This natural avalanche was seen today on E. Henderson Bench. Photo: B. Zavora
This natural avalanche was seen today on E. Henderson Bench.
A snowmobiler saw this natural avalanche hit the Daisy Pass road within 10 minutes of riding by. He did a beacon search on the debris to confirm no one had been caught. It occurred about noon. This path is not very visible from the bottom and is not one that runs regularly. It killed a rider who was on the road in February 2012. The accident report has good photos of the path from afar.
Wind-loading in the start zone was the likely trigger since skiers and sledders do not access it.
A snowmobiler saw this natural avalanche hit the Daisy Pass road within 10 minutes of riding by. He did a beacon search on the debris to confirm no one had been caught. It occurred about noon. This path is not very visible from the bottom and is not one that runs regularly. It killed a rider who was on the road in February 2012. The accident report has good photos of the path from afar.
Wind-loading in the start zone was the likely trigger since skiers and sledders do not access it.
A snowmobiler saw this natural avalanche hit the Daisy Pass road within 10 minutes of riding by. He did a beacon search on the debris to confirm no one had been caught. It occurred about noon. This path is not very visible from the bottom and is not one that runs regularly. It killed a rider who was on the road in February 2012. The accident report has good photos of the path from afar.
Wind-loading in the start zone was the likely trigger since skiers and sledders do not access it.
Lots of snow transport at all elevations from valley floor to ridgeline. Strong S-SSW wind. Ridge lines were getting scoured to crust, leeward wind pillows forming. Pillows were gaining cohesion and broke ~5-10’ wide and up to 20-25cm deep on small test slopes.
Broken cloud cover, trace of new snow.
As we were skinning up a north facing slope on Knowles Peak, a roughly 20 by 20 foot section of the slope collapsed beneath our feet. We were on a slope steep enough to slide and it didn't, but we took that as a clear sign of instability and skied down. We then went up the south side of Arrow, mostly on mellower terrain before gaining the east ridge, and continued up. 400 feet from the summit we encountered a very steep, wind affected pitch, and decided not to continue up. We skied down the south gully, mostly in the trees and avoiding wide open slopes. South and east facing aspects were certainly heating up throughout the day and the ski down was hot pow.
A snowmobiler saw this natural avalanche hit the Daisy Pass road within 10 minutes of riding by. He did a beacon search on the debris to confirm no one had been caught. It occurred about noon. This path is not very visible from the bottom and is not one that runs regularly. It killed a rider who was on the road in February 2012. The accident report has good photos of the path from afar.
Wind-loading in the start zone was the likely trigger since skiers and sledders do not access it.
From an email: "The crown was hard to see, but only looked a few feet deep where I could see it, but the debris pile was 10'+ on the road."
A big thanks to Dan Wykoff for providing the story and pictures.
A snowmobiler saw this natural avalanche hit the Daisy Pass road within 10 minutes of riding by. He did a beacon search on the debris to confirm no one had been caught. It occurred about noon. This path is not very visible from the bottom and is not one that runs regularly. It killed a rider who was on the road in February 2012. The accident report has good photos of the path from afar.
Wind-loading in the start zone was the likely trigger since skiers and sledders do not access it.
A snowmobiler saw this natural avalanche hit the Daisy Pass road within 10 minutes of riding by. He did a beacon search on the debris to confirm no one had been caught. It occurred about noon. This path is not very visible from the bottom and is not one that runs regularly. It killed a rider who was on the road in February 2012. The accident report has good photos of the path from afar.
Wind-loading in the start zone was the likely trigger since skiers and sledders do not access it.
