Observer Name
Slack
Observation Date
Sunday, March 20, 2022
Avalanche Date
Sunday, March 20, 2022
Region
Logan » Franklin Basin » Steep Hollow » Crescent Lake Canyon
Location Name or Route
Steep Hollow, Crescent Lake Canyon
Elevation
8,700'
Aspect
North
Slope Angle
40°
Trigger
Snowmobiler
Trigger: additional info
Unintentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Soft Slab
Avalanche Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Weak Layer
Facets
Depth
2'
Width
100'
Vertical
350'
Caught
1
Carried
1
Buried - Partly
1
Accident and Rescue Summary
This was taken from Holli's Instagram post:
There are many reasons to know who you’re riding with, what avalanche gear they have and what and how much avalanche training they have taken. You always hear people say, that will never happen to me. Unfortunately, you never know. It’s a risk we take every day in the backcountry.
We were extremely lucky today. We happened to be in the wrong place. A slide was triggered and one of our friends was caught and carried. He fought to stay on top of the snow headed downhill head first. His sled was stopped by a big pine tree and buried pretty deep. He got separated from his sled and continued down to the next tree. This is where Curtis found him within a minute or so. His hand was out of the snow. Curtis started digging to clear his airways. Justin was talking, while Curtis worked to get him the rest of the way out. His adrenaline kicked in and was going as soon as Curtis got him out.
Did we make mistakes today? Maybe. But we also did everything we have been trained to do. We checked the UAC forecast, we had our gear and used our training to make it home safe.
Snow Profile Comments
I visited the avalanche site on 3-21-2022. This is a fracture profile from the western side of the crown. (UAC Forecaster Weed)
Comments
As we were riding one member of our group went across the hill and unintentionally triggered an avalanche. He was carried down slope and was able to keep himself mostly on top of the snow. He was partially buried and facing slightly down hill. I was able to get to him within about a minute of him coming to a stop. Was able to move the snow from around his face and head then dug him the rest of the way out. His sled stopped about 30' above him in a tree.
Comments
The rider triggered the avalanche from high on the slope near the crown and so was not deeply buried. He was caught, separated from his sled and carried head downhill about 150' by the avalanche. When it stopped he was mostly buried near a small tree, with his head and right arm waving out of the snow. His partner (Curtis) saw the waving arm and was able to get to him within about a minute of the avalanche. His sled was damaged in the accident and mostly buried up against a large tree about 30' uphill from where the rider ended up, with only one ski visible. He was quickly rescued by his companions, and uninjured was able to ride his broken sled out of the backcountry.
Comments
Here is an article by KSL about the close call:
Video
Coordinates