2023-2024 avalanche season

[charlier]

The first reported avalanche of the season was submitted via observation to the CAIC. The avalanche occurred in the backcountry, southeast of Aspen on 'Mountain Boy Peak' near Independence Pass. Thankfully, nobody was injured in the avalanche.

CAIC report

View Field Report | Colorado Avalanche Information Center

avalanche.state.co.us

photo from CAIC
.

 

[jmeb]

Nice write up from Paul.

Quality observations make all the difference to avalanche forecasting operations. Even if you don't see an avalanche or other signs of instability, observation of stability are also very useful for your local center.

 

[Paul Lutes]

Wow.

Wish we had enough snow to worry about avies.

 

[Frenchman]

Charlie!

(Edit: Wave emoji not supported.)

 

[charlier]

Perhaps the first reported avalanche in the Kootenay Mtns, B.C. If this location is too far afield, I will refrain from reporting on avalanches in British Columbia.

Avalanche Canada

avalanche.ca

 

[Mothertucker]

Skier suffers life-threatening injury after triggering avalanche on Mt. Washington

A friend of the injured man and another skier provided aid to him while a National Guard helicopter made its way to the scene.

www.wcvb.com

 

[dbostedo]

Skier suffers life-threatening injury after triggering avalanche on Mt. Washington

A friend of the injured man and another skier provided aid to him while a National Guard helicopter made its way to the scene.

www.wcvb.com

Wow... it was a "life-threatening lower leg injury"... sounds gruesome.

If you don't know the area well, like me, here's an overview from Fatmap. Airplane Gully is the teal colored route inside the yellow circle. The blue "T" marks the top of Tuckerman Ravine. The lower left ski resort is Wildcat.

A closer Fatmap view of the Great Gulf area, and the Airplane Gully.

 

[Tricia]

 

[dbostedo]

I went to CAIC to see if they had anything more to say on the KT-22 avalanche, and unfortunately saw this one in the Idaho backcountry from yesterday:

https://classic.avalanche.state.co.us/caic/acc/acc_report.php?acc_id=858&accfm=rep

 

[charlier]

A nice video from UAC, location - Park City. I am taking a weekend break from skiing with cold temperatures (-34*C at Kootenay Pass) and relatively shallow snowpack (141cm).

 

[Bad Bob]

We lost a BC skier yesterday up off of Lookout Pass on the ID/MT boarder. There are some really unstable layers out there be safe all.

 

[Tricia]

This guy has some high energy but it was attention grabbing.
Hopefully backcountry skiers will take heed.

 

[New2]

We lost a BC skier yesterday up off of Lookout Pass on the ID/MT boarder. There are some really unstable layers out there be safe all.

Report posted: https://www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org/docs/Stevens-Willow Fatality Report FINAL.pdf

I'm definitely no expert, but it sounds like they did everything about as right as one can. Scary & sad!

And the Spokesman-Review has coverage, including more info about the skier: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jan/22/report-offers-more-detail-on-avalanche-that-killed/

 

[Andy Mink]

Lee Canyon has joined the avy list.


AVALANCHE REPORT...





At approximately 1:20 pm today, an avalanche occurred at Lee Canyon Ski Area above the Sherwood chairlift, affecting the Black Jack, High Roller, and Keno trails. The Sherwood lift was immediately stopped, and the resort suspended all operations and ski patrol was dispatched. Guests were asked to leave the resort.

Our ski patrol & mountain operations teams immediately performed a search & found one guest requiring assistance who was released after being treated on the scene. No other persons were reported missing.

At that time, as a precaution, though no other reports of guests were missing, Lee Canyon employees and guests performed a probe line over the affected areas.

An on-mountain search and a parking lot sweep have been conducted, and currently, everyone is accounted for––there are no active reports of people missing.

Las Vegas Metro Search and Rescue, Mt. Charleston and Clark County Fire Departments are currently on scene working alongside Lee Canyon's teams.

Extreme winter weather conditions will continue in the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area. Currently, state routes 156 and 157 are closed to the public. Only Lee and Kyle Canyons residents will be permitted to access those roads.

Lee Canyon Ski Area will remain closed tomorrow, and potentially wednesday. Guests with purchased lift tickets will be refunded.

 

[crgildart]

Sad news..

MSN

www.msn.com

Pioneering Skier Kasha Rigby Dead in Avalanche at 54​

 

[dbostedo]

Sad news..

MSN

www.msn.com

Pioneering Skier Kasha Rigby Dead in Avalanche at 54​

FYI for folks, thread on that is here:

RIP Kasha Rigby

We have lost another pioneer, inspiration, and incredible human to the mountains. https://www.skimag.com/news/kasha-rigby-death-kosovo-avalanche/ https://backcountrymagazine.com/stories/kasha-rigby-believed-dead-in-avalanche-in-kosovo/ As a powerful and graceful telemark skier, she was an...

www.skitalk.com

 

[ADKmel]

Avalanche at SugarLoaf with the heavy snow this past weekend. Facebook poster got caught in it, others dug him out. told another one at Stowe On Mansfield..
Copied from facebk
On our second run this morning I dropped into a little chute off Skyline drive that leads into a special little pocket of snow in the trees. It’s a spot I’ve cherished for decades and have found special stashes days after a storm sometimes.
Looking down the narrow chute it seemed more wind scoured than I expected but it looked like there was good snow once in. I had a moments pause and almost went around to another line, but decided to send it.
As expected as I came out of the narrow chute leading into the open pocket in the trees there was tons of snow. Snow that started moving as I made my first turn. Deep snow which once moving pitched me forward and carried me about 20 feet with large a slabs breaking over me as we went. I was lucky to get an arm up and was able to swipe snow clear from my face as I can to a stop. I was however well and solidly buried. I was also alone as Heather had swung around and was waiting a couple hundred feet below.
It took me about 5 minutes to dig my arms and chest out enough to try and pop my skis off, but I was unable to do so, so I eventually texted for help. Fortunately moments later someone else dropped in behind me and was able to traverse around and dig me out. (Nathan Sanborn)

 

[Nobody]

Yesterday….Zermatt (CH)…

 

[jmeb]

For those who haven't seen the Zermatt news -- 3 dead, 1 injured in a significant avalanche in off piste terrain in Zermatt: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/zermatt-switzerland-avalanche-kills-american-teenager-2-others/ . One of three fatalities is an American teenager.

Absolutely tragic; my condolences to the friends, family and rescuers.

This is the best approximation I could come up with based on photos/written text using WhiteRisk. Red line is general area of the avalanche, orange overlay is a permanent wildlife closure, the shading (deep red to blue) is the Avalanche Terrain Hazard, the pink-ish lines are pistes. The ATH layer approximates likely avalanche runout zones based on physical modelling.

 

[James]

For those who haven't seen the Zermatt news -- 3 dead, 1 injured in a significant avalanche in off piste terrain in Zermatt: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/zermatt-switzerland-avalanche-kills-american-teenager-2-others/ . One of three fatalities is an American teenager.

Absolutely tragic; my condolences to the friends, family and rescuers.

This is the best approximation I could come up with based on photos/written text using WhiteRisk. Red line is general area of the avalanche, orange overlay is a permanent wildlife closure, the shading (deep red to blue) is the Avalanche Terrain Hazard, the pink-ish lines are pistes. The ATH layer approximates likely avalanche runout zones based on physical modelling.

View attachment 232266

For broadcast media, that’s a pretty good program.