Backcountry avalanche accident South Apherwat Bowl

Location Name: 

South Apherwat Bowl backcountry (outside gulmarg ski area)

Region: 

Gulmarg

Name: 

Brian Newman

Email Address: 

brian@gulmargac.in

Publish this observation on the website?: 

Yes

Share this observation on the website's social media pages, email subscriptions, and RSS feeds?: 

Yes

Observation made by: 

Forecaster

Location: 

Observation Date and Time or Estimated Date and Time of Avalanche: 

Thursday, 22 February, 2024 - 7:30am

Is this an Avalanche Observation?: 

Yes

Conditions Alerts:

• Avalanche Activity

  Persistent Problem

Tabs

Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions: 

At the time of the accident above 3400m fog limited visibility to 5m. 

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 

Snowpack Details

Total Snow Depth: 

250cm

Terrain

Terrain: elevations: 

Above Treeline

Terrain: aspects: 

N

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Type: 

Deep Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer: 

Ground

Additional number of similar avalanches: 

1

Trigger

Trigger: 

Skier

Trigger Modifier: 

Accidentally Triggered

Terrain

Start Zone Slope Angle: 

32degrees

Aspect: 

North

Starting Elevation: 

above-treeline

Size

Destructive Size: 

D3 Could bury and destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a

Relative Size: 

R3 Medium

Crown Height: 

8 ft

Avalanche Width (Average width): 

980ft.

Avalanche Length (Vertical Run): 

1900ft.

People Involved

Number of people caught: 

More than 5

Number of partial burials: 

3

Number of full burials: 

1

Weather Details

Elevation of Observation: 

Above 9000 ft.

Blowing Snow: 

None

Wind Speed: 

Calm

Sky Cover: 

Obscured by fog, etc

Precipitation: 

None

Air temperature: 

Above Freezing

Professional Assesment

Today's Assessed Stability Above Treeline: 

Good

Today's Assessed Stability Near Treeline: 

Very Good

Today's Assessed Stability Below Treeline: 

Very Good