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Show No. 59- 2 SUN VALLEY. IDAHO 11 February 195Q WEATHER FACTORS By 10 February, the snow stake at Ketchum, Idaho, ( elevation 6,700 feet) indicated an accumulation of only fourteen inches. Then between 1: 00 p. m., 10 February and 3: 00 p. m. on 11 February, a total of thirty- four inches of snow fell at Ketchum. During approximately the same period there was a total fall of nearly forty inches on the top of Bald Mountain ( elevation 9,000 feet). As a result of these storm conditions, the ski area on Bald Mountain was closed 11 February, and no skiers were allowed on the mountain. ACCIDENT SUMMARY At 9: 00 a. m. 11 February, although the storm was still in progress, the Ski Patrol started out to test ski the slopes. By this time, the lift operators were starting to clear the landings at the upper terminal of Lift No. One, and the lower terminal of Lift No. Two, which are situated near each other on a small level area. The Ski Patrol notified the operators that it would take them about thirty minutes to ski back down College Run and begin test skiing in the area above the lifts. At this point, E. S., manager of the area, instructed all the operators to go to the top of Lift No. Two until the Ski Patrol had finished checking the surrounding slopes. Accordingly they gathered at the top of Lift No. Two. Due to the deep snow and storm conditions ( the snow continued to fall at the rate of about one inch per hour), it took the Ski Patrol an hour and a half to arrive at the test area. In the meantime, ski instructor S. E. had requested the operators to start the lifts so that he and another ski instructor could go to the Round House. After returning to the upper terminal of No. One, and the lower terminal of Lift No. Two, the operators did this, but instead of returning to the safe upper terminal of No. Two, they stayed below to clear the lifts' landing and loading areas. S. E. and the instructor went on to Exhibition run, where they intended to test ski the slope. Then suddenly at about 3: 00 p. m., two avalanches broke loose from the area above the two lift terminals. The men below, working on the terminals, heard the avalanches coming, and all but one were able to climb the lift towers to safety. The one man unable to reach the towers was completely covered by the slide. Fortunately he was unhurt, and the other operators, guided by his muffled yells, hastily dug him out. Both of the lift houses were demolished by the avalanche. Moreover, when the lift house was demolished on Lift No. Two, it caused a short circuit in the control and started the lift. Eleven of the chairs, which had been pulled out of line by the slide, ran through the tower, bending part of the tower and destroying the chairs. The slide started about one hundred feet above the avalanche stabilization benches that had been dozed out a number of years before. Before the snow 48 |