NRC Gully - Remotely Triggered Size 3.0

A group of four backcountry users were touring up MacDonald West Shoulder #4, adjacent to NRC Gully, when they remotely triggered a size 3.0 avalanche. It was 50-120cm deep, 200m wide and ran for a total ground distance of 1.6km. The powder cloud settled within a few hundred meters of the highway and was first reported from the Hermit Moraines area. The group decided not to continue with their intended trip plan to the top of the slope and skied down their up-track. A Parks Canada representative was waiting in the parking lot to gather information on the avalanche and to confirm that no one else was involved. The group reported that no one was involved and they did not see anyone in NRC Gully. A Parks Canada Visitor Safety team soon verified this by conducting an aerial search of the area from a helicopter. There were no tracks leading into or out of the avalanche debris, though the avalanche came within 20m of the skin track. It is suspected the avalanche failed on a mid January persistent weak layer. Start Zone: 2450m, South aspect, steep, shallow, rocky, wind affected terrain.