Orca Avalanche

Map for Mountain Information Network report: Orca Avalanche

Information

Activity
Skiing

Group details

Total in the group?
3
People fully buried?
1
People involved?
1

Terrain details

Terrain shape at trigger point
Planar
Snow depth at trigger point
Deep
Terrain traps
  • Slope transition or bench
  • Trees

Comments

At 13:20, myself and my two partners were ready to drop into the bowl, heading back to the car after two days at Thunder Meadows Hut. We looked down the line, noticed two convexities that we didn't want to touch. We agreed to ski the planar ramp in between and meet at an island of safety below, before the terrain trap. A quick hand sheer before dropping in confirmed unconsolidated snow on surface. We skied one at a time and re grouped at our designated island of safety. The third skier came down and re grouped, as he finished stopping we heard a massive whumph that thundered across the slope. I looked up and started yelling everyone to move left. I looked back and the third skier was gone, no visual or audible clues. As the avalanche slowed, we turned our transceivers to search and I immediately got a signal 62m away and followed it through a small gully feature. As I moved through the gully I saw snow movement to my right and below me by a group of trees, then a hand popped up. I rushed over and immediately and was able to clear his face free and started digging him out. Only injury was a broken ankle.