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Show Rescue Operations : A stayed at the scene of the accident. B went for help. The accident occurred at ^JOO p.m. approximately; first party arrived at 5:00 p.m. approximately, guided by Bf The two boys were able to give valuable information on where C went under. A piece of his equipment was found nearby. His body was located in about 30 minutes entangled in a clump of trees, k feet under. He had a broken leg and was suffering from shock, exposure, and suffocation* He began to breathe when snow was cleared from his mouth and nose. The follow-up party arrived 5 : 30 p.nu in time to complete the evacuation. C survived. Weather and hazard data: A severe damp snow storm was in progress; highway was closed and skiing restricted to minimum hazard area. A general avalanche cycle was in progress * Terrain data: The accident took place in a high continuous hazard area permanently closed to skiing. See diagram. Conclusions: The cause of this accident was failure to obey specific warnings, safety regulations, and elementary ski mountaineering precaution. It demonstrates the necessity for cooperation by skiers and the need for education. Prompt and effective rescue operations saved the victim's life. ALTA AVALANCHE AND SNOW STUDY Nf aNI.QiX I: * CLIMAX AVALANCHES There is a type of avalanche which poses a special problem for administrators of alpine ski areas. This is the avalanche which runs at long intervals, but with climactic violence. The annual avalanches like Hustler, Baldy, Superior, Red Pine, and Hellgate at Alta are a routine problem. They are expected and a large amount of data are available for determining the conditions favoring their occurrence. Skiers are aware of the hazard because they see it every year and cooperate with safety regulations. The opposite is true in the case of the long-term avalanches like Coal Pit, Emma, Gad Valley and Flagstaff at Alta, and Argenta in Big Cottonwood. The annual avalanches are the result of fairly simple storm conditions which will arise in any average winter. But the climax avalanches are the result of very unusual weather combinations which occur ordinarily only once in a decade or even longer. * Data on these avalanches are incomplete and scanty. Since they run at such long intervals, the public and even the administrators forget or do not know that the potentialities exist. In the case of an alpine ski area newly developed or under investigation, the climax avalanches might be an entirely -89- |
