2012/01/01 - Colorado - Second Creek headwall near Berthoud Pass

Published 2012/01/03 by Spencer Logan - Forecaster, CAIC

Avalanche Details

Location: Second Creek headwall near Berthoud Pass
State: Colorado
Date: 2012/01/01
Time: 12:00 AM
Summary Description: 1 skier caught, partially buried not critical, injured
Primary Activity: Backcountry Tourer
Primary Travel Mode: Ski

Number

Caught: 1
Fully Buried: 0
Injured: 1
Killed: 0

Avalanche

Type: --
Trigger: --
Trigger (subcode): --
Size - Relative to Path: --
Size - Destructive Force: --
Sliding Surface: --

Site

Slope Aspect: E
Site Elevation: 11900 ft
Slope Angle: 32 °
Slope Characteristic: --

Accident Summary

PRELIMINARY REPORT: Skier 1 descended and triggered a hard slab avalanche from part-way down the slope. The avalanche was medium sized relative to the path, large enough to bury and kill a person but not quite large enough to destroy a car, and fractured in old faceted snow below a very hard (P) layer (HS-ASu-R3D2.5-O). The avalanche carried Skier 1 about 400 vertical feet over rough terrain and partially buried him. Skier 1 was able to keep his face clear of the debris and made voice contact with his partner during the beacon search. Skier 1 was evacuated to medical care.

Media

Video

Preliminary Report

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> Second Creek shortly after the avalanche. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://avalanche.state.co.us/media/full/acc_426_1611.jpg','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> Crown of Second Creek avalanche, taken on 1-1-2012. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://avalanche.state.co.us/media/full/acc_426_1612.jpg','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> Companion (and other party) reach the partially buried skier. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://avalanche.state.co.us/media/full/acc_426_1613.jpg','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 4:</b> Panorama from below the avalanche, stitched from several images taken on 1-2-2012. Skier 1 entered along the yellow arrow. The yellow star approximates the burial location. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://avalanche.state.co.us/media/full/acc_426_1631.jpg','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 5:</b> Looking up from the burial location, 1-2-2012 (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://avalanche.state.co.us/media/full/acc_426_1632.jpg','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 6:</b> Looking down the avalanche from near Skier 1's entry tracks. The yellow star approximates the burial location. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://avalanche.state.co.us/media/full/acc_426_1633.jpg','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 7:</b> Topo map with the approximate avalanche dimensions in red. The yellow star approximates the burial location. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://avalanche.state.co.us/media/full/acc_426_1634.jpg','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 8:</b> Photo taken 1-2-2012 looking north into the starting zone. Skier 1's tracks entered looker's right of the middle of the crown. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://avalanche.state.co.us/media/full/acc_426_1635.jpg','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)