California/Nevada Avalanche at Alpine Meadows

[Chris V.]

I would have been there this morning, but for having to take care of business at home.

To clarify, reports say, and photos confirm, the slide was in the area between Scott Chute and Promised Land. Access requires traversing in high from one or the other of those areas. Either way, it's reached from Scott Chair. The spot that slid is below steep cliffs that slough off in a storm, so considerable loading there is likely.

The resort reported 25 inches of new snow in the previous 24 hours. What stands out in photos is the absence of snow in the trees, which is a little unusual under the circumstances. Has anyone been to Alpine Mdws. or nearby, who can give information on the consistency of the snow that fell? Dry or moist? Light or dense? Wind drifted or wind packed? It seems the weather was cold during the storm. The mountain is reporting 23 degrees F. as of 3:06 p.m. Was the falling snow blown out of the trees?

 

[Chris V.]

I don’t recall Large (Size 3) avalanches resulting in deaths in resort (Silver) and essentially back-to-back events (Squaw-Alpine Meadows), not in the U.S.

People need to understand that slides don't need to be big to be deadly. Some of us with long memories recall a fatal avalanche at Alpine Meadows in the 70s that came off Gunner's Knob, which is NOTHING. That was long before the big one that leveled the ski patrol HQ.

 

[karlo]

Was the falling snow blown out of the trees?

Good point. Got to remember that one. Another one, a guide last year pointed out to me, snow stuck to the side of trees. Stuck indicates wetness, which was expected due to the high freeze level. The side of the trees to which it stuck indicated wind direction that was not the norm. Hence, leeward was not where it normally would be.

 

[4ster]

High snowfall rates & high winds = red flags. Same storm just ripped through Utah & although we didn’t get the same totals it snowed 4” between 5:30 & 6:30am. It is rare to snow that hard, that fast anywhere.

Sorry for the victim, his family & friends

 

[smick]

The resort reported 25 inches of new snow in the previous 24 hours. What stands out in photos is the absence of snow in the trees, which is a little unusual under the circumstances. Has anyone been to Alpine Mdws. or nearby, who can give information on the consistency of the snow that fell? Dry or moist? Light or dense? Wind drifted or wind packed? It seems the weather was cold during the storm. The mountain is reporting 23 degrees F. as of 3:06 p.m. Was the falling snow blown out of the trees?

I believe snow generally sticks in the branches when the snow is wetter, this was a cold and light storm with high winds so I’m sure it blew any accumulation off the trees quickly.

 

[karlo]

I believe snow generally sticks in the branches when the snow is wetter, this was a cold and light storm with high winds so I’m sure it blew any accumulation off the trees quickly.

Ok. Deep fresh snow, no snow on trees. I’ll try to remember that.

 

[LouD-Truckee]

Does anyone have an actual picture, taken from a distance, so you can see where it was and how large?

 

[karlo]

Report updates published here,

CAIC

Thanks to @dbostedo for directing me to that resource.

 

[Alexzn]

I don’t think the area on the photo is the right area. I see ski tracks and I don’t see a crown.

from the reports I have seen it looks like a relatively small slide that just Ed t the wrong way for the people involved still it was almost right under the chair, so Alpine Patrol is probably having to answer lots of questions right now. That area is a bit of a gully so it’s a natural terrain trap, but still. It’s not as deep or narrow as say Paulsens at Squaw, where the last inbounds avy fatality was.

 

[Chris V.]

I don’t think the area on the photo is the right area. I see ski tracks and I don’t see a crown.

from the reports I have seen it looks like a relatively small slide that just Ed t the wrong way for the people involved still it was almost right under the chair, so Alpine Patrol is probably having to answer lots of questions right now. That area is a bit of a gully so it’s a natural terrain trap, but still. It’s not as deep or narrow as say Paulsens at Squaw, where the last inbounds avy fatality was.

You can see the break to the right of the red arrow. What we don't know is when the photo was taken, relative to the time of the slide. Rescuers may have made tracks in the area from which the slab had moved.

Yes, pretty small, so that's a warning. NOT almost right under the chair. You can see Scott Chair on the far right of the skyline in the photo. Not what I would call a terrain trap, just a wide face. Access to that spot is challenging. The approach would have had to be from Promised Land. With the present snow cover, it requires semi-technical drops through narrow gaps between rocks. Too many exposed rock outcrops to get there from Scott Chute at present.

 

[Paul Lutes]

The reports I've heard described blunt trauma as the cause of death/injury, not suffocation. Small slides that throw you into trees/over rocks are sneaky deadly.

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

 

[karlo]

The reports I've heard described blunt trauma as the cause of death/injury, not suffocation. Small slides that throw you into trees/over rocks are sneaky deadly.

The CAIC report states there were no burials.

 

[Chris V.]

The CAIC report states there were no burials.

So it's shaping up as a new snow slide, loose dry powder, which we consider to be the least dangerous kind, but if it sweeps you into tree trunks and rocks it's still deadly. Indeed, blunt force trauma. Let's be careful out there.

 

[LouD-Truckee]

 

[Unmarkedobstacles]

The slide took place in Crag Chute, and it is quite the terrain trap. I've entered that chute too early in the day in the spring and definitely feared a slide for life. Exiting the chute generally requires a sweeping left turn to avoid a band of rocks that runs all of the way across Promised land. Additionally there is a stand of about 5 trees that is in the middle of the exit.

As far as conditions, remember that the January 1st rain event lead to a solid rain crust and most new snow has been falling away in that chute, just like it has on the top of Scott Chute, Promised Land and Juniper Face. So that two feet of new snow pretty much fell right on that ice crust.

Powder disappeared quicker than ever today with parking lots full by 9:30ish. People were on the hunt to claim fresh lines wherever they were visible, before someone else did. There were an awful lot of tracks in that chute right after the incident. Its unusual to see more than a few there. Patrol skied in mostly from the next Chute to the north as seen in the video shown on KCRA.

And photos posted above are not from UnofficialAlpine.com, they were posted at UnofficialSqualpine.com. I'm definitely not the guy to post pics from an accident scene involving a death.

 

[Chris V.]

The slide took place in Crag Chute, and it is quite the terrain trap.

I stand corrected.

Report on unofficialalpine.com: "It must be noted that many slopes on the mountain had been wind blasted which left the pack dense. It was not light Alta powder." Sounds like a recipe for slab formation.

 

[Tricia]

Hoping all the Tahoe pugs are present & accounted for. And sincerest condolences for the friends and family who lost a loved one.

I’m skiing Squaw now and have had multiple people calling me to see if I’m still safe at Squaw

As noted earlier, I was at Squaw skiing with a family of different abilities, and on mellow terrain all morning.
My phone started blowing up when the incident at Alpine happened, asking if I changed my plans and went to Alpine, and asking if I was safe.
I later found out that the two involved were both people I have skied with, with one of my young co-workers. Both good skiers, young, enthusiastic and ready for a fun day on snow.
This news makes it especially sad in this moment.

Alpine Meadows had a huge slide one time that took out a lodge...either late 1970's or early '80's, can't quite remember.

People need to understand that slides don't need to be big to be deadly. Some of us with long memories recall a fatal avalanche at Alpine Meadows in the 70s that came off Gunner's Knob, which is NOTHING. That was long before the big one that leveled the ski patrol HQ.

This incident

Tragic Alpine Meadows Avalanche - March 31, 1982 | Tahoetopia

"We stared in disbelief. Earlier, we had found her boyfriend lifeless only a few feet away." Lanny (Johnson), a fellow patrolman, said into the snow: "Anna, is that you?" She responded, "Yes, it's me."Finding Anna Conrad alive was a miracle that helped overcome the sense of loss and ruin...

tahoetopia.com

Here's an interesting story.
Ziggy had a long time relationship with a vet with his pancreatitis and diabetes. I know this vet used to be a skier and wanted to ski again.
We never got into any really big discussions about her history in skiing.
Back in November she contacted us and asked if we'd look at some vintage gear she had that belonged to her dad to see if there was any value in it.
Turns out, her dad was one of the ski patrollers who died in that avalanche and her mom never got rid of any of his gear.
We still need to connect with her but I'm betting the gear is more valuable as Alpine Meadows history and memorabilia than anything.

 

[karlo]

but if it sweeps you into tree trunks and rocks it's still deadly.

Exiting the chute generally requires a sweeping left turn to avoid a band of rocks

Ok. Beware of fall zone.

Really too early to tell, but it is sounding to me like Risk Level was a 2, moderate in resort, while the region was a 3, constable. I would ski backcountry in Level 2. But, Level 2 coupled with sketchy fall zone; one more thing to add to my checklist. I recall Cliff warning signs at Snowbird, Telluride, I think Heavenly. Now I know. It’s not just me falling and going over. It’s also about the potential to be swept over!

 

[Alexzn]

The post from @Unmarkedobstacles was the most informative (btw, welcome back to the forum!). Condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and everyone please be careful when you ski.

I’d imagine patrol will be super cautious tomorrow. Fatal avalanche accidents are not supposed to happen Inbounds at a ski resort.