Incident Summary
- Date
- 2020-01-10
- Location
- Mount Hector
- Location Description
- Approximately 16km NW of Lake Louise
- Province
- AB
- Coordinates
- 51.55546 °, -116.27115 °
- Elevation
- 2300 m
- Activity
- Backcountry Skiing
- Involvement
- 1
- Injury
- 0
- Fatality
- 1
- Description
- A party of three were skiing on a south-facing slope on Mt Hector in Banff National Park. A slab avalanche approximately 80 m wide was triggered. The crown tapered dramatically along the crest of the ridge from nearly 2 m in heavily wind-loaded drifts to as little as 40 cm. The avalanche ran for approximately 550 m and caught one person who was deeply buried by the debris. The victim was extricated by companion rescue and airlifted to hospital. She succumbed to her injuries and died the following day.
Avalanches
| Date/Time | Size | Type | Trigger | Elevation | Aspect | Slab width | Slab Thickness |
|---|
| 2.5 | S | Sa | 2500 m | S | 100 m | 80 cm |
Weather
| Present Temp | Max Temp | Min Temp | 24hr Trend | Wind Speed | Wind Direction | Sky Condition | Precipitation Type & Intensity |
|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Snowpack
| Snowpack | 24hr Snow | Storm Snow | Storm Date |
|---|
| - | - | - | - |
Snowpack Comment: The avalanche ran on a weak layer of facets and depth hoar near the base of the snowpack. The avalanche caused most of the snow to be removed from along its path, exposing the ground and scrubby trees in many places.
Documents
| Document Date | Title | Source | |
|---|
| 2020-01-23 | Slide Path with burial location | Parks Canada - AvCan MIN | view |
| 2020-01-23 | Upper slide path | Parks Canada | view |
| 2020-01-23 | Variable FL | Parks Canada | view |