TL;DR
A recent avalanche in New Zealand's Treble Cone backcountry serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by off-piste skiers, especially during periods of unstable conditions.
Avalanche Narrowly Misses Tragedy in Treble Cone Backcountry
A group of four skiers had a close call on Saturday when they triggered an avalanche in the Treble Cone backcountry near Wānaka, New Zealand. The incident, occurring just 2 km from the ski field boundary, saw three skiers carried downslope and one partially buried. While all managed to self-rescue with only minor injuries, the event underscores the very real risks of backcountry skiing, particularly during periods of unstable conditions.
The avalanche, classified as size 2, measured 250 metres long, 15 metres wide, and had a crown depth of 1 metre. It was triggered by a cornice fall at 1,810 metres elevation on a 35-degree south-facing slope. This highlights the unpredictable nature of snowpack stability, especially following recent spring snowfall and strong winds.
Eyewitness Jeremy Blake captured video footage of the incident, which he shared as a public service announcement. His account of the skiers congregating on a cornice before the slide serves as a stark reminder of how quickly conditions can deteriorate in alpine environments.The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council (MSC) reported this as one of two human-triggered avalanches in the Wānaka region that weekend. MSC Chief Executive Mike Daisley described both incidents as 'very serious, potentially life-threatening'. The current avalanche danger rating in the area is HIGH, with natural avalanches likely and human-triggered avalanches very likely.Despite the severity of the situation, it's worth noting that neither Search and Rescue nor the Treble Cone avalanche response team needed to intervene, as the skiers managed to reach safety on their own. However, this outcome shouldn't be seen as diminishing the gravity of the incident.
