The Curl Spearhead PK

Activity

Skiing

Total in the group?

2

People not injured (caught but not buried)?

1

People involved?

1

Terrain shape at trigger point

Concave

Snow depth at trigger point

Deep

Terrain traps

• Gully or depression

Various snow surfaces were observed on the ascent up towards Spearhead PK. Powder, wind slab, ice, rime, crusts........a smorgasbord of bad layers. Obvious wind transport from the last 12- 24 hours. The adjacent slope had already been skied 50 metres away but on a more planer aspect. Poor visibility, bad light, complacency, and over confidence all added to the bad decision making of how I skied this slope. I skied into the pocket with speed and the whole feature instantly released and carried me downslope. Fortunately I was near the top of the avalanche and I was able to stay on top of the slide and was buried waist deep and able to self extricate. I was carried approximately 100 metres and the toe was another 100 metres below my point. The crown was 30 cms at the deepest part but the entire slope released adding to the large volume of debris. SE aspect 2360m. Bed surface was firm but not the obvious ice crust that is ubiquitous throughout the area.