Colorado has officially had its first avalanche burial of the season. It may only be October, but a skier was caught in a slide on one of the state’s tallest peaks.
According to a report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the avalanche occurred on October 25 on an east-facing slope above 14,000 feet on Mount Bross. A skier triggered a large wind slab avalanche which partially buried them with their head in the snow. Luckily, the skier’s companions were able to dig them out of the snow in about five minutes, after which the group self-evacuated.
“This was an extremely close call and a stark reminder that it doesn’t take much snow to create dangerous avalanche conditions,” wrote CAIC. “Early in the season, the most tempting places to ride are often the most dangerous. While wind-drifted snow looks appealing because it covers shallow obstacles, recent drifting snow built stiff, potentially unstable slabs on high-elevation alpine slopes. These slabs are now large enough to bury, injure, or kill a person.”
Though it’s just the beginning of the season, and snowfall has been relatively limited so far, the incident just goes to show that you can never be too careful. “If you are heading into the high country, avoid slopes steeper than 30 degrees where recent snow has drifted, and pay close attention to cracking as a clear sign of slab formation,’ continued CAIC. ‘With the current thin snowpack, even a small avalanche can knock you off your feet and carry you into exposed rocks, downed logs, or over a cliff.’
