OCR Text |
Show two and a half feet deep at the feet. Feet were downhill. There was no evidence of the victim having breathed after he came to rest. The body was close to the steep face of debris caused by deposition of a last wave of snow as the avalanche came to rest. The victim had been carried 1120 feet vertically, and 1700 feet horizontally. At 1: 10 p. m., due to possible avalanche hazard from wet slides originating during the midday heat, all rescue personnel and equipment were dispatched to the helipad to await evacuation. At 1: 35 P- m. the body was transported to the helipad and flown out to Ogden. By 4: 00 p. m. the last members of the rescue party were evacuated and the search operation was concluded. AVALANCHE DATA The site of the accident was a 40- degree, north- facing slope covered with scattered conifers. Fracture line depth ranged from one and a half to three feet, involving what appeared to be snow from the immediately preceding storm. The snow was dry, the steep north exposure having been little affected by sun action. The slab slid on a hard crust, which appeared to be an old sliding surface from previous avalanches. Further down the slide path, snow was dislodged back to a fragile depth hoar layer close to the ground. Evidence indicated that this avalanche had also fallen earlier in the winter. The total vertical distance traveled by the avalanche was 1300 feet; total horizontal distance was 2175 feet. The avalanche was classified SS- AS- 4. COMMENTS The repeated fall of avalanches on north slopes, where a crust had been developed by early avalanche release, was a common feature in the Wasatch Mountains during the winter of 1963- 64. The direct cause of this particular slide was the presence of one or more skiers close to the fracture line and on the most unstable part of the slab a short distance below the cornice. In leaving the planned, safe route without discussion or consent, A. R. and his son seriously erred. The search operations on 29 and 30 March were carried out safely and effectively. The efficient operation of a prolonged probing job, with minimum supervision from the search leader, illustrates the value of a trained reservoir of personnel developed through Forest Service and National Ski Patrol training courses. This, and the earlier safe execution of the hasty search under trying conditions, are a testimony to the effectiveness of avalanche training. As a result of the experiences of the search party in this accident, it is strongly recommended that either steel tubing or suitable aluminum ( thick-wall or tempered pipe) be used for avalanche probing poles. The deficiencies of soft aluminum conduit poles were clear in the deep, solidly packed avalanche debris. 108 |