TETON VILLAGE, Wyo. — The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center (BTAC) has reported that on Monday, Feb. 3, at around 3:15 p.m. there was a group of seven people caught and carried in an avalanche in the North Bowl below Lost Lifty outside the boundary of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR).
According to the report, six people were grouped together below Lost Lifty on the apron below the cliff band. The seventh person was riding slightly above the traverse and triggered the large avalanche across the slope. Avalanche danger was rated as “high” across all elevations that day.
BTAC confirms one person was partially buried with only their ski boot showing, but the group arrested in close proximity to one another and were able to perform a rescue and unbury the person quickly.
“The buried individual’s mouth was occluded with snow and sustained injuries,” the report reads. “Luckily no other parties or groups were involved.”
JHMR responded to the incident late in the day and provided assistance in an evacuation of the party.
As of Wednesday, Feb. 5, avalanche danger remains “considerable” throughout the Tetons. According to the BTAC report, conditions in the backcountry are still considered dangerous due to warm temperatures and new snow or rain on a snowpack containing weak layers and crust.
“Natural avalanches remain a possibility today, especially below 8,500 feet,” the BTAC writes. “Very large, human-triggered avalanches are possible above 9,000 feet due to buried weak snow 2 to 3 feet under the surface. Travel carefully in the backcountry, one at a time, and be wary of slopes over 30 degrees.”
This isn’t the first time that backcountry recreationists have been buried this year. In January, two incidents occurred where four riders were buried by an avalanche in the Snake River Range and a skier was killed in a Togwotee Pass avalanche.
