Incident

Avalanche: Loafer Mountain

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Avalanche

Slab Width
183 m
Weak Layer
Facets
Trigger Type
Skier
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Slab Thickness
30 cm
Trigger Detail
Unintentionally Triggered
Start Zone Aspect
North
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Start Zone Elevation
2377 m

Incident

Number Caught
1
Number Carried
1
Number Injured
1
Number Partly Buried
1

A skier was caught and carried and partially buried while pinned to a tree and unconscious. The two companions quickly got to the victim and quickly revived the victim. According to a second-hand account, the skier tried to grab a tree (see the photo of the glove attached to the tree) and was able to do so for a few seconds before being carried. This may have helped save them from being carried more deeply into the debris. The crown of the avalanche was 12-24" deep and the avalanche propagated widely - over 600' and across two other drainages. This was a very large and dangerous avalanche with a fortunate outcome.