Avalanche
The avalanche pictured above was triggered on Friday, January 19 by a skier ducking a rope at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR), WY, reports the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center on Instagram.
The slide occurred around 7,500′ in an area that had only a foot of snow–rotten snow–on the ground two weeks ago and was large enough to bury a person. Thankfully, nobody injured. A full response from Jackson Hole Ski Patrol, including a dog search, was launched.
It’s not the first time this season that guests ducking ropes have triggered avalanches in, or close to, JHMR.
According to the Jackson Hole News and Guide, on Friday, January 12, skiers/riders at JHMR poached closed areas on the Lower Faces and triggered two large avalanches. The paths in Rock Springs called I Like It, Don’t Like It was the most significant where a skier was carried into trees and not buried. Nobody was injured, but responding took ski patrol away from other issues.
Roughly 80% of the mountain is open and, while ski patrol has been able to do some mitigation work in some closed areas, they haven’t been able to do that in all closed areas. Ski patrol and avalanche forecasters are urging skiers to avoid closed areas–closed areas are closed for a reason. Skiers and snowboarders who enter closed terrain are “putting themselves at risk, the rescuers at risk and tying up resources for other rescues,” a resort spokesman said. “People need to obey the signs and not think that closed terrain in the ski area or heavily trafficked backcountry areas are safe,” added the BTAC.
More avalanches like this, and much larger, can easily be triggered this week. Don’t mistake a drop in danger ratings as a green light to hop into steep terrain, or any avalanche terrain. Large and deadly avalanches are occurring on slopes near 30 degrees and are being triggered remotely. Avalanche danger is Considerable at ALL elevations. Pretend you are in Colorado right now. This is not a typical Teton/Salt Range snowpack.
