Several avalanches reported to CAIC during the last storm. Surprise, surprise. 10/26/10 10 a.m.

As I talked about in several previous snowpack discussions, the new pack already has several weaknesses that are easily triggered with new snow/wind blown snow/human triggers.  Looks like another typical San Juan snowpack.  See CAIC report below of two human triggered slides in the San Juans.

CAIC Report

October 24…Another triggered slide was reported off Storm Peak (aka Velocity Peak) near Silverton on Saturday. A couple of skiers came upon the debris at some point after the slide had run. Dimensions were estimated at 2.5′X100′X250 vertical. The fracture was at about 12,600 feet and ran out of the ‘Grand Couloir” were the old speed skiing events used to be held.

October 24…Also in the San Juan, in California Gulch near Animas Forks, one skier was partially buried in a soft slab on Saturday (24th). The second skier triggered the slide, which started about 150 feet wide and about 2 feet deep near 12,500 ft. This slide then triggered a sympathetic slide higher upslope. The skier was carried about 450 feet and was buried to about their shoulders. The debris was reported as fairly soft and easy to dig away from the partially buried skier. This slide was on a North-Northeast aspect with a starting zoned measured at 35-38 degrees. There was an impressive debris pile at the toe of the slide.