Pauls Ridge - Remote Triggered Avalanche

westcoastmagic , Sunday 3rd March, 2024 5:00AM

We were skiing the north side of Pauls Ridge on low-angle supported slopes avoiding convex rolls and steeper terrain. A group of 6 skied down one of the gullies on the north side, where we intended to ski as it looked like a well-supported slope with a terrain trap at the bottom that you wouldn't want to linger in. Lots of tracks down this slope, maybe 10-12 people had skied it before us. We noticed the group ahead of us stopped in the terrain trap at the bottom, not moving out. We were aware we could trigger something on top of them so we remained in place at the top of the gully on the skin track. While we waited for the group to clear, a group of 3 snowboarders approached the gully from skiers right. From our vantage, it looked like the riders were unaware anyone was at the bottom of the gully. One rider dropped in on a steeper line through the trees on the right, rolling over a small convex knoll when we heard and felt a significant whoomph followed by an avalanche at the bottom of the gully. He was approx 20m above the group We didn't feel it was safe to ski the gully down to them for fear of triggering a second avalanche on top of them, us getting caught in it, or someone above us triggering a second one as we descended. The group appeared to be digging out gear but nothing more, no beacon searches or additional help appeared required from the snowboarders that dropped in so we felt it safest to ski the skin track back out. We met up with the buried group in the parking lot and they mentioned the gully slid on both sides, so we think the remote trigger rimmed fully around the top of the gully in a horseshoe shape triggering not just what was below but also on the other side (approx 75m?). Hoping they also submit a MIN as they have photos. 2 people were partially buried and one was fully buried, no one was injured. This was a sheltered area from the wind. My partner took a photo, I'll grab that and add it to the report when I get it