Park City/Canyons Dutch Draw avvy fatality report

[locknload]

Here is the final report from the Jan 8th fatality. Mods...please move this thread if this is the wrong place or redundant.
https://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche/57388


Key things to know for folks who aren't familiar with the terrain in PC.

1. The Dutch Draw/Conehead area is directly adjacent to the Canyons and has a gate above/next to the 9990 lift.
2. It is frequently and constantly skied by riders without safety gear, avalanche training and awareness
3. It looks very inviting to an advanced skier/boarder and is wide open; this fatality was a burial and apparent suffocation not the result of blunt force trauma from hitting a hard object.
4. There have been 4 deaths there in recent years and many other non-fatal avalanches
5. The avvy risk that day was "considerable" for the slope, aspect and elevation that day

Every time you head out the gate you take a risk. Going out the gate with safety equipment, a plan and a partner(s) who can help manage risk and proper training is a high risk activity. Most of the time it might work and give you a false sense of confidence..sometimes it will not.

Condolences the individual that passed, his family and friends. Thanks to avvy forecasters, patrollers and emergency responders who help keep us all safe. No powder line is ever worth your life...period.

 

[Slim]

Yikes. I thought ‘yeah I read about this early season fatality there’ but then checking it, turns out that was last year, so 2 consecutive years, someone dies there. Horrible.

 

[tch]

I can't imagine how the skier who triggered the avalanche onto her partner is feeling.

 

[locknload]

I can't imagine how the skier who triggered the avalanche onto her partner is feeling.

I was thinking same thing.

 

[locknload]

Yikes. I thought ‘yeah I read about this early season fatality there’ but then checking it, turns out that was last year, so 2 consecutive years, someone dies there. Horrible.

The fact that its directly adjacent to the Canyons makes it like a siren song after new snow. You can see it as you come up the lift and many of the skiers call it "side country" which is a fake term that doesn't exist. It is backcountry that is accessible from the resort but people just don't think of it that way even with the large skull and crossbones warning there. Also being wide open...its doesn't present any "obvious" hazards other than the fact that it avalanches frequently which is less obvious. Its a scary area because of those reasons not because the terrain is particularly challenging.

 

[charlier]

The fact that its directly adjacent to the Canyons makes it like a siren song after new snow. You can see it as you come up the lift and many of the skiers call it "side country" which is a fake term that doesn't exist. It is backcountry that is accessible from the resort but people just don't think of it that way even with the large skull and crossbones warning there. Also being wide open...its doesn't present any "obvious" hazards other than the fact that it avalanches frequently which is less obvious. Its a scary area because of those reasons not because the terrain is particularly challenging.

A very sad accident and my condolences to family and friends. The terrain is challenging with a 40* steep, roll-over and an unsupported slope below. Unfortunately, Dutch Draw been the site of of many skier triggered avalanches and fatalities over the past 10-15 years.

 

[François Pugh]

Back in the day (before I became the extremely risk-averse man that I am now ), I would ski side country alone, without any safety gear or communication. The one thing I did do though, was listen to the avalanche report before venturing out, and not go out if the risk was considerable or higher.

The least you should do is listen to the avalanche report.

[Thread hijack] BTW "side country" is a term and it is real. It means back country that is accessible from a lift, typically allows you to get back to the lift on the same day before nightfall. It does not mean it is any safer than any other back country, nor does it mean it requires any less safety consideration. [/Thread hijack]

 

[locknload]

Back in the day (before I became the extremely risk-averse man that I am now ), I would ski side country alone, without any safety gear or communication. The one thing I did do though, was listen to the avalanche report before venturing out, and not go out if the risk was considerable or higher.

The least you should do is listen to the avalanche report.

[Thread hijack] BTW "side country" is a term and it is real. It means back country that is accessible from a lift, typically allows you to get back to the lift on the same day before nightfall. It does not mean it is any safer than any other back country, nor does it mean it requires any less safety consideration. [/Thread hijack]

I hear you, Francois...it does exist but it needs to be dead. It contributes to the perception that it is somehow safer than terrain further away and out of sight from the resort. We need to not promote it and by calling the terrain what it is "unpatrolled, non-savvy mitigated terrain that you can get to from the resort or similar will keep it fresh in people's mind that you need to be BC equipped and ready to ski it. There is responsibility and accountability required if you go out there. Patrol is not obligated to go rescue them there and may not have a full complement of equipment to do so. Let's kill the term. There is either "in bounds resort skiing" or "out of bounds, unpatrolled BC skiing". Its in everyone's best interest to not offer a grey area in between.