Slide at Abasin

[Artie Fufkin]

RIP. Condolences to the family and friends.

Be careful out there.

[sftc]

Did it even get below freezing last night up there? One report said the slide ripped around 10:30am. Also, when did they close Pali? It's listed as open on the A-Basin web site.
Another chapter in a strange season. My condolences to the people involved.

[el_jefe]

postive waves...

Pallavicini slides; one person killed
By NICOLE FORMOSA
summit daily news
May 20, 2005

ARAPAHOE BASIN — An inbounds slide on the expert Pallavicini area at the Arapahoe Basin ski area trapped and killed at least one unidentified male described as about 40 years old.

Alan Henceroth, director of mountain operations, said the slide occurred at about 10:30 a.m. in the Alley area of Pallavicini.

Ski patrollers found the victim and performed rescue efforts. He was pronounced dead at about noon.

Henceroth said there is no confirmation of any other skiers being buried by the slide, which he said was unwitnessed.

Rescuers ceased efforts at about 12:45 p.m. because of dangerous snow conditions. Henceroth said a search would be resumed but the timing is dependent on snow conditions.

The rest of the Pallavicini side of the resort was closed to skiing and riding, as was the East Wall, but the mountain remained open.

Henceroth was unsure there ever had been an inbounds slide at the Basin.

The slide was reported to be about 300 feet wide and 1,000 feet long, according to Summit County Mountain Rescue Group spokesman Joeben Slivka.

This story will be updated through the afternoon

[Dantheman]

Tragic, I can hear the lawyers revving their engines.

[Mtn Man]

Jeebus, my Ex is there today. I put a call in, but no answer back yet from her. Hopefully the reports are true and that no one else was near there. Problem is, I talked to her last night and mentioned that she had to hit the Pali side. Damn I hope she didn't do what I said....

B)

[flatlander#2]

Good luck, it was a closed area, for obvious reason. Just a very unfortunate situation at this point.

[grrrr]

RIP, dude.

[PowderPig]

Man, that's scary! And so sad...

The snow must have been really wet.
Just talked to telechuck who is on his way home from A-Basin. He said it started around the trees skiers left of Pali face, slid into the first alley, then back out below and all the way down to the traverse... Apparently, there were plenty of hangfire as well

[Below Zero]

Tragic, I can hear the lawyers revving their engines.

What do you mean? What do you think is going to come out of this?

[Mtn Man]

Apparently, there were plenty of hangfire as well

Never heard that term, what does it mean? Any chance that any skiers could traverse into that area from below?

B)

[PowderPig]

Never heard that term, what does it mean? Any chance that any skiers could traverse into that area from below?

B)

Unstable snow that didn't slide the first time

[Z]

hangfire is an area above/close to the crown or start of the slid that has not slid, but could....dangerous to searchers, etc.

if it was a closed run, lawyers have nothing, right?

[homerjay]

What do you mean? What do you think is going to come out of this?

If the dead skier was not poaching, the family will probably sue A-basin. I personally am stunned that a mogul run could slide like that.

hangfire = big chunks of slab remaining at the top of a slide that could potentially come down and injure rescuers.

[skideeppow]

Damn! Looks like it was on the main Palli run. Probably the upper face where there's usually a decent sized cornice (skier's left off the lift). Sad. Thoughts out to the victim and family.

\
I know you were thinking of coming up to the valley this weekend, but I will tell you it is super warm here. Lots of shit releasing north and northeast yesterday and today. Skied yellow boy wed morning, by thursday morrning large slab release was visible from the road, ne facing.

[Below Zero]

if it was a closed run, lawyers have nothing, right?

I would agree.

Actually, even if it wasn't a closed run then I don't think you can sue anyway - inherit risk of skiing?

[cmsummit]

Never heard that term, what does it mean? Any chance that any skiers could traverse into that area from below?

B)

Hanging snow above the existing fracture/slide zone

[Mtn Man]

Hanging snow above the existing fracture/slide zone

Thanks to all for explaining, still need to take that avi course. Being on the East Coast, I'm wasn't rushing. But would definitely get into it now that I couldn't ski OB with the maggots at JH during the summit Prolly read up on it first before I take a class next season.

B)

[Dantheman]

What do you mean? What do you think is going to come out of this?

It's America, people sue, a lot, even if they have no real case. Looks like this was in a closed area though so nothing will probably happen.

[Z]

Thanks to all for explaining, still need to take that avi course. Being on the East Coast, I'm wasn't rushing. But would definitely get into it now that I couldn't ski OB with the maggots at JH during the summit Prolly read up on it first before I take a class next season.

B)

heh. good thing the 5 explainations in a row were enough

[Bloomy]

I was on the Pali chair and watched the entire slide. It started above the 1st alley and slid the entire alley to the traverse at the bottom of all the alleys. We tried to get a visual on any potential riders in the Alleys and/or at the bottom of Pali, but no luck. The crown was 2' to 3' in spots and pretty much went to the ground. I can't recall how broad the crown was. From the chairlift, you could hear the breaking of trees. It was slow moving but must've been heavy as hell. I wouldn't say debris was the size of "houses" like reported, but the chunks were boulder sized. We immediately offered to help with S&R, but we didn't have our bc gear and they didn't want anyone in the area without a beacon. Scary since we would've skied the same lines within minutes. My heart goes out to the fallen rider and their family.

[wookalar]

wow...I just saw this on the news...terrible

prayers for the family and friends

Scary since we would've skied the same lines within minutes

so was it closed or no?

[flatlander#2]

fuck man. What a place to be and watch something like that. If you had been in there were you ducking a rope or how was it closed? Did you know it was closed? Were there many people around up there?

[Bloomy]

no rope ducking, the entire run was open, in fact nearly the entire hill is open. the hill wasn't very crowded for a friday in the spring and it would've been a lot more tragic if this had happened tomorrow.

[Mtn Man]

I was on the Pali chair and watched the entire slide. It started above the 1st alley and slid the entire alley to the traverse at the bottom of all the alleys. We tried to get a visual on any potential riders in the Alleys and/or at the bottom of Pali, but no luck. The crown was 2' to 3' in spots and pretty much went to the ground. I can't recall how broad the crown was. From the chairlift, you could hear the breaking of trees. It was slow moving but must've been heavy as hell. I wouldn't say debris was the size of "houses" like reported, but the chunks were boulder sized. We immediately offered to help with S&R, but we didn't have our bc gear and they didn't want anyone in the area without a beacon. Scary since we would've skied the same lines within minutes. My heart goes out to the fallen rider and their family.

Sounds like you're indicating that this was an open area. Do they close that area, yet let people up on the lift? Forgive the naive questions, but I've never been there before. Just trying to make sure my ex is ok. She was there alone, so I don't have anyone else to call there.

B)

[Below Zero]

Oh, it was open????? Holy shit, now that's even more scary!

So why in the hell was the news saying it was closed!