Avalanche
- Weak Layer
- New Snow/Old Snow Interface
- Trigger Type
- Skier
- Vertical Fall
- 381 m
- Avalanche Type
- Soft Slab
- Slab Thickness
- 15 cm
- Trigger Detail
- Unintentionally Triggered
- Start Zone Aspect
- Southeast
- Avalanche Problem
- Wind Slab
- Start Zone Elevation
- 3353 m
Four skiers/riders were boot packing up the east ridge of the Pfeifferhorn when a shallow 2"-6" deep wind slab failed. and pulled them off their feet and sending them over the rocky outcropping below them. Avalanche was triggered on the ESE face and ran approx 900-1200 feet below the rock band. The debris pile was relatively small. One of the riders was able to self-arrest before the rock band, however, their partner tumbled into them and knocked them over the rocks as well. Two of the party suffered lower leg injuries while the other two just minor bumps and bruises. Utah and Salt Lake County search and rescue teams and Lifeflight and DPS responded to the accident. Once winds died down and cloud level rose DPS was able to hoist all 4 back to the UCSAR command post in Alpine. All four members were off the mountain by 6:00 PM.
Photos courtesy UDOT Provo
Incident
- Number Caught
- 4
- Number Carried
- 4
- Number Injured
- 4