Emigrant
Quick report
- Cracking
- widespread
- Collapsing
- widespread
Observations in summary. Pile at the bottom was 15 to 20 feet deep. Biggest avalanche we have ever seen.
Avalanche
- Size
- D2.5 R3
- Type
- HS
- Aspect
- N
- Trigger
- AS
- Elevation
- 10200 ft
The avalanche broke thousands of feet wide with a crown 3 to 5 feet deep. North aspect. Lots of avalanche activity before we started climbing the face. I stayed behind while friends went up. I watched from below in the death zone as they ascended. I removed skins and clipped in as my gut feeling was grim. I was in a bad spot but didn't want to leave my friends. They got up high and one began a high traverse. His second step the North face broke. The sound echoed throughout emigrant bowl with many fracture lines. The two at the top where luckily at crown level. I was in a really bad spot but I was nervous and ready to run. Survival rate 100%. Three lucky men.