5 dead in backcountry avi on Loveland Pass

[EMSC]

Only one person of a group of 6 snowboarders made it out alive. Not much detail being reported yet. Loveland Pass is now closed. Super bad news. RIP to those involved. Highest number of fatalities in something like 50 years from a single avalanche.

Will post links to more info on it later.

 

[EMSC]

Still not a ton of detail, but a pic and size estimation included in the Denver Post Article.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23070812/avalanche-kills-five-snowboarders-near-u-s-6

 

[Evren]

Okay, this is the part I didn't quite get about the UDOT avi forecast guy who died recently. Reading the article above, the fracture line was 8 feet deep. That is what I think of, when I think of a deadly avalanche. But his was 6-8 inches and it started just above him, judging by the picture of his tracks. How does that turn into a fatality??? I guess he got swept off his feet and terrain took over. Mother Nature -- you be scary.

 

[Admin]

Okay, this is the part I didn't quite get about the UDOT avi forecast guy who died recently. Reading the article above, the fracture line was 8 feet deep. That is what I think of, when I think of a deadly avalanche. But his was 6-8 inches and it started just above him, judging by the picture of his tracks. How does that turn into a fatality??? I guess he got swept off his feet and terrain took over. Mother Nature -- you be scary.

He got swept over two cliffs. He died of trauma, not suffocation.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II using Tapatalk 2

 

[SoCal Rider]

Only one person of a group of 6 snowboarders made it out alive. Not much detail being reported yet. Loveland Pass is now closed. Super bad news. RIP to those involved. Highest number of fatalities in something like 50 years from a single avalanche.

Will post links to more info on it later.

EMSC, is this the bowl that you drop into from that ridge/spine/whatever that's across the street from the Loveland Pass 11,990 sign? One of my few BC/side country type runs, so this one caught my attention more than most. When I thought of posting, I thought, yep make it about yourself.

 

[EMSC]

is this the bowl that you drop into from that ridge/spine/whatever that's across the street from the Loveland Pass 11,990 sign

Actually no. There was some confusion in the media reports as to where exactly, but the CAIC has a basic prelim report up with a Google earth type map as one of the pictures. These guys were on skins crossing below the avi which came down on them... They were basically just above the Loveland Valley Chair 3 area.

CAIC report: https://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/acc_report.php?accfm=rep&acc_id=505

These were seriously knowledgeable Avi guys and industry types and part of an event that was raising funds for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Latest Denver Post article on the slide and the folks who lost their lives:
Colorado avalanche victims were part of snowboard "bash" turned tragichttp://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_23074729/colorado-avalanche-victims-bash-tragic

Interestingly, given how well skied the bowls and trees are from the 11990 sign during the winter, I wonder if that actually might have been a much safer place to have tried skiing due to previous skier compaction? I'm not a n avi guy so just speculation on my part. Despite the media description of only 18" of recent snowfall, based on Loveland snow data that area has had ~50" of new snowfall in just over a weeks time.

 

[EMSC]

Final report released by CAIC https://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/acc_report.php?accfm=inv&acc_id=505&view=public

The corresponding DP story:

Loveland Pass avalanche victim went undetected for four hours, report says
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingn...nche-victim-went-undetected-four-hours-report

 

[Killclimbz]

EMSC, the bowl from the to of the pass would have been a better spot to get caught by an avalanche. The consequence is not as severe as Sheep creek. Open terrain, no trees, long run outs. Sheep Creek had the huge slop above it that ripped, a creek drainage that acted as a funnel, and trees to inflict injuries if you are carried into them.

It is also unlikely multiple people would have been caught as getting out to Idiots (the name of he high point of the bowl) you are not exposed to much if any avalanche danger. Certainly nothing from above. So any avalanche there would likely be triggered on the down, which if you are following protocols is one at a time, and these guys were certainly trying to do that.

Of course Idiots got the name because of people being stupid and going out there when they shouldn't be. I don't know if it has ever killed, but I would imagine it has. That probably seemed like something to avoid.