6 Feb 2012

When the bed surface is a rock slab, avalanche in Alpental, California.

Now that’s a Slab down to a Hard layer eh…!!!???

 o°•O Yves  O•°o


At 2280 meters the temperature at 06:00 was +2, winds were  0-5 KPH from the ESE. At 1550 meters the temperature was -2,  the relative humidity was 60 %, and the barometer is steady. In the valley it was -3.
No storms in the foreseeable future, some flurries possible on Wednesday.


Here is some information obtained from the Avalanche Centre about the avalanche incident at Selkirk Wilderness Skiing


NEWS RELEASE - Selkirk Wilderness Skiing
Meadow Creek, B.C., 01:00 P.M. PST February 3, 2012 – One skier is dead following an avalanche at approximately 11:00 AM Pacific Standard Time today at Selkirk Wilderness Skiing, approximately 100 km north of Nelson, B.C.
The skier was with a group of 10 skiers and 2 guides who were skiing on Meadow Mountain. They were descending a run one-at-a-time, when the second guest in the group triggered an avalanche. That person, who was wearing an avalanche transceiver, was located by the lead guide and was visible on the surface. The guides dug the skier out and resuscitation efforts were immediately begun, but the guides were unable to revive the skier.
The other skiers in the group have now returned to the resort lodge.
RCMP have been notified of the accident.
Selkirk Wilderness Skiing is a cat-skiing facility, where skiers are transported to the lodge and to ski slopes by snow cat. Today’s accident was the first fatality to occur at the resort since it was established 37 years ago. Selkirk Wilderness Skiing’s lodge is accessible in winter by snow cat, a trip of approximately 30 minutes from the community of Meadow Creek.
Canadian Avalanche Association Report
Date: 2012-02-03
Location: Meadow Mountain nr Meadow Creek
Location Description: North of Kaslo
Province: BC
Mountain Range: Selkirk Mtn Range
Coordinates: 50.26 -117.069 Lat/Long Decimal Degrees
Elevation: 2430m
Activity: Mechanized Skiing
Involvement: 1
Injury: -
Fatality: 1
Description
3rd skier into run made wide turn. Avalanche propagated 150 m and ran down to bottom of path. Guides started search and located skier with transceiver partly buried near bottom of path. 8 mins. CPR sarted and after closer examination stopped due to head trauma.
Date/time: 2012-02-03 11:17
Size: 3
Type: S
Trigger: S
Elevation: 2430
Aspect: ne
Slab width: 150m
Slab thickness: 150cm

For the updated Avalanche Hazard click here: Avalanche Advisory