Poopy Pants Chute

Activity

Skiing

Total in the group?

5

People fully buried?

0

People partly buried with impaired breathing?

0

People partly buried with normal breathing?

1

People not injured (caught but not buried)?

0

People injured (caught but not buried)?

0

People involved?

1

Terrain shape at trigger point

Concave

Snow depth at trigger point

Average

Terrain traps

• Gully or depression
• Trees

Chute style feature with a steep wall on one side which sloughed out during the storm and the one side mellower, which had not sloughed, leaving options to traverse out of the chute and ski in the trees (or potentially escape an avalanche).

Skiing as a party of 5, skiing the slope one at a time the 4th skier triggered the avalanche. There was evidence of wind affected snow for the first 5m of the pitch which the first skier Sc with no result and very minimal sloughing. As each skier went they would initiate a small cookie between the tracks which would induce sloughing in the low density HST. Beyond the cookies between the tracks there was no other signs of instability. The 4th rider was more on the sidewall which was a bit steeper and the cookie entrained enough loose snow and speed to create a loose snow HST avalanche. About 3 turns in, he realized it was not just sloughing, rather an avalanche but couldn't not escape by this point. He triggered his airbag and went for a ride coming to rest at the toe of the debris which is in nervous avalanche trees (roughly 4-6" diameter trees). He was completely buried, but his face was pointing up which only minimal snow on it and had an airway and was able to call out. The first three skiers were on the edge of the path only 20m away and were able to quickly go into search and find him. The 5th skier was at the top with radio communications and had started searching top down until was notified that he was found at the bottom. The involved rider, had an injured leg and not able to ski out. He is at home healing. With In Reach, SAR was contacted and an evacuation plan was organized, radio communication with cat and heli operations in the area were also contacted and were a huge support, thank you. Patient was splinted and packaged in a Sil Tarp to be moved ~150m to a heli evac point.

Thanks to all that helped out!

These are the direct comments from the involved person:

After a detailed discussion of the slope we decided as a group to ski the aspect one at a time with a safe zone to pull out at the side and the bottom. I was the forth to drop in, the 3 skiers before me had some sluff around them but was manageable. I was on a split board and dropped forth with radio comms above me to drop in last. About my 3 turn in it suddenly felt really deep, I did not hear or see any other signs as I was hit by a wall from behind flipping me face first down the slope. I pulled my Jet Force air bag and continued the ride, with no orientation and bouncing off things as I went. I came to rest in a tree well, feet down, buried chest deep as the snow continued to fill up around me. I scrambled to keep my air way clear until all I had was my fingers flippering the sky above my head. At this point the snow stopped and I calmed myself waiting for my companion rescue.

They were able to find me quickly 20 meters below their safe zone. They were able to dig me out with no loss of consciousness. I had blunt trauma to my left femur and they initiated rescue protocols.