Second skier triggered avalanche that caught the lower skier on the slope before it went over the cliff band. Broke out 3.5' deep below cliff band in damp faceted snow near the ground.

Advisory from February 4, 2003

Avalanche Conditions:

The avalanche conditions are a quite tricky. Every year we reach this point where the deep snowpack areas are pretty solid while the thin snowpack areas want to take you for a ride. That’s exactly what happened yesterday a couple of skiers were finding quite stable snow all day and when they descended a northeast facing slope between West Bowl of Silver Fork to the Meadow Chutes, the second skier triggered an avalanche and the lower skier had to grab a tree to keep from being swept over cliffs. It was on a northeast facing slope at 9,700’. It broke a couple feet deep in faceted snow and 250-300 feet wide. After it went over the cliffs, it stepped down to 3 ½ feet deep in wet depth hoar. Also yesterday, there were three different explosive triggered slides in the backcountry, one in Mary Ellen in American Fork and a couple more in McDonolds near the Canyons Resort. (see more complete list on the web, which I will update later this morning http://www.avalanche.org/%7Euac/Avalanche_List.htm). All of these slides are either on slopes which have slid during the past month and remain shallow or are in shallow, rocky areas near ridges. The bottom line is that, as always, thin snow means weak snow, so be sure to be very diligent about poking and digging in the snow as you travel. Look for weak, sugary snow beneath the chocolate-brown crust created by the wind storm three days ago.

I have photos posted on the web of a skier-triggered avalanche, which fits this description two days ago on a northeast facing portion of Reynolds Peak (photo1, photo2, photo3, photo4, check out the dirt layer!). A similar skier triggered avalanche occurred two days ago in George’s Bowl in Cardiff Fork.