Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Avalanche Occurrence

View Associated Field Report

General Information

The skier was caught a few hundred feet above this location and was carried downslope through the forested gully for 200-300' vertical.

Observer:
SAC Forecaster

Verified by SAC?
Yes

Occurrence Date:
Dec 12, 2022 11:40 am (Exact)

Location:
Warm Springs Ck - Baldy out-of-bounds/sidecountry

Comments:

'Scorpion' slide path.

Avalanche Characteristics

# of Avys:
1
Aspect:
W
Start Zone Elev:
6640ft
Size:
D2
Type:
SS-Soft Slab
Trigger:
AS-Skier
u-Unintentional
Bed Surface:
O-Old Snow
Depth:
2ft (max: 2.5ft)
Width:
100ft
Start Zone Slope:
35°
Vertical Fall:
700ft
Weak Layer:
Dec 8, 2022 (FCsf) Nov 27, 2022 (FC)
Comments:

This slide released in a sparsely treed, subtle concave gully in the center of the area known as Scorpion. The starting zone was 33-37 degrees, and the aspect was 270-285 degrees (W-WNW). There were many ski tracks in the open areas to the left and right of the starting zone that released. It appears the skier who triggered the avalanche was the first to ski in this starting zone.

Impacts

Human Involvement:
1 - Injured
Vehicle Involvement:
None Reported
Structure Involvement:
None Reported
Comments:

One skier was caught and carried through the forested gully. The skier traveled 200-300' vertical in the avalanche, stopping well above the lower extent of the debris near Warm Springs Creek. The avalanche track contained a mixture of mature (over 6-18" diameter) and young (less than 6" diameter) trees. The avalanche broke many small-diameter trees in the track.

Media

The skier was caught a few hundred feet above this location and was carried downslope through the forested gully for 200-300' vertical.
The avalanche released above the dead trees, carrying the skier through them. See accompanying photo of what is below this photo location.
Starting zone, showing multiple failure layers/bed surfaces and where the skier entered the area.
The injured skier self-rescued by "skooching" down the debris while sitting, covering several hundred yards in this manner.
Snowpit dug at the crown 1 week after an avalanche that injured a skier. The avalanche failed on both the 11/27 and 12/8 persistent weak layers, but it is not possible to determine which layer was the initial failure.
Formal crown profile performed 1 week after the avalanche that injured a skier. The avalanche failed on both the 11/27 and 12/8 persistent weak layers, but it is not possible to determine which layer was the initial failure.