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Show ACCIDENT SUMMARY On Friday, 24 November, Mr. D., age 19, and Mr. M., 35, were skiing the Palivacinni ski run at the Arapahoe Basin ski area in Colorado. Mr. D. was in the lead, and at approximately 1605 hours he released an avalanche which carried him down with it. Mr. M., who was not caught in this slide, was able to see Mr. D. in the slide for approximately 200 yards. Three ski patrolmen were sweeping the run and arrived at the scene moments after the accident. One patrolman skied to the base area, notifying the area manager. The other two patrolmen had Mr. M. designate the last seen point, and then began a hasty search of the slide area. The first party was dispatched at 1610 hours, and had a total of four men and two shovels. A second party left at 1625 hours with 16 men, 30 probe poles, 8 shovels, 10 lights, and a toboggan. A doctor was with the second party. At 1740 hours, the third party was sent with 22 men and probe poles, shovels, lights, and a resuscitator. A fourth party was formed, to be held at the base area for relief of the other rescuers. The first party continued the hasty search of the slide. A probe line was formed when the second party arrived at the scene. The probe line was widened when the third party arrived. At 1805 hours, the victim was found by the probe line. He was under two feet of snow, head downhill, with his skis and poles still attached. The doctor at the scene applied artificial respiration, to no avail. The county coroner attributed death to suffocation and multiple internal injuries, including a possible broken neck. AVALANCHE DATA The professional ski patrol stated that the area had been skied every day for the last two weeks. High explosives had been applied on 20 November, and the run had been ski checked on the mornings of 23 and 24 November. On 26 November, six five- pound charges were used, with the following results: 1. Large area of settlement in " West Alley" area 2. Large sluffs at three different locations 3. One size 2 avalanche in " Main Street" 4. One size 3 avalanche under the cornice All of these areas are within the large Palivacinni slide. The fatal avalanche was a soft slab, with a 30- inch fracture. The top nine- inches was newly deposited snow. The sliding surface was a sun crust, above which were highly unstable crystals up to 4mm in size ( beginning depth hoar). Avalanche was a size 3, and would be coded as S. S- AS- 3. This slope was undoubtedly under increasing stress due to the dropping temperatures. Snow depths were as much as nine feet on the Palivacinni on 25 November. 66 |