Powder Magazine senior editor John Stifter, who witnessed the slide
that killed three of his skiing companions Sunday, said one person
survived by bear-hugging a tree and holding on as the snow barreled
over him. Another skier who was caught in the slide was saved when
she deployed an air bag designed to keep her afloat.
Its an absolute horror story, Stifter said Monday.
The chances of surviving an avalanche once it has you in its grips
are slim, experts say.
The snow doesnt really care how experienced you are. Its not
keeping track of experience level, said Mark Moore, an avalanche
meteorologist and director of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche
Center, which warned of extreme avalanche danger Tuesday. Once
youre in an avalanche, it has you at its mercy.
Stifter identified the victims as Jim Jack, a well-known head judge
for the Freeskiing World Tour; Stevens Pass marketing director
Chris Rudolph; and Johnny Brenan, a Leavenworth
contractor.
The Freeskiing World Tour and Utahs Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort
had scheduled a gathering at the resort Monday afternoon to
remember Jack, whom Stifter described as generous, smart and
influential in the ski industry.
The skiers were equipped with safety devices and kept track of each
other as they strayed beyond the boundaries of the popular Stevens
Pass Ski resort, about 90 miles northeast of Seattle. But the
precautions still didnt save some from getting trapped,
highlighting the risks of backcountry activity during a season of
heightened avalanche dangers in the West.
Sundays avalanche was relatively large, Moore said. The Northwest
Weather and Avalanche Center rate Sundays avalanche danger as
considerable to high. Heavy snow had fallen in the Cascades on
Saturday with widespread avalanches and strong winds, all red
flags, Moore said.
Most of our avalanches here are storm-related, so we get most of
our avalanche activity during or immediately after a storm, Moore
said. Its very sad to have accidents like this happen. No matter
how good the snow is, you still have to be objective about risk,
he added.
Statistics show that 93 percent of avalanche victims can be
recovered alive if dug out within 15 minutes, but survival rates
drop quickly as time passes, according to the Utah Avalanche
Center. After 45 minutes, only 20 to 30 percent of victims are
alive. After two hours, few survive. People die because their
carbon dioxide builds up in the snow around their mouth and they
quickly die from carbon dioxide poisoning.
The Tunnel Creek canyon — where a snowboarder died in an avalanche
last year — is outside the boundaries of Stevens Pass ski resort,
but the area can be accessed by taking one of the resorts lifts to
the top and hiking a short distance. The area is not controlled for
avalanches.
Stifter said he and Jack skied in the resort until about 11:15 am
Sunday when they met up with Rudolph. Stifter was in Washington
state on an assignment, but this was just a fun run with
friends.
He said he read the avalanche report that morning and knew
avalanche dangers were considerable. He and others talked about it
and determined they could ski it safely, he said. Jack and Rudolph
had both skied the area countless times, he said.
Three of the 15 in the initial group peeled off and went a
different way. Twelve others headed down, pairing up and skiing one
by one, leapfrogging each other.
Each carried shovels and avalanche probes and wore avalanche
beacons, a standard rescue device that allows rescuers to locate
the signal of a victim if buried.
Stifter watched as Jack made three turns, and then he saw a pocket
of snow pop out. Holy smokes! This is huge, Stifter recalled,
when they realized how huge the avalanche was.
We immediately pulled out our transceivers, designated a leader
and spaced out 30 feet, zig-zagging all the way down, hoping to
pick up their friends signals, Stifter said.
Eventually, they picked up on the first signal and began digging
furiously. They found Rudolph face down. Stifter performed CPR for
about 30 minutes to no avail. Another group worked on digging out
Brenan and Jack.
Professional skier Elyse Saugstad told NBCs Today show shes
convinced the air bag she deployed immediately — which she carried
in a backpack and deployed with a lever by her chest — saved her
life.
Its lifting you kind of up above the avalanche, Saugstad said
Monday. Its not like youre taking an inner tube ride down some
snowy field. … It feels like youre in a washing
machine.
Only Saugstad had an air bag, Stifter said. Air bags range from
about $600 to $1,000. They have been widely used in Europe with
reports of high survival rates, but they have become popular in the
US only recently.
An avalanche beacon, shovel and probe are among the mandatory
rescue items for those heading into the backcountry, but experts
say its best to avoid avalanches entirely.
The truth is, if you have to use your beacon, it means youve made
a big mistake, said Benj Wadsworth, executive director of the
Friends of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center, a nonprofit
that works with the center to promote avalanche education and
safety. The focus of avalanche education is to keep you out of
avalanches in the first place.
Adds Moore: There are all of these technological things that will
help us, but theyre not a talisman that you can wave at the
snowpack. You cant wave your beacon or your air bag at the
snowpack. Its not going to make you safe. Its going to help you
when get in trouble.