Correction: This indecent occurred in the “4-Hour Couloir” on Shadow Peak, not on
Albright Peak which was originally reported. I also heard that Jimmy’s ski has been found.
Good to see that photographer and adventurer Jimmy Chin came out on the up side of things after getting caught in a 2′ wet slide and going for a 1000′ ride on Shadow Peak in Grand Teton National Park today. (See GTNP press release below.) With a low of 41F in the valley last night and pretty horrible skiing conditions below 9k’, conditions sure were tricky today in the mountains…that is for sure. After a 5:30am start, I got turned around at just above 11k’ today due to high winds and low visibility. Looks like colder temps tonight. -Steve
GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Grand Teton National Park
PO Box 170
Moose, Wyoming 83012
____________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2011 11-13
Backcountry Skier Triggers Avalanche on Albright Peak
A backcountry skier escaped injury in a large avalanche he triggered on the
east aspect of Albright Peak in Grand Teton National Park Friday.
The Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received a 911 call at 2:20 p.m.
Friday reporting a large slide on Albright Peak. Park rangers mobilized for
a search and rescue, but stood down at 3 p.m. when the reporting party
called back to say everyone was safe and uninjured.
Rangers later spoke with skier Jimmy Chin, who said a “large, wet slab
cracked around him with a two-foot crown.” He said he rode the slide for at
least 1,000 feet. Rangers will conduct a more thorough interview once Chin
returns from the backcountry.
especially with warm temperatures, a deep snowpack and a lack of freezing
temperatures at night,” said Park Ranger Ryan Schuster.
Skiers are advised to obtain current avalanche forecasts before entering
the backcountry by visiting the Bridger-Teton National Forest avalanche
website at www.jhavalanche.org, or calling the avalanche center at
307.733.2664. The website rated the avalanche danger Friday as “moderate”
for high and mid-level elevations and “considerable” for low elevations
during the afternoon. The advisory also stated, “At the high elevations,
pockets of dense surface slabs with depths to two feet could be triggered
in very steep wind loaded avalanche terrain. Avalanches are unlikely at the
mid and low elevations this morning in the mostly stable snowpack. As warm
temperatures and sunlight weaken the snowpack today wet slides will become
possible this afternoon.”
Backcountry users are reminded that weather and other factors may prevent
the ability of rescuers to effectively reach locations in the Teton Range
to perform an evacuation. Anyone entering the backcountry of Grand Teton
National Park should be prepared with appropriate emergency equipment such
as avalanche beacons, extra clothing, water and high energy snacks, among
other items.
—NPS—
www.nps.gov/grte
Very glad to hear Jimmy’s OK. That’s some scary stuff.
more info on the incident here:
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7150
Did the Parks service remove this NEWS RELEASE?
LittleDrop…my guess is that the person that updates the GTNP New Release website was gone for the day when this was put out.
which is “4 hour couloir”? what aspect is it anyway? scary spent allot of time on shadow this winter.
we posted the news release today with corrected location – Jackie Skaggs is out of town, thus the delay.
the 4 hr couloir is south aspect. there are a few entrances, all of which go from just shy of the skiers summit to the bottom of avalanche canyon. glad to hear those guys were ok. i wonder what those guys were doing up there so late in the day. its only 2.5 hrs skin from the parking lot, so they must have started at like 11 or noon.
ctowel…maybe they skied the sliver first and were looking for a bonus run on the exit?
hey steve
a little off topic…if the gov’t shuts down on friday is GTNP closed till its over? thats what i heard but im wondering whats the word in jackson. heading down at the end of the month and would hate to see the gates shuttered. i dont know what the park did in 95′ the last time the feds shutdown. any info is much apprecieated.
joseph…the park was shutdown in 1995. not totally sure to what extent, since i had only been here a coupe years. they say highway 89 would be open, but not sure about the inner park road.
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7049
jimmy chin gives a more in depth account of the avalanche…
http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7165
thanks for the info steve much appreciated
steve,
you’re right, they were going for the bonus run after the sliver. that makes a little more sense on the timeline. sounds like they broke the slab off in that steep middle section, where all the left side gullys come together right before it walls out into the couloir. sounds like he took a ride to the bottom of the canyon. luckily that couloir is pretty straight with no rocks and a big apron. glad to hear jimmy and co are all ok. was trying no to monday morning QB too hard. its easy to point fingers when you don’t know all the details. we’re all well aware of jimmy’s very impressive resume and background…hes no idiot. sounds like those guys were just a little late for how warm it was. live and learn.