The Bridger Teton National Forest Avalanche Center reports that three skiers triggered a slide in the backcountry late Tuesday morning while skinning back to “Scotties Backcountry Access Gate” at Grand Targhee.
The slide was approximately two feet deep and traveled 200-300 yards. The report says all members of the experienced crew were captured and buried to varying extents. One was able to dig himself out and locate both of his companion. One was mostly buried with only his arm exposed, while the other fully buried. Fortunately, the self-rescue was fast and no one was injured.
This slide occurred in terrain that had previously slid in December, and the bed surface was a melt-freeze crust near the ground that was topped with facets.
Then, early Tuesday afternoon, a near miss occurred to the south of the access gates at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. That slide occurred in the Broken Branch path and released on the fifth skier to track the slope.
This large slide had a three-foot crown and ran to flats at the bottom. No one was captured in in the afternoon slide.
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