Skier ducks rope, triggers avalanche that could ‘bury a person’ in Wyoming. See photo
A skier ducked under a rope into a restricted area and triggered an avalanche “large enough to bury a person” in Wyoming, a photo shows.
And while no one was hurt in the incident at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, officials are reminding skiers to behave more cautiously in the atypical snow season.
The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center shared the photo on Instagram and warned skiers to behave as cautiously as they would on Colorado slopes, which are notorious for having some of the most unstable and reactive snowpacks in the U.S.
“Pretend you are in Colorado right now,” the center said in the Jan. 20 post. “This is not a typical Teton/Salt Range snowpack!”
The avalanche ran in an area that had only one foot of “rotten” snow on the ground two weeks before, officials said.
“The slide was large enough to bury a person, though the triggering party fortunately escaped without injury,” officials said.
Though no one was beneath the break, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Ski Patrol launched a full response complete with a dog search, officials said.
“More avalanches like this, and much larger, can easily be triggered this weekend. Don’t mistake a drop in danger ratings as a green light to hop into steep terrain,” officials said. “Large and deadly avalanches are occurring on slopes near 30 degrees and are being triggered remotely. Avalanche danger is Considerable at ALL elevations!”
More than five people were buried in avalanches in the area in the last week alone, the center said in a Jan. 24 Instagram story.
“These easily could have had different outcomes,” officials said. “Do not let complacency creep in. Give this snowpack more time.”
Several people expressed their outrage in comments on the post.
“I hope they got their passes pulled for life!!!” someone wrote.
“Don’t be stupid, you can hurt others,” someone else said.
What to know about avalanches
Avalanches happen quickly and catch people by surprise. They can move between 60 and 80 mph and typically happen on slopes of 30-45 degrees, according to experts.
Skiers, snowmobilers and hikers can set off an avalanche when a layer of snow collapses and starts to slide down the slope.
In the U.S., avalanches are most common from December to April, but they can happen at any time if the conditions are right, National Geographic reported.
At least four people in the U.S. have died in avalanches this season as of Jan. 24, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. Thirty people were killed by avalanches in the 2022-2023 avalanche season.
People heading into snow should always check the local avalanche forecast at Avalanche.org, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, and have an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel ready.
“Emergency services are usually too far away from the scene of an avalanche, and time is important,” Simon Trautman, a national avalanche specialist, said. “A person trapped under the snow may not have more than 20 or 30 minutes. So, in a backcountry scenario, you are your own rescue party.”
If an avalanche breaks out, it’s best to move diagonal to the avalanche to an edge, Trautman said.
“Try to orient your feet downhill so that your lower body, not your head, takes most of the impact,” officials said. “You may also get into a tight ball as another way to protect your head.”
Avalanche buries and kills skier in Wyoming canyon, officials say. ‘Not a normal year’
Avalanche buries snowboarder up to chest on Utah mountain. ‘Shaken to my core’
See ‘really confused’ moose’s reaction after triggering avalanche on Colorado mountain
