The Silver Fork Meadow's avalanche seen from the base of Honeycomb Return chair.
400' wide and slide over 800' to the valley floor. Victim was dead when found. He either died from Trauma and/or asphyxiation.
I took this photo from valley floor standing on avi debris
There's me standing on the debris pile just above the stream
The victim was found directly to Cole's left. You can see the tree from the slide which had to be cut to get the victim out of this hole.(the tree was spanned across the hole) He was about four feet deep and fully buried for over 15 minutes. In the background you can see the Honeycomb Return chair.
This avalanche path is very popular among skiers in Big Cottonwood Canyon. It is a reality check and was very disturbing to investigate the slide today. Let us all use this to our advantage and get knowledge and use it. Live to ride another day!
I truly believe - SNOWPACK IS A WAY OF LIFE FOR US IN THE BACKCOUNTRY... We all must learn and observe it. The Utah Avalanche Center is a great way to start.
ReplyDeleteDrew Hardesty (utah avi forecaster) was swept off his feet near millcreek canyon today as well on a ridgeline about 20 dgree slope
ReplyDelete"What then, when ridgelines are not safe?"
stay away and ski the resorts people!