Vermillion Peak
Incidenterinrebeccabros · Jan 27, 2018 · Kootenay
Quick report
- Weather
- stormy, windy, foggy, cloudy
- Ride Type
- openTrees, mellowSlopes, denseTrees
- Stayed Away
- convexSlopes, alpineSlopes, steepSlopes
- Riding Quality
- amazing
- Snow Conditions
- deepPowder
- Avalanche Conditions
- avalancheConditionSnow, avalancheConditionSlab, avalancheConditionSound
Snow quality was amazing but had to play it very conservative. Large slide had come down through the main gully likely the day before, from alpine down to valley bottom. This made for a tricky descent at end of day. Snowing 1cm/hour, misty in the morning at lower elevations. Conditions became more unstable throughout the day, whumpfing followed by a small storm slab release on a convexity. Skier from party chose to enter gully on way down, triggered a size 2 approximately 5m above him on rocks. Brought into gully and buried up to his neck. Was able to dig himself out and was luckily unscathed.
Weather
- Wind Speed
- windSpeedLight
- Blowing Snow
- light
- Sky Condition
- overcast
- Snowfall Rate
- 1
- Wind Direction
- SW
- Temperature Trend
- rising
- Precipitation Type
- snow
Snowpack
- Depth
- 195
- Obs Type
- point
- Site Aspect
- W
- Site Elevation
- 2160
- Ski Penetration
- 15
- Test Initiation
- none
- Foot Penetration
- 50
- Site Elevation Band
- tln
- Surface Conditions
- newSnow
- Whumpfing Observed
- 1
Quick and dirty pit results. Pit in open burnt trees just below treeline, 20 degree slope. Winds light from the SW. 9 layers found with most significant outlined in photo. Most important to note is upper metre of snowpack is extremely well consolidated, with facets showing up 75-100cm down and below. Nasty thick ice layer down 120cm, likely the Halloween crust. Below that is the usual sugary depth hoar, increasing in size to ground. ECT results yielded nothing.
Avalanche
- Run Length
- 40
- Trigger Type
- skier
- Wind Exposure
- noWindExposure
- Avalanche Size
- 2
- Slab Thickness
- 25
- Trigger Sub Type
- remote
- Start Zone Aspect
- S
- Trigger Distance
- 10
- Vegetation Cover
- sparseTrees
- Start Zone Incline
- 35
- Avalanche Character
- stormSlab
- Number Of Avalanches
- 2-5
- Avalanche Observation
- 12to24hrsAgo
- Weak Layer Crystal Type
- stormSnow
- Start Zone Elevation Band
- btl
- Avalanche Occurrence Datetime
- 2018-01-27T16:15:00
Skier triggered slide broke above him on rocks, did not run far but was able to bury him up to neck. He was able to dig himself out with all gear in tact. Larger slide down gully from alpine ran approximately 1000m, likely size 2.5-3, hard to observe amount of debris and did not see exact start location but could follow the debris through the gully all the way up to treeline. Previous report from a group on Thursday confirms it happened between their party and ours, likely on Friday. Gully is W facing.
Incident
- Group Size
- 3
- Terrain Trap
- gullyDepression
- Group Activity
- skiing
- Number Injured
- 1
- Number Involved
- 1
- Snow Depth Trigger Point
- average
- Terrain Shape Trigger Point
- convex
Skier made decision to enter gully after party had already decided gully was not an option. Skier went in alone and cut across gully to ski more supported terrain along gully sidewall. However the steeper slightly convex slope where skier briefly stopped triggered a release above him. Although it did not run far, ~40m, it was able to bury him up to neck and skier said they temporarily went under snow. They were incredibly lucky and escaped with no serious injuries and all gear. An importance to stress sticking to a plan and staying together. Also evidence of how dangerous terrain traps can be, even with a small slide, it does not need to run far to bury someone. The party's compression test results coupled with the surprisingly stable snow all day may have given some false confidence. Important to remember how variable the snowpack can be and how changing conditions (rising temps) can affect stability.