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Show thus avoiding potentially hazardous conditions in the upper part of the Bowl. The lower route would also put them in a position to make a traverse to the top of the prominent east face. They ran the first slope in good form and regrouped at the lower section. All commented on the ideal powder snow conditions. From there the party crossed a ridge top to pick up the east face run. They ran part of this face, grouping again before the final run. Here the four noted a change in the consistency of the snow. On the final run on the east face, several of them fell. At this point the men decided to traverse through the timber high on the north face of John Paul Jones ridge to return to Chicken Springs Run in the main Ski Area. Accordingly, after their descent of the east face, the men entered the dense timber and began to traverse parallel to that ridge. By this time they knew conditions were a little unpredictable, but in the timber the snow was deep and there was no evidence of instability. Dr. E. led the party and the other three followed at varying distances. R. P. stopped, and dropped down out of the trail to take a picture, but Dr. E., possibly unaware of this, continued through the trees and rounded the ridge. F. R. and R. J. paused briefly with R. P., and then the three men proceeded, following in Dr. E.' s tracks. As the three approached the east edge of the timber they saw Dr. E.' s tracks lead up to the edge of a large slab avalanche that had released and disappear into its path. There had been no sound or warning of the slide. The fracture line was located about thirty- five feet above his tracks. The three called, hopefully, but it was obvious that Dr. E. had been caught and probably carried over one thousand feet to the bottom of the slide. Hurriedly the three skied down along the north side of the avalanche, searching intermittently with ski poles on the way down for any sign of the victim. Finally recognizing the danger they were in they paused about halfway down the 1,250 foot avalanche to remove their skis. At this point it was agreed that F. M. would return to the main ski area for help. R. P- and R. J. descended to the fan of the slide, located in a small gully, to begin a systematic search. The deposition area was about two hundred feet long and thirty feet wide. Arriving on the fan about 2: 15 p. m., they were forced to exercise great care because of the precarious location of the debris. The two men organized their search, R. J. probing up from the bottom of the slide, and R. P. beginning at the upper part of the slide, and working downward. F. M., after leaving the other two, crossed the slide path and headed for the shelter back at Snow Basin. He continued on skis to a point where he feared slide danger. Removing his skis, F. M. proceeded on foot. With no warning an avalanche released above him, carrying F. M. 460 feet to the foot of the slope. Fighting continually to stay on the surface, he was slammed against a tree. The left side of his face was bruised, he lost his pack and one ski. Though badly shaken, he continued cross- country to the ridge north of Chicken Springs run. From there he called to skiers that there was a man lost in an avalanche. 39 |