpack. Weak layers underneath the new snowpack and the warmer temperatures resulted in unstable conditions. Backcountry skiers unintentionally triggered an avalanche along a 42 north-northeast facing slope with scattered tree cover.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 881161. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.