Vail & Summit County
AvalancheAnonymous · Mar 28, 2024 · Vail & Summit County
Snowpack
Skiers 1 and 2 discussed options and reviewed the avalanche forecast on March 27. They drove up to the mountains on March 28 and decided to ski the Silver Couloir on Buffalo Mountain in the Gore Range near Silverthorne. They started near the Lily Pad Lake Trailhead at 7:30 AM and reached the top of the couloir sometime after 9:30 AM. They noted wind-affected snow and cross-loading in the couloir. Skier 1 decided to traverse from the looker’s right side entrance towards the left entrance. At the junction of the two entrances, Skier 1 made a few turns and then noticed the snow moving beneath her in an avalanche. Skier 1 was unable to escape the avalanche and pulled her airbag. She was carried down the length of the couloir and came to rest on the snow surface. Summit County Rescue Group (SCRG) was notified of the incident at 10:14 AM and responded to the incident. After determining that a helicopter evacuation was unnecessary, SCRG assisted the skiers back to the trailhead.
Avalanche
Unbeknownst to Skiers 1 and 2, a skier triggered an avalanche at the junction of the two entrances to the couloir around 9:00 AM. The avalanche caught and carried the skier a short distance before he self-arrested. He descended the rest of the couloir without incident. From photographs, the first slide was wider but shallower. The slide Skier 1 triggered broke more deeply but not as wide. Both slides were likely triggered from within a few feet of each other and ran the length of the couloir.