Mallard Lodge - Dessert trees - Skier Accidental

Quick report

Ride Type

denseTrees, mellowSlopes, openTrees

Stayed Away

convexSlopes

Snow Conditions

powder

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSlab, avalancheConditionSnow

Avalanche

Run Length

30

Slab Width

70

Trigger Type

skier

Wind Exposure

leeSlope

Avalanche Size

2.5

Slab Thickness

60

Trigger Sub Type

accidental

Start Zone Aspect

NE

Vegetation Cover

sparseTrees

Start Zone Incline

30

Avalanche Character

windSlab

Crust Near Weak Layer

1

Number Of Avalanches

1

Start Zone Elevation

2040

Runout Zone Elevation

2000

Weak Layer Burial Date

2024-02-03

Weak Layer Crystal Type

facets

Start Zone Elevation Band

tln

Avalanche Occurrence Datetime

2024-02-29T19:45:00.000Z

Incident

Group Size

7

Terrain Trap

noTrap

Group Activity

skiing

Number Involved

1

Number Fully Buried

0

Snow Depth Trigger Point

deep

Terrain Shape Trigger Point

planar

Number Partly Buried Able Breathing

1

Number Partly Buried Impaired Breathing

0

Triggered by third skier on slope. Initiated as a pocket of wind slab beside existing tracks. Fracture propagated back up to ridgeline initiating bowl lookers right in photo. Skier was not involved but one group member was buried up to their knees at the regroup area. The snowpack is touchy and the heavy snow load above the Feb 3rd crust has ability to propagate between terrain features that are not obviously connected. Grateful that this reminder to maintain large safety margins did not have a consequence for our group.