2 Skiers Caught & Partially Buried in Avalanche From Above Cave in Montana Yesterday

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Photo of the avalanche yesterday. image: mtavalanche.com

Two skiers were caught and partially buried in a avalanche below the cliffs of saddle peak, MT on 1/2/2018. They were traveling under the cliffs after leaving the south boundary and had stopped to look at the cave. They heard a rumble from above, saw snow coming over the cliffs, looked at one another and started skiing downhill as fast as they could.

They were overtook by snow coming off the cliffs and one, possibly both were buried up to their waist.  After self extricating and retrieving gear, they were able to ski to the bottom of the Slushmans lift and report. Ski patrol and Search and Rescue made sure no one else was buried in the slide.

The slide was apparently triggered above the cliffs by a snowboarder cutting across a small wind loaded pocket. The fracture was at most 20″ deep and 60′ across.

Strong downslope and south winds transporting recent new snow was the predominant weather creating small to medium sized wind slabs mid slope across the greater Bridger Bowl region the previous night and morning.

  • MTAvalanche.com

A snowmobiler was also killed in an avalanche in Montana yesterday.

Map showing location of accident yesterday.

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