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Archive Index - All Editions

New beacon training park open in Park City

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — A new avalanche transceiver training park is now open to the public, located right behind Park City Day School.

The Utah Avalanche Center built the park with support from Park City Day School, Inspired Summit Adventures, Woof-Rax, and Athena’s Wealth.

The park is open to the public and is an accessible and valuable place for people to practice their avalanche rescue skills in a low-stress environment. Check it out and find that buried beacon.
Source ... (Town Lift - Park City News, nothing additional there)

1st confirmed Pikes Peak avalanche since 2007

On Feb. 7, Pikes Peak recorded its first avalanche in nearly two decades. “It began at the cornice above Cove Creek and made its way down and across the highway at George’s Corner,” Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain (PPAM) said in a Facebook post. “The snow traveled a distance of 2,520 feet, accumulating to a depth of 12 feet along its path,” PPAM said. No one was injured or caught in the avalanche path. The last time Pikes Peak had a confirmed avalanche was in 2007, when it covered the highway with 8 feet of snow.
More ... (KKTV, 11 News)

Snowmobiler buried in avalanche, rescued by companions

In Colorado a snowmobiler was caught, carried, and fully buried in an avalanche on a northeast slope in Leroux Creek on Feb. 8. Fortunately, the snowmobiler's companions were able to execute an impressive rescue. The group had planned to avoid avalanche terrain due to the high avalanche danger, which was 4 of 5. However there was poor visibility because of the flat light, and the individual drifted onto a steeper slope without realizing it, triggering the avalanche.

We have not added this incident on Avalanche-Center.org due to insufficient details. There have actually been numerous close calls in various areas recently but we cannot document or archive so many and add only those which have enough details or are of some special particular interest.
Source ... (Denver Gazette)

Skier killed in avalanche west of Crested Butte

This has been added to the Avalanche-Center.org archives but few details are available at this time. The advisory in effect is linked and there is a map, google earth image and one photo at this time.

A backcountry skier died Sunday after getting caught in an avalanche near Crested Butte. The skier got caught in the avalanche about 1 p.m. Sunday east of Ohio Peak in the Anthracite Range, in an area known as the Playground.
Source ... (Denver Post)
Archived reports on avalanche-center.org

Skier Airlifted To Hospital After Triggering Avalanche

An archive file has been created on avalanche-center.org but the details have not been sought out and added yet.

A backcountry skier in Little Cottonwood Canyon was airlifted to a local hospital after triggering an avalanche Sunday afternoon. KSL reports the skier triggered avalanche occurred in the Lisa Falls area of Little Cottonwood Canyon. A group of skiers not associated with the victim witnessed the slide and tried to help. Skier admitted in a post incident report that they made “several poor decisions almost killed me today.”
Source ... (Unofficial Networks)