Incident

Avalanche: Upper Steam Mill

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Avalanche

Slab Width
30 m
Weak Layer
Surface Hoar
Trigger Type
Snowmobiler
Vertical Fall
61 m
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
46 cm
Trigger Detail
Unintentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
Northeast
Start Zone Elevation
2743 m

Second rider to side-slope across the slope low on the hill triggered and was caught and carried by the avalanche. He was able to stay on the sled and "burp" the throttle a bit to maintain forward movement and just a bit of control. The avalanche pushed him downhill at least 40 yards and then off his sled and into a tree... The slab avalanche was fairly slow moving, as it involved heavy moist snow... The sled was mostly buried, but otherwise did not sustain significant damage, and the rider was unhurt and was able to ride out....

Location and size details are estimates....

Incident

Number Caught
1
Number Carried
1
Number Partly Buried
1

Snowmobiler caught, carried, mostly buried, recovered, ok.