Mosquito Creek - Couloir Avalanche

Quick report

Tim Banfield · Jan 18, 2022 · East Side 93N

View on map

Quick report

Weather
cold, sunny
Ride Type
alpineSlopes, steepSlopes
Snow Conditions
deepPowder, powder

Snowpack

The new storm snow skied well until it didn't

Avalanche

I made about 5 turns from the top of the couloir and tucked over to the side to video the second skier in what I thought was a safe location. Around turn 3 the second skier triggered a slab which carried me ~200m, there was a decrease in the angle of the slope and I was backstroking like crazy and slowed while the avalanche carried on another 150-200m in the fan. It may have been a windslab layer and was ~40-50cm crown that amassed the new storm snow on the way down. Lost some kit, no injuries.

Incident

Comment
<p>We headed up the couloir across from the Mosquito Creek parking. On the descent, I made about 5 turns from the top of the couloir and tucked over to the side to video the second skier in what I thought was a safe location. Around turn 3 the second skier triggered a slab which carried me ~200m, cartwheeled a bunch, skis released, for a while I was face down heading downhill, and had my airway fill with snow, hard time breathing, etc, there was a decrease in the angle of the slope and I was backstroking like crazy and slowed while the avalanche carried on another ~200m in the fan. It may have been a windslab layer and was ~40-50cm crown that amassed the new storm snow on the way down. One ski ended up in some rocky steeper terrain. We got lucky, lost some kit, no injuries. </p>