Yet another avalanche death. Aspen this time.

[doc]

https://www.9news.com/article/news/...aspen/73-c6d449a4-ce9c-4765-9735-622b5cfc40ad

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Sad. It always is.

 

[Coach13]

Very sad indeed. BTW I know these things happen but they seem to be happening with great frequency this season.

 

[SBrown]

Very sad indeed. BTW I know these things happen but they seem to be happening with great frequency this season.

January is statistically the month with most fatalities anyway, and we have had a lot of snow on top of a crappy snowpack. Last season we didn't have any snow....

 

[Analisa]

The persistent slab in the Rockies is causing a lot of problems. To @SBrown's point about statistics, deep slabs are the most dangerous avalanche problems, and most fatalities happen when the risk is at a considerable/3, meaning "dangerous avalanche conditions, careful snowpack evaluation, cautious routefinding and conservative decision making is essential. Natural avalanches possible; human triggered avalanches likely."

Touring can be done safely, but it's crazy (and scary) the tiny things that compromise safety. The CAIC released the accident report from the fatality that occurred in an Avy 2 class picked their line based on the slope angle shading of a GPS app that ended up being 2-3 degrees steeper than the app reflected based off the coarseness of the grid cells used to make the maps. The margin of error was small, but the impact certainly was not. In my own close call, the biggest "red flag" I missed was that my hands were warm. A small temperature warming ended up being much more pronounced, and a loose wet forecast for the southern aspects turned out to be applicable for all sides of the mountain. Things are risky and the margin for error is quite small, but it's not so bad that travel is flat out discouraged for everyone.

 

[Ken_R]

The persistent slab in the Rockies is causing a lot of problems. To @SBrown's point about statistics, deep slabs are the most dangerous avalanche problems, and most fatalities happen when the risk is at a considerable/3, meaning "dangerous avalanche conditions, careful snowpack evaluation, cautious routefinding and conservative decision making is essential. Natural avalanches possible; human triggered avalanches likely."

Touring can be done safely, but it's crazy (and scary) the tiny things that compromise safety. The CAIC released the accident report from the fatality that occurred in an Avy 2 class picked their line based on the slope angle shading of a GPS app that ended up being 2-3 degrees steeper than the app reflected based off the coarseness of the grid cells used to make the maps. The margin of error was small, but the impact certainly was not. In my own close call, the biggest "red flag" I missed was that my hands were warm. A small temperature warming ended up being much more pronounced, and a loose wet forecast for the southern aspects turned out to be applicable for all sides of the mountain. Things are risky and the margin for error is quite small, but it's not so bad that travel is flat out discouraged for everyone.

Right now in Colorado avoiding avalanche terrain (either being on it or below it, or close to it) is standard MO for me until well into spring (when cold nights are your friend). That means skiing and skinning on slopes of 25º or less. Even small areas like creek beds can easily become traps and kill you, it really doesnt take much. As always its best to measure a slope to really know but if its close, avoid it. When in doubt, avoid. Always.

 

[dbostedo]

Very sad indeed. BTW I know these things happen but they seem to be happening with great frequency this season.

There have been the same number of avalanche deaths in the US to date this season as last season. But last season was more biased toward snowmobilers, which usually comprise a high number of fatalities most seasons. The stats :

2017-2018, through 1/21/2018 :

3 backcountry skiers
0 in-bounds skiers
3 snowmobilers
1 snow-biker

2018-2019, through 1/21/2019 :

3 backcountry skiers
1 in-bounds skier (actually 2 unfortunately, though not updated on CAIC site yet)
3 snowmobilers
Edit to change dates

 

[Mike King]

There was a slide just outside of Snowmass on the runout from West Willow. It's on the CAIC website and was observed from the top of the Elk Camp chair. Three tracks in and three out -- and not sure if there are only 2 tracks on the bed or three...

Be careful out there!

Mike

 

[Tricia]

@dbostedo I changed the dates for you.

Also note that, the second person who was buried at Taos has passed.

 

[SBrown]

There have been the same number of avalanche deaths in the US to date this season as last season. But last season was more biased toward snowmobilers, which usually comprise a high number of fatalities most seasons. The stats :

2017-2018, through 1/21/2018 :

3 backcountry skiers
0 in-bounds skiers
3 snowmobilers
1 snow-biker

2018-2019, through 1/21/2019 :

3 backcountry skiers
1 in-bounds skier (actually 2 unfortunately, though not updated on CAIC site yet)
3 snowmobilers
Edit to change dates

It probably feels like more because seven deaths have come just in the past 2 weeks.

 

[Ken_R]

FYi, from the CAIC report:


"Skier 2 was wearing non-releasable telemark bindings. One ski did come off in the course of the avalanche, but he was buried with one ski still attached. It is impossible to know whether this contributed to his burial, or increased his burial depth (approximate burial depth was 150cm), but we do know that having things attached to your feet or hands increases the chances you get pulled deeper into the avalanche debris. It is generally safer to use releasable bindings, and to not use pole straps while traveling in the backcountry."