Avalanche
A backcountry skier was lucky to escape after triggering an avalanche and becoming buried up to his waist on Jones Pass, CO on Friday. A report was filed with the CAIC the following morning, with more details.
The skier was skiing above treeline, at approximately 12,450-feet when he triggered a wind-slab avalanche. The slide traveled 60-feet, and the skier managed to deploy his airbag. Once the slide stopped, the man was buried up to his waist and was able to self-rescue. The crown was 2-feet.
As I neared the very top of Jones Pass a wind-slab avalanche broke all-around me. I was caught immediately and deployed my airbag. The slide only propagated about 50-60ft down the slope before stopping. Was buried up to my waist with air-bag deployed and was able to self extract and carefully move back towards my partner.
Last year an employee of Powder Addiction, a backcountry guiding operation on Jones Pass, died in a slide during the historic March avalanche cycle in Colorado.
