CAIC

Details

Date: 2022/12/04

Observer: Ben Pritchett
Organization: Forecaster, CAIC

CAIC Comments

CAIC staff spoke with the individual caught in the avalanche. We prepared this report based on their account. Here is the account from Grand County Search and Rescue: On Saturday, December 3, GCSAR was notified of a stranded hiker near Colorado Mines Peak, north of Berthoud Pass. The 19-year-old male from Indiana was hiking the Mt. Flora trail and had gotten off trail in deep snow. He triggered an avalanche and was caught and carried at least 40 feet. He then hiked downhill, towards the highway. Just before 4 pm he finally realized he wasn’t going to be able to make it to the highway and called for help. We are still hoping to pinpoint the accident site, but we believe it was on the left flank of the Mines 2 avalanche slide path. Avalanche danger from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center was rated Considerable. A video from the subject indicated that the avalanche slid to ground. He reported that the snow he was on when the avalanche slid was hard and crusty and that there was a one foot fracture line. GCSAR fielded seven members from the top of Berthoud, with a total of 13 responding. The field teams were able to get to the subject just after 6 pm. He was able to walk out on his own with snowshoes provided by GCSAR. All crew were out of the field by 7 pm. We would like to remind our readers that avalanche awareness and safety is not only for skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers. Hikers and snowshoers are also susceptible to being caught, injured or killed by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And we’ll say it again – being prepared with emergency gear and extra clothing could save your life in the event of a backcountry emergency. As always, there is never a charge for our service.

Location

BC Zone: Front Range
Area Description: Berthoud Pass, Mines 2 avalanche path.
A hiker followed the Continental Divide Trail from Berthould Pass up to near the summit of Mount Flora. They returned along the same route towards Berthoud Pass.

Weather

Weather Description: Steady west to west-northwest winds blew around 30 miles per hour, gusting into the 40's. During the morning, a few inches of snow accumulated. The Berthoud Pass SNOTEL recorded a gain of 0.3" of snow water equivalent in the hours leading up to the avalanche.

Snowpack

Snowpack Description: In the morning, the hiker described sinking up to their knees in soft snow en route to Mt. Flora. When they returned along the same route in the early afternoon, the snow surface changed, growing stiffer from wind-drifting. The hiker described walking on top of the stiff snow, no longer sinking with each step.

Avalanches

Avalanche Description: Around 2pm, heading downhill back to the Pass, the hiker collapsed through the wind-drifted snowpack.The snow around them broke into a slab avalanche. It released around 100 to 150 feet wide, generally around a foot deep, sliding on weak snow near the ground. The hiker was carried on a hard block of snow around 40 feet downslope.They came to rest on top of the debris, unburied, and uninjured.
The hiker placed a cell phone call to a relative, who set in motion a response by Grand County Search and Rescue. The SAR team met the victim in the drainage below the avalanche and helped him return to the highway.

Date

Location/Path

Elev

Asp

Type

Trig

SizeR

SizeD

2022/12/03

Berthoud Pass

>TL

AF / u

D1.5

Media

Video

A hiker who was caught in an avalanche in the Mines #2 avalanche path near Berthoud Pass took this video. It shows the view from where they came to rest, unburied and uninjured.