the winter life

ESPN’s Freeskiing blog has a great post written by Tim Mutrie about the current avalanche hazards in Colorado. He cites the high number of close calls and slides reported by the Colorado Avalanche and Information Center (see below for details) that have already taken place in Colorado’s often sketchy backcountry. Mutrie spoke with CAIC avalanche forecaster Spencer Logan about the current conditions. Check out his post to see what he said. Here are a couple of the most recent reports. Be careful out there.

October 25, 2009. Loveland Pass

Another incident occurred on Sunday the 25th. A skier triggered a soft slab on a hard ice crust or possible summer snow field on an east aspect near 12,000 feet on Loveland Pass. The crown broke about 40 feet above the skier. The crown was about 20 feet below a corniced ridge, about 40 feet wide and 20 inches deep on a slope estimated between 35 and 40 degrees. There was very little debris, not enough to be buried by the slide after the skier rode and tumbled about 150 vertical feet.

October 25, 2009. Apache Peak, Indian Peaks

While ascending two skiers triggered and were caught in a large avalanche on Apache Peak on October 25. They had skied the line the previous day. Disappointed they had not skied from the summit, they planned to ascend farther and ski a longer run on the 25th. They ascended into the narrow, 40 to 45 degree couloir. They became nervous when they found an 18 inch deep hardslab with a icy crust. In between was a thin layer of facets. They triggered the avalanche at that point. The avalanche caught both and carried them about 1000 vertical feet. One skier was completely buried, the second buried with just a hand free (partially buried critical). The second skier was able to clear the snow from his face and dig himself out. Battered and exhausted, he began a beacon search once free. He quickly located his partner and cleared the snow from his face. Both sustained minor injuries and returned to the trailhead on their own.

October 31, 2009. Bartlett Mountain, Fremont Pass

A party of three ascended the lower angle west aspect and north ridge of Bartlett Mountain. They dropped into a steep northeast to east facing couloir. The first skier was 2 to 3 turns down when the slope avalanched. The crown was 1 to 2 feet deep and only 15 feet wide at the top, but widened out to 75 feet part way down the couloir. There was an icy layer on the bed of the avalanche. Towards the bottom, the slide entrained deeper snow and left many exposed rocks. The skier was buried to his neck and injured. The other two were able to excavate their friend and call out on a cell phone. Flight For Life evacuated the injured skier.