Skier killed in avalanche near Georgia Pass

Not much info on aspect/elevation/layer triggered etc. as of yet.
Vibes to the family :(
Second fatality in CO in just a few days. Be safe out there. Give the new snow a chance to consolidate and gain strength.

https://www.summitdaily.com/news/bre...3415459&_p_c=1

Quote:

---

Two skiers near Georgia Pass triggered an avalanche that buried and killed one at around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, officials confirmed.

A Flight for Life helicopter was sent to the scene along with Summit County Sheriff's Office personnel and Summit County Rescue Group volunteers immediately after the slide was reported to emergency dispatchers. The sheriff’s office confirmed later in the afternoon that the buried skier was killed.

"One individual was carried down the slide path — we believe into the trees — but we don't have information to provide on who the individual was," SCRG spokesman Charles Pitman said on scene.

The avalanche reportedly occurred above tree line on a north-facing slope between the Middle Fork of the Swan River and Georgia Pass east of Breckenridge.

Avalanche danger was moderate in Summit County on Tuesday, the second of five risk ratings posted by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. A member of the agency was on scene investigating the slide Tuesday afternoon.

"The most likely avalanches right now involved the recent storm snow," CAIC deputy director Brian Lazar said, referring in general to the Summit County area. "On most slopes, the threat from fairly large, wet avalanches is the most widespread problem."

Pitman said more information would be released later in the day. He was out of cell phone range but a photographer interviewed him on scene.

The Summit County Coroner's Office could not be immediately reached for comment.

---

Deep Persistent Slab

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Summit

Deep Persistent Slab

---

Damn, that’s terrifying. Step down from a wet/loose in the new snow? Did you respond to this one?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

The Summit Daily article has been updated and is now reporting that it was a snowmobiler, not a skier.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Summit

Deep Persistent Slab

---

Fuck that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skiracer88_00

Damn, that’s terrifying. Step down from a wet/loose in the new snow? Did you respond to this one?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

---

Not a step down
Triggered from below

http://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/ac...rep&acc_id=666

http://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/me...66_20364-r.jpg

Vibes.

Fuck, look how that remote triggered the slope to the right [emoji33]

That sympathetic release that far away is something I've never seen before. Wow. Usually it will rip the whole wall off.

Interesting.

Final Report
http://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/ac...=666&accfm=inv

The deceased snowmobilier's beacon was turned off :(. Such a stupid mistake that may have cost this guy his life. I can tell you that I have made the same stupid mistake (realized my beacon was turned off all day when i got back to the car) and got lucky. Really highlights the importance of parking lot beacon checks prior to heading out.

Jordan

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by skiracer88_00

Final Report
http://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/ac...=666&accfm=inv

The deceased snowmobilier's beacon was turned off :(. Such a stupid mistake that may have cost this guy his life. I can tell you that I have made the same stupid mistake (realized my beacon was turned off all day when i got back to the car) and got lucky. Really highlights the importance of parking lot beacon checks prior to heading out.

Jordan

---

Parking lot beacon checks are good. The normal advice is "on at the car off at the bar", but the rule I follow is even simpler. If I am wearing my beacon, it is on. I never ever turn it off except when I am taking it off. Sure, a few times I have taken it off and forgotten to turn it off, but batteries are cheap. Much rather make that mistake then have it on and not beeping.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Danno

Parking lot beacon checks are good. The normal advice is "on at the car off at the bar", but the rule I follow is even simpler. If I am wearing my beacon, it is on. I never ever turn it off except when I am taking it off. Sure, a few times I have taken it off and forgotten to turn it off, but batteries are cheap. Much rather make that mistake then have it on and not beeping.

---

Yep. If you're not turning it on before you leave the house, then the first person ready in the parking lot, should have theirs on and out waiting for the rest to stream by.

the other avalanche death that weekend was really sad. long time SAR member in sidecountry on the last day of the season on terrain he apparently knew well. Just goes to show you can never get comfortable, no matter how much experience you have.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Danno

the rule I follow is even simpler. If I am wearing my beacon, it is on. I never ever turn it off except when I am taking it off.

---

^This. Beacon on/power on. Harness goes over your head with the power on. I was taught the first thing you do when you pick up a beacon should be turning it on. Trailhead/Lot beacon check is the double check, and finding someone who is powered off on the trailhead check should set off alarm bells for that person to do things different and the group to get on his or her ass about it constantly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by blazes_boylan

^This. Beacon on/power on. Harness goes over your head with the power on. I was taught the first thing you do when you pick up a beacon should be turning it on. Trailhead/Lot beacon check is the double check, and finding someone who is powered off on the trailhead check should set off alarm bells for that person to do things different and the group to get on his or her ass about it constantly.

---

Smart.