Bijoux Trail Power Line

Quick report

mygr8adventure · Feb 21, 2021 · Pine Pass

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Quick report

Weather
stormy, windy
Ride Type
mellowSlopes
Stayed Away
alpineSlopes
Snow Conditions
crusty, deepPowder, heavy, windAffected
Avalanche Conditions
avalancheConditionSlab, avalancheConditionSnow, avalancheConditionSound, avalancheConditionTemp

Avalanche

Avalanche was triggered while traversing along the normal bijoux trail on the power line service road. Wind loading overnight had accumulated enough snow to bury any trace of the original trail. The avalanche was trigger from down low and propagated up and across the slope in two tiers. One at 50cms depth and one at 80cms. Both layers are believed to be a storm/wind slab from recent accumulation. Two people were caught in the slide and both sleds were 98% buried. Both persons unscathed.

Incident

Comment
<p>Lots of snow accumulation over the weekend. Additional wind loading (cross loading) on the power over night. The snow was deep enough with a crust layer underneath that it was difficult to not get stuck on flat ground. We road across the normal bijoux trail (power line upper road way) The first persons trench was rather deep, the second and third sled to follow the same trench got caught in the slide. The slope was mellow enough to bury the sleds but cause no harm to the people or machines. </p>
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