# 5 die in CO avalanche



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Thanks for posting this Dana. I drove over the pass this morning and can't help but wonder if any of the boarders I saw were among the victims. My condolences to the families and friends.


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## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

Can someone explain why the deep weak layers broke only now and not earlier? Why didn't the deep layers firm up? Do they get weaker over the winter from transpiration that happens over the cold winter? Does the extra loading from recent storms just put too much weight on the layers?


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## Tindel (Jun 30, 2011)

I've always been told Loveland Pass is 'safe' for the newbie backcountry boarder to earn some turns without avy gear. I've always known better, unfortunately this proves it. :sad:

My regards to the family and friends...


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## Tindel (Jun 30, 2011)

Loveland Pass Avalanche Kills 5 Experienced Backcountry Snowboarders » Mountain Weekly NewsMountain Weekly News

Mountain Weekly News is reporting that there were at least a couple well respected, highly trained backcountry boarders.


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## Porkchop (Sep 19, 2007)

this is super sad. I'm bet it wasn't the first rider or the first lap even. The reason the slope might have failed is because there was significant weight and energy added to the load resting on faceted snow. typical colo snowpack. slopes near and above tree line especially facing north haven't received enough warmth to settle creating significant hazard with the new snow. other aspects and elevations maybe more stable.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Porkchop's right in describing a typical Colorado snowpack and the mechanisms that makes it so dangerous. The CAIC description in the article Tindel linked says a lot too. One thing a lot of folks forget is that the snowpack is dynamic and changes not only from day to day but from hour to hour, and even by the minute. For example, even if someone tracked a slope in the morning, later in the day warmer temperatures can cause melting at the surface resulting in percolation of water to weaker layers which primes them to fail. Even without percolation, slight warming can weaken the icy bonds between grains of snow and weaken the snowpack.



Tindel said:


> I've always been told Loveland Pass is 'safe' for the newbie backcountry boarder to earn some turns without avy gear.


This is total BS - avalanches have killed skiers/boarders on Loveland Pass for decades that I can remember. Any slope that's steep enough to be challenging, deep enough to ski, and long enough to get more than a couple of turns on is steep enough, deep enough, and big enough to kill you. And if trees are spaced enough to ride through, the snow can avalanche. Yes, there are always exceptions to this depending on conditions and terrain, but it's still something a lot of folks don't consider or choose to ignore.

My heart aches for these boarders' community.

No turns are worth your life.

-AH


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

*victims identified*

According to the updated Associated Press report:

The sheriff on Sunday identified the victims as

Christopher Peters, 32, of Lakewood; 
Joseph Timlin, 32, of Gypsum; 
Ryan Novack, 33, of Boulder; 
Ian Lanphere, 36, of Crested Butte; and 
Rick Gaukel, 33, of Estes Park. 

Very sad.


EDIT - the survivor is Jerome Boulay


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## Porkchop (Sep 19, 2007)

a sobering report. Colorado authorities identify 5 riders killed in Loveland Pass avalanche - X Games

RIP brothers and condolences to all who lost.


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## Don (Oct 16, 2003)

*Rough year*

I've recently seen photos of big slides at Jones, Loveland, and Snowmass going all the way to the ground. The weak base is losing the battle to the heavy spring load and more snow is coming. 

The question I have is do you think runoff is slower in a slide area than where it would normally stay exposed over a larger area?


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

"The question I have is do you think runoff is slower in a slide area than where it would normally stay exposed over a larger area?"

I was wondering this while ski patrol dropped bombs at Loveland today.

Must depend on the aspect of the deposition, but it has to slow it down.

11 more inches of snow for the clear creek headwaters.

Damn good up there today; pegged it somewhere between the top 3 and top 7 for the year for me. Felt like full on winter up there.


Vibes to all who lost loved ones in the recent slides.


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## Tindel (Jun 30, 2011)

Andy H. said:


> This is total BS - avalanches have killed skiers/boarders on Loveland Pass for decades that I can remember. Any slope that's steep enough to be challenging, deep enough to ski, and long enough to get more than a couple of turns on is steep enough, deep enough, and big enough to kill you.


As I said - I'm smart enough to know better than to believe what 'they' say. I think the people that say loveland is 'safe' are trying to rationalize their own decisions to do dumb things.


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## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

The full CAIC accident report is out. It's pretty comprehensive. https://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/acc_report.php?accfm=inv&acc_id=505


I note a few things: 

Slope Angle: 41 °
A shallow snowpack in November and December of 2012 and cool temperatures formed a pronounced weak layer of depth hoar. This was the slide surface.
The party recognized the danger and spread out to get to a safe zone, but the slide was so large, it engulfed them all. Three of the people reached a small clump of trees which they thought was safe. The slide didn't take the trees out, just the people next to them.
Depth hoar is where cold air tempertures weakens the deep layers. They act "like ball bearings under a giant slab of snow". Commonly propagates long distances, around corners and easily triggered from the bottom--your basic nightmare. Percolating melt water in spring often re-activates large-grained depth hoar. See Depth Hoar


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