Vail & Summit County
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Mar 19, 2016 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Blustery day on exposed ridges. Wind continued to be moderate but the wind was not drifting snow down slope. Skies were clear and temps stayed fairly cool.
Snowpack
On westerly aspects a crust-facet combo underlies recent storm snow. This layer showed propagation in tests.---Easterly aspects are heavily wind loaded.---No signs of loose wet activity today.
Avalanche
Two snowmobilers were riding in the Shrine Bowl area on Saturday. One rider ascended towards the ridge with the goal of gaining the ridge. Within a couple hundred feet of the ridge, the rider realized he had triggered an avalanche and was on the slab. The rider was able to accelerate off the slab and dropped off the top portion of the slab. The snowmobile augured into the bed surface and the rider was able to self-arrest. The second rider, who was watching from the bottom of the path, witnessed the avalanche and was able to ride away from the moving debris. Nobody was injured and the riders were able to free the stuck sled from the bed surface and ride away.