CAIC

Avalanche Details

Location: South of Red Mountain Pass, Sam's Trees
State: Colorado
Date: 2018/01/21
Time: 12:00 AM
Summary Description: 1 backcountry skier caught, killed
Primary Activity: Backcountry Tourer
Primary Travel Mode: Ski

Number

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

Avalanche

Type: SS
Trigger: AS - Skier
Trigger (subcode): u - An unintentional release
Size - Relative to Path: R3
Size - Destructive Force: D2
Sliding Surface: O - Within Old Snow

Site

Slope Aspect: NE
Site Elevation: 11200 ft
Slope Angle: 38 °
Slope Characteristic: Sparse Trees,Gully/Couloir

Accident Summary

PRELIMINARY: A backcountry skier was killed in an avalanche on January 21, 2018 in an area, locally know as Sam's Trees, between Red Mountain Pass and the town of Silverton. CAIC staff have visited the site and we will post a detailed report later this week.

Media

Images

<b>Figure 1:</b> Looking across to crown face. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/ylfve3khv7bm7oge7ucrt13tm2ty?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=bbde5dd3b9f2e3ba4f7e1add7eaf9301','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 2:</b> Overview of Sam's Trees with accident site circled. (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/w1xh3r1nw0gndipdnfvc6diubmk3?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=0569e01641612062138717acfd5555cc','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 3:</b> View of avalanche from highway (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/l3tmt8iujind2vu48l6pwn41yn91?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=3b4a3a1fd7edf090e999ae21a4db8940','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)

<b>Figure 4:</b> Crown face from gully (<a href=javascript:void(0); onClick=win=window.open('https://caic-production.imgix.net/gc4ah3kv8hpzlex8q0a1h4jg9wat?ixlib=php-3.1.0&s=fca87e3e1a06086b09216b7dc9be9699','caic_media','resizable=1,height=820,width=840,scrollbars=yes');win.focus();return false;>see full sized image</a>)