Avalanche Details
- Location: Grubstake Gulch, southwest of Hatcher Pass
- State: Alaska
- Date: 2016/01/02
- Time:
Unknown
- Summary Description: 1 snowmobiler buried and killed
- Primary Activity: Snowmobiler
- Primary Travel Mode: Snowmobile
- Location Setting: Backcountry
|
|
Number
- Caught: 1
- Partially Buried, Non-Critical: 0
- Partially Buried, Critical: 0
- Fully Buried: 1
- Injured: 0
- Killed: 1
|
Avalanche
- Type: HS
- Trigger: AM - Snowmobile
- Trigger (subcode): u - An unintentional release
- Size - Relative to Path: R2
- Size - Destructive Force: D2.5
- Sliding Surface: I - New/Old Interface
|
Site
- Slope Aspect: W
- Site Elevation: 3500 ft
- Slope Angle: 40 °
- Slope Characteristic: --
|
Avalanche Comments
This avalanche was large, about 1000 feet wide and 1000 feet long, about 1 to 2 feet deep, and capable of not just burying and injuring a person, but possibly destroying or seriously damaging a vehicle. The avalanche slope was likely 35 to 45 degrees, west facing, and recently loaded. The avalanche crown is located at approximately 3500 feet and ran to approximately 2500 feet. Surviving this avalanche was unlikely. How this avalanche was triggered will never be known for sure. However, the clues and best hypothesis point towards the victim triggering the avalanche while traveling under/on the slope.
Accident Summary
On Saturday, January 2, 2016 a snowmachine rider was caught and killed in an avalanche in Grubstake Gulch. Three snowmachine riders were traveling together, one was caught in the avalanche. The other two riders were able to use their beacons and probe to locate him under the snow and dig him out. There was an attempt to conduct CPR to revive him that was unsuccessful. The two companions were not able to transport the victim’s body out of the area that day. On January 3, 2016 members of the Alaska State Parks and Alaska Mountain Rescue Group recovered the body.