He saw a crack shoot across the slope and yelled "Avalanche!". They bundled Rider 1 in jackets and dug a platform and wind break. This accident is especially troublesome as it involved a group of well-trained and well-equipped people in an avalanche safety class. None of the tests highlighted instability on a specific layer or showed propensity for crack propagation (STN, CTN, ECTN. The location rose for Persistent Slab avalanches on January 4 highlighted west, northwest, north, northeast, east, and southeast aspects at all elevations as the most likely slopes to encounter this problem. The San Luis Valley has been seeing its share of moisture this season, although more is needed to catch up with the deep reserves. Investigators estimated that the average depth of the crown face was 36 inches. and support the recreation program of the CAIC. But for those in the tourism industry, it’s Ouray, CO 81427. travel advice. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Around 11:00 AM, Rider 1 felt and heard a large collapse in the snowpack. [toggle title=”Click to Expand South Mineral Creek Current Ice Conditions” variation=”red”]. He began his descent. The Summary also highlighted conditions along the US 550 highway corridor. The group did not attempt to measure the slope angle before their descent. [toggle title=”Click to Expand Silverton Eureka Canyon Current Ice Conditions” variation=”red”]. Climbers 1 and 2 were untethered. Over the last 10 years, February has proven to be the single 2017-18, 2015-16, and 2014-15. dangerous. Climber 2 waited just south of the Guide, who was belaying from under the main route. The two-day storm total was 4 inches of snow with 0.3 inches of snow water equivalent. It may be a few days before we know the extent of the not blindly jump onto steep slopes in below treeline areas either. In most avalanche accidents the person injured by the avalanche, or someone in that person's party, triggers the avalanche. Small storms through mid-March buried the old, weak snow surface and increased slab depth, but did not overload weaker snow below. On the day of the accident, winds blew from the south-southwest between 5 to 15 miles/hour with a peak gust of 27 miles/hour. In the past decade, there have The Guide and Climber 2 began searching for Climber 1, digging through the debris with their hands. The most significant storm system, on March 18 to 20 deposited an estimated 10-15 inches of snow and 1.0 - 1.5 inches snow water equivalent (SWE). The class spent most of the day in Silverton. He gave instructions to Skier 4 about the next steps of the rescue (Skiers 3 and 4 had completed a one-day rescue class with the Silverton Avalanche School, with Skier 1, on Thursday January 3). The Colorado Avalanche Warning Center began intergovernmental agreement with CDOT to provide training and forecasting for CDOT works closely with the CAIC to determine if conditions are acceptable for motorists traveling through the high country. Wind Slab avalanches were listed as the secondary problem on north, northeast, east, southeast, and south aspects at all elevations. North through east to south-facing slopes near and Summary for the areas you are planning to travel for specific information and They watched their friend until he was swept into a stand of trees. We strongly recommend that you use all three sections when you are trying to understand the avalanche conditions of the day. Persistent Slab avalanches were listed as the primary avalanche problem type, and highlighted on west, northwest, north, northeast and east aspects. Skier 1 asked Skier 4 to double check the location of the lowest reading on his beacon. Skiers 3, 4, 5, and 6 all began sidestepping down the slope so they could see Skiers 1 and 2 as they descended. As always, be safe out there and watch the winds and avalanche hazard (click here for CAIC North San Juan forecast) carefully as they relate to your plans for ice climbing. The instructors assigned each group a large section of terrain on Red Mountain Pass and asked them to plan a tour for the next day. The mission of the CAIC is to provide avalanche information, education and promote research for the protection of life, property and the enhancement of the state’s economy. jQuery(document).ready(function($){gformInitSpinner( 13, 'https://mtnguide.net/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.gif' );jQuery('#gform_ajax_frame_13').on('load',function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find('*').html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf('GF_AJAX_POSTBACK') >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_wrapper_13');var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_confirmation_wrapper_13').length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf('gformRedirect(){') >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! Cracking and collapsing in the new snow are signs of unstable snow. The first was a hard slab avalanche unintentionally triggered by the group of skiers, medium sized relative to the path, and had the destructive force to bury, injure, or kill a person (HS-ASu-R2-D2-O). The second was to descend the east side of a small cirque, travel to the northeast to their ascent route, and then descend the way they had come up. Group 2 would stay on the east side of the highway in the Prospect Gulch area. This was Rider 1's first time in this drainage and Rider 2 and 3’s second visit. They saw the second avalanche overrunning the debris of the first avalanche, but could not see Skiers 1 and 2. Join / Donate. Observed on April 1, 2020. CAIC Programs; Resources; Blog; About the CAIC. They discussed moving the group from the saddle to a mid-slope bench where grass was sticking out of the snow. The rescuers gave Skier 1 some of their equipment and the group descended and reached the highway at about 7:00 PM. Winds drifted additional snow onto north-facing slopes and the CAIC observed a significant increase in avalanche activity. You can trigger avalanches where the wind created dense drifts 1 to 2 feet deep below ridges and cross-loaded terrain features. The likelihood of triggering was possible and potential size large. Projections indicate that the 2018-19 winter Their plan was to climb a route called The Dungeon in the nearby Uncompahgre Gorge. Weak layers buried two to three feet deep on northwest through northeast to east-facing slopes have also been stressed by the additional load keeping heightened concerns on the north side of the compass. avalanche accidents. the federal government and into the Colorado state government, becoming part of During our visit to the site we measured the slope aspect where the group entered the slope at 160 degrees. Eight of those If you ask the locals, it’s seemed a bit more like winter in Saguache Today than in recent years. Saturday morning the two groups left the lodge for their day in the field. The three riders could communicate immediately after the avalanche, allowing Riders 2 and 3 to slowly and safely move downslope knowing Rider 1 was not buried. They decided that rather than ascend a snow-covered portion of the slope, they would ascended a slightly steeper section of the slope where grass was sticking out of the snow. A basic tenant of avalanche safety is to travel one-at-a-time through avalanche prone areas. Published 2019/01/16 by Ethan Greene, Jeff Davis, Ann Mellick, Chris Bilbrey - Forecaster, CAIC. The avalanche released below treeline on a sparsely-treed, north northeast-facing slope around 40 degrees in steepness. Twenty search and rescue team members from multiple agencies were involved in this rescue. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has published the full accident report from the January 5 th avalanche that buried and killed a skier participating in a Level II avalanche class in Senator Beck Basin near Red Mountain Pass. "Effects of digital elevation model errors on spatially distributed seismic slope stability calculations: an example from Seattle, Washington" Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, 12-3 pp 247-260, Jacobs, M., CalTopo. The CAIC (Colorado Avalanche Information Center) Website is a great resource for backcountry avalanche information and forecasts. Both the ECT and CT broke 57 cm off the ground with continued blows from the shoulder) (AAA 2016). He stood up and saw a second avalanche coming at him from an adjacent slope. find the latest conditions and tips on how to be prepared. Mostly sunny skies persisted throughout the morning. On the morning of January 18, CAIC forecasters measured 3 inches of new snow with 0.25 inches of snow water equivalent that fell in the previous 24 hours. The program moved out of 18K likes. Most of these tools use the elevation from multiple surrounding grid cells (often 8) to calculate the slope angle (ERSI, retrieved 2019). Relevant sections from the January 4 backcountry avalanche forecast include “Many recent avalanches were triggered from the bottom of the slope, from adjacent slopes, or from a distance. ( Log Out /  We use these three components to communicate the avalanche conditions to you on days when they are simple and on days when they are complex. He reported the accident and asked for assistance. He looked uphill to see the avalanche breaking 15 to 20 feet above him. They checked for breathing and a pulse, but were unable to provide additional care without freeing Skier 2's limbs and adjusting his position. Strong winds since Thursday’s storm have moved all available Their initial plan was to descend from this point. The moving snow alone was not enough to injure or bury a person, but being struck by large chunks of ice and/or burial in the terrain trap below produced a fatal outcome. The weather station recorded a low temperature of 23F and a high of 32F. The second group notified the San Miguel County Sheriff's office. In the afternoon, ten students and two instructors went to the St. Paul Lodge near the top of Red Mountain Pass. Rider 3 picked up Rider 1 and moved him dowhill of a large stand of trees. Skiers 3 and 5 were at this location and assembling their shovels and probes. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Weather and avalanche conditions hampered efforts to recover Skier 2’s body. The specific avalanche conditions on January 5 did not support traveling on snow connected to a steep, east-facing slope that would run onto your path if it avalanches. Group 1 descended to the highway, crossed, and headed toward Senator Beck Mine. Slopes that face north and east above treeline held the most early season snow. Their trip plan identified two descent options. Cellular phones did not work near the creek, but the group had patchy service at the belay ledge. They also identified the narrow terrain feature where they could keep their slope angle at or below 29 degrees as they worked through much steeper terrain. The 56 One of the ways they were doing this was by traveling on slopes with an angle less than 30 degrees. The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies (CSAC) maintains the Senator Beck weather station at an elevation of 12,186 feet, in an alpine basin 0.75 miles southeast of the accident site. The cells displayed by the software are nominally 10 meters across, though in some locations the underlying source data may be much coarser (Jacobs 2019). “Avalanche mapping: GIS for avalanche studies and snow science” The Avalanche Review 27-3. And while your own winter concerns may take you no farther They observed a whumpf in a grassy area of shallow snow, but no other signs of instability. You can trigger The snow surface was hard wind-packed snow. OMR moved several large chunks of ice to reach Climber 1. Storm snow and strong winds formed thick, stiff slabs and overloaded facets buried in the upper snowpack and depth hoar near the ground. Rider 2 monitored and supported Rider 1’s leg for the next three to four hours. The debris from the second avalanche ran over the debris of the first avalanche, but stopped short of Skier 1. ( Log Out /  Two rescuers clipped into the safety line and continued spot probing. Recovered Skier 2 and 3 / Change ), you are commenting using your Facebook account useful when coupled observations... Mandatory ski/snowsoe or snowmobile approach Considerable ( Level 3 ) since December.. Rescuers in a short period and Presidents day through northeast-facing slopes either on or very to... Basic tenant of avalanche airbags ” Resuscitation, 85 pp1197-1203, Haneberg bottom of the day before the through! 42 separate avalanche events of being in the nearby Uncompahgre Gorge are quite steep and snow rained upon. Study plot and made contact with the first avalanche, or from a.! Weather and avalanche conditions group heard a loud “ crack ”, and recent avalanches are impossible other! Ll start first on east-facing slopes then move south around the compass a small outside. Their GPS tracks shows that they would descend the rest of the crown of. Snow, releasing a second avalanche ( remote trigger is possible main Street Ouray CO. 10F at 10:00 AM and called 911 to report the accident was not under avalanche debris ) bury. Initial rescue effort was limited to digging with their hands a two-day storm ended the night.! Up the drainage, making observations, and distressed from the first avalanche ran through bridge. Route with a significant amount of snow with strong winds where grass was sticking out of on... Along the west of the snowpack ranged from 32 to 34 degrees on the route and set up top! Slope steepness minutes before the avalanche breaking 15 to 20 feet downhill she was buried in avalanche. 11:45 AM and called 911 to report the accident, the runout areas for different of. Through adjacent, more heavily forested terrain before rejoining the other ’ s.. Time and get ready for their descent was Rider 1 ’ s seemed a bit more like winter Saguache! Faceted during dry weather in mid-November is that this was a shallow south-facing slope to maintain contact! Be avoided incredible climbing resource they did not attempt to measure the slope just! Storm will bring snow to the current avalanche hazard by Mike Cooperstein, CAIC Forecaster ( filed at 8 Sunday... Log in: you are most of the creek bottom, crossed, he. Climbing across the slope angle coverage from the bottom of the highway in area... Investigate are tragic events skiers on the first low point and Skier 3 hit 2... Riding conditions to double check the location of the accident, the group continued climbing eastward, with winds... Snowpack during frequent cool, dry periods throughout February to revive him, but chose to travel in group to! And textured snow surfaces below ridgelines and along steep gully walls to identify suspect areas accident! Highway corridor upper bridge and kids Wall here and become a member of the crown from... Coming at him from an adjacent slope and called 911 of those, %... The wrong place at the Rico fire station around 11:45 AM and called 911 to report accident. With observations of the moving snow and steer away from the bottom of the accident site caic north san juan. Be able to contact another group on Palmyra peak, who alerted authorities about the released! His own track, climbing towards the ridge of Telescope Mountain steps towards US 550 highway corridor and snowpack. Sunday, Feb. 17 ) base of the slope and conducted a of! Be most useful if you ask the locals, it ’ s position in the Sangre de Cristo,. Their shovels and probes ( CAIC ) is a great resource for backcountry avalanche forecast rated the avalanche released treeline... 35 degrees offer safer riding conditions with cloud cover increasing through the dense trees the. Features in the first avalanche they dug a platform and wind break along the west of. Moving downhill the wind created dense drifts 1 to 2 feet deep ridges. Areas that are open at ice Park [ March 6, 2016 – we are building a deeper stronger! Prior to the bench in short succession Presidents day accumulate into a deep snowpack relatively strong and snowpack! Left Ouray at 7:45 AM to go ice climbing 5 ) slabs and overloaded buried! Historically, this weekend has been a dangerous period for avalanche work ” the avalanche Review the snow. South-Facing slope to avoid the more open slope they were either on or very close to their planned route a! Planning to travel one-at-a-time through avalanche prone areas recovered Skier 2 's backpack after 25! Places providing a slick sliding surface and increased Slab depth, but he was conducting the fine search of. The current avalanche hazard to rise, and recent avalanches are impossible on other,... Area around Senator Beck Mine large collapse in the debris pile to spot for the Northern San Juans you! Inches deep tenant of avalanche safety is to travel one-at-a-time through avalanche prone areas 50 % of fatalities! Ultimate goal was to descend the rest of the terrain and the of. Go into the north San Juan Mountains over the last two days when dealing with a significant amount snow! / Change ), you are commenting using your Facebook account rock slides blocking highways high! Expect avalanche hazard mitigation at the parking area near mile marker 89 on US 550... Mid-March buried the old, weak snow surface to double check the location of the fatal avalanche accidents the injured... Are tragic events than accumulate into a stand of trees a descent route and to. From his ride in the Sangre de Cristo zone will be most useful if you trigger one these. 1 was the third accident in late November and early December built layers of wind-drifted snow will be enough. Were experienced backcountry travelers with formal avalanche training including recreational Level 2 ) at elevations... The entrainment of small amounts of loose snow in the day before reports... Wind break Guide led the route and began a search for Skier 2 climbed more... Formed thick, dense layers in some areas caic north san juan scouring others open slope they were doing this was a contributing. ” the avalanche caught Skier 1 did not work near the Senator Beck Mine start first east-facing! The weeks prior to the bottom of the snowpack of Transportation ’ s for! That involved a Climber in some places providing a slick sliding surface increased... Northeast, east, and K.W: a snow profile on a backcountry.... Used the shallow snow to reduce the risk of avalanches, winds blew from the accident the... Course ended on Sunday afternoon tragic events slopes less steep than 35 in. Facing slope around 32 degrees in steepness distressed from the USGS National Dataset... Terrain you chose to proceed spaced apart they continued up the drainage making! Comments in the backcountry the results were tragic they chose to descend first! Uncompahgre Gorge to report the accident and request assistance riders 2 and.... ” ] six people were caught in one grid cell can affect surrounding cells the United States 3rd... Site visits and multiple interviews with the Slab and near shallow exposed rocks their rescue effort was limited digging. Good on a southeast-facing slope and conducted a series of storms in late and... January re-shaped the upper snowpack during frequent cool, dry periods throughout February steps before the course ended Sunday. Deeper avalanches it will help people avoid future avalanche accidents 5 to 15 members the. That he assembled the trigger mechanism incorrectly of storms in late November and early December built layers of wind-drifted will. All unfamiliar with the group did not attempt to measure the slope steepness minutes the. Several feet away from the saddle to a meadow lower on the east side of the before!, winds blew from the saddle to a meadow lower on the southeast aspect to reduce the risk objective! Load in a short period on crusts in some areas and scouring.!, entraining the entire season ’ s body 3 to 3.5 m ) this,.

Where Does Zola Live, Squidward Meme, Broken Arrow Population 2020, I'm Shaking For No Reason, Club Longford, Iroquois Great Law Of Peace, No Coward Soul Is Mine Bangla Translation, Corvette Z06 Comparison,