Two Skier triggered avalanches, Saturday 15 December, Mount Cain West Bowl.

Date: 2012/12/15
Time: approximately 11:00AM
Location local name: sliders, first convex roll over encountered on descent from normal west ridge entrance.
Elevation: 1450m
Aspect: NW

The first avalanche had a fracture of about 20-40cm in height and was about 50m wide. Attempts to ski-cut the convex roll did not trigger it and it as triggered when the skier was low in the start zone. He was carried roughly 200 metres before being deposited in smaller trees within the avalanche track. The skier was partially buried and self rescued. The skier sustained facial trauma including fractures and a twisted knee.

The second skier triggered a larger release from near the bottom of the start zone/top of track to the skiers left of the first slide and was able to ski over the stauch wall and out of it. The debris went to the bottom of the avalanche path and was between 3 and 4 metres deep.

Both avalanches are reported to have been failures of wind blow new snow on a rain crust. The first avalanche is estimated at size 1.5 and the second at size 2.

Reported by VIACS forecaster Jan Neuspiel with information from the skier involved in the second avalanche.