The first close call of the year occured this past Friday as a group of two skiers were ascending a small slope off Hoosier Pass to make what would be some of their first backcountry turns of the season.
Related: The Best Avalanche Safety Video Ever! #KBYG
During the ascent a soft slab released above them and buried one of the skiers. While the buried person was able to dig themselves out, this should serve as a sobering reminder that avalanche can happen in the early season as well. Stay safe out there folks.
Colorado Avalanche Incident Report:
Two skiers left the Hoosier Pass parking lot and toured north-northwest on County Road 2. The skiers left the road and continued uphill following a bench in the terrain. The skiers intended to dig a snowpit on an east-facing slope. They spaced apart and crossed beneath the slope with Skier 1 in the lead. While crossing the slope, the avalanche released and a few inches of snow washed over Skier 1’s skis. Skier 1 was tripped by the moving snow. Skier 1 fell downhill and debris ran over, and covered, his lower body. Skier 2 was downhill below the bench and was not hit by the avalanche. The avalanche debris accumulated and stopped on the bench above Skier 2. Skier 1 was able to self-extricate from the debris and was uninjured in the avalanche.
On Friday 11-2-2018 a skier was caught and partially buried on Hoosier Pass while ascending a small slope. The avalanche was triggered from below. View the incident report here.
- Location: Above Northstar Neighborhood, Hoosier Pass
- State: Colorado
- Date: 2018/11/02
- Time: 9:00 AM
- Summary Description: 1 skier caught and partially buried, uninjured
- Primary Activity: Backcountry Tourer
- Primary Travel Mode: Ski
- Type: HS
- Trigger: AS – Skier
- Size – Relative to Path: R2
- Size – Destructive Force: D1.5
- Sliding Surface: O – Within Old Snow
- Slope Aspect: E
- Site Elevation: 11850 ft
