Yesterday my partner and I were skiing in the San Juan near Silverton.
The area we were skiing has one main hazard: a large west facing avalanche path coming off of a ~12,700’ peak. It’s easy to avoid, with the most common objective being the N. Facing trees to the skiers left of the path. The west facing glades to the skiers-right of the path are also commonly skied.
On our approach we passed a group of women on a professionally guided “introduction to bc skiing for women” course.
Coming down from our first lap, I noted that they were laying in a new skin track toward the gully. I mentioned that there were three skiers heading up the center of the path to the summit. I didn’t want to be below them in the event it slid, and thought I’d share. Also though, I was trying to be sensitive to an all-women’s trip and not trying to mansplain how to bc ski to the professional guides. I figured they were planning to cross the gully low and ski the west facing trees to the R of the path.
When my partner and I topped out at our knoll @ ~12000’ we saw the group of women center-punching the gully. Right in the gut of this path they decided to transition to downhill mode and descend. 200’ in either direction they would have been in relative safety. But they chose the only dangerous place in the entire zone. It does not appear they dug a pit (they had a pretty quick transition).
In their defense, west facing slopes are currently in the box down here (per CAIC guidance), and this slide path ran large earlier this winter, possibly clearing out a lot of the basal layer junk.
My gut-feeling, however, is that an introduction to bc skiing course should discuss how to avoid obvious hazards and not roll-the-dice on exposing a group of ~6 skiers to the only objective hazard in a zone.
Also, Im not a professional guide, though I do have ~20 years of backcountry skiing experience. And I try to be sensitive to not mansplain when my advice isn’t solicited.
I’m Facebook friends with one of the (female) guides for this organization and I’m debating asking her who the guides were so I can share some feedback on their route choice. The guides seemed awesome, but young.
Or do I just STFU and not meddle in the way they do their shit?