2004-2005 Season Incidents
Date: May 23, 2005
Location: Kidney Couloir, Mt. Dana
Incident: 1 caught, swept over cliff; self-evacuation with concussion and internal injuries.
A fairly comprehensive personal account is online at:
http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=8540%22%3ethis%3c/A
Date: May 22, 2005
Location: Black Mountain
Incident: None caught but dozens of skiers in area during major release.
The slide ran at 11:15 AM, Sunday, 5/22/2005. According to local witness, 20-30 people had been skiing the bowl that morning, and an uptrack went through the path. The main crown is about 2 meters deep, 50 meters across. About an hour before the release a skier had traversed in the vicinity of the upper crown just below the ridgeline. That then broke as a natural release, ~1 meter deep and ran to the middle of the bowl where it triggered the larger crown. Debris at the bottom is at least 3 meters deep.
A pair of large avalanches occurred on Dunderberg Peak within the next couple of days. A large cornice collapsed behind Crystal Crag, and a natural slab measuring at least 3-4 meters deep, 100-200 meters wide and 100-200 meters long released to the ground near Mt. Baldwin under Pt. 11,899' filling the basin floor
Date: May 10, 2005
Location: Echo Col
Incident: Guided party, 7 caught, 3 buried, no fatalities, self-rescue. A detailed set of accounts is online.
No more information is available for this incident.
Date: March 26, 2005
Location: Mt. Thor
Incident: 1 snowshoer caught and buried. Self Rescue.
More information online at http://www.mt-whitney.info/viewtopic.php?t=454
Date: March 26, 2005
Location: Elderberry Canyon Headwall, Mt. Tom
Incident: 5 caught in two slides. Two buried and killed.
ESAC Press Release
Date: February 12, 2005
Location: Bennetville Slopes, Tioga Pass
Incident: 2 skiers caught, 1 swept into trees, buried and rescued.
On the east-facing slope below the ghost town of Bennetville near Tioga Pass, approximately 10 people were in the group, immediately after 12-15 cm of new snow (5-6 inches). All had rescue gear. Between 5 and 7 skiers were traversing a 45 degree slope at the same time. One of them triggered the avalanche, at least a Class 3 soft slab with crown 1 meter deep and about 400 meters wide (1300 feet). Two skiers were caught and one of them was swept into the trees below and buried. Deposition was approximately 4 meters deep (13 feet). That person was found and recovered in about two minutes, apparently uninjured.
Date: February ??, 2005
Location: Dana Couloir, Mt. Dana
Incident:
A party of unknown size attempted to ski the Dana Couloir. All had rescue gear, at least some had radios. They decided to ski the couloir two at a time. The first skier down triggered an avalanche of unknown dimensions and was carried down onto the fan below the chute and partially buried. Their partner skied down and dug them out. No other information is yet available.
Date: January 11, 2005
Location: Aspendell, CA
Incident:
Slide runs naturally and closes South Fork Road. Avalauncher triggers slide in same path 2 days later.
Date: January 10, 2005
Location: Twin Lakes, Bridgeport
Incident:
Mono County Sheriff snowcat and snowmobile caught; snowmobile taken into lake. No injuries.
Date: January 5, 2005
Location: 1st Finger Chute, Sherwins, Mammoth Lakes
Incident: 1 snowboarder caught & carried. Two broken femurs.
