Loveland Pass Slide Early March 2012

I saw the aftermath of a very large slide driving over LL Pass yesterday. It is on the side facing A-Basin, below a very high ridge which has a huge cornice on the Northern edge. The slide is on the southern edge (probably a SE aspect), in the center of the snow field, not under a huge cornice. The slope is tracked with perhaps dozens of skier tracks. It is disconcerting to see the slide path thru the skier tracks. No reports found here nor on CAIC.

I assume nobody was caught? Does anyone have the story on that slide? I hope it was natural wilst empty.

Sounds like the Professor, a frequent runner. But from your photo it is hard to tell.

CDOT bombed the fuck out of it. Widowmaker ran to the ground (big) in three spots. Prof sluffed off in the usual spot. There have been a lot of tracks on the Professor this year and a few on the Widowmaker. Prof has slid a few times. CDOT usually drops a metric shitton of bombs on it to prevent it from taking out the road, a-frame, and parking lot.

Pinner you are a funny man! I tried to get the shot out the window. I managed to get shots of everything after that. Driving up / East from Abay, I was only able to view this wonder pitch from switchback #1 then we flipped back around westbound towards switchback #2, and I lost view of it and we were headed for the Denver afternoon carcrush so we could be late for our flight home, so there was no turning back for the shot. I hope this description helps; huge long ridge. Much more cornice on the North edge, almost no cornice on the southern edge, the middle ripped, massive open snowfield below cornice may have been a mile wide, over half mile long, solid row of treeline below.

Anyway, whether it was the Professor or Widowmaker, no buds, sons, daughter, fathers, sisters, brothers or mothers were harmed in the making of this slide, natural or CDOT caused, I'm at peace. thanks.

PS, there were skier tracks in very narrow high consequence slide paths below ABay that were death wishy at first glance. be smart everybody!!

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Originally Posted by anemic

PS, there were skier tracks in very narrow high consequence slide paths below ABay that were death wishy at first glance.

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Steep Gullies 1-6. Super fun when conditions are right.

Dear oh dear Pinner, how sad, no gear, digging out with snowboards (2010 fatality report). Yes they look fun, VERY fun if the snowpack would play nice. Type of thing one might consider only then, due to the lack of options if it goes. Steep Gullies, aptly named.

I'm reading a book I picked up at the Ski Tip Inn last week, called "It's Easy Edna. It's All Downhill From Here." about Max & Edna, by Edna, the couple who founded the Ski Tip Inn, Arapahoe Basin & Keystone. Very cool people, great stories. She was caught in a late season slide on Pali & had quite a fright.

I recommend this book!