(KTNV) — An investigation into a fatal avalanche in the Spring Mountains earlier this year reveals new information about what happened the day a backcountry skier lost his life.
The skier was identified as 32-year-old Punan Zhou of Las Vegas. A report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center reveals Zhou was with a group of four other skiers and split-boarders who ascended to the northeast couloir of Mummy Mountain on Jan. 9.
"All the fatal avalanche accidents we investigate are tragic events," investigators wrote in their report. "We do our best to describe each accident to help the people involved and to help the community better understand the accident."
Avalanche investigators report the group had varying levels of backcountry experience and avalanche training. Among them was a skier with 15+ years of backcountry experience who worked as a professional ski patroller and mountain guide.
Zhou, identified as Skier 2 in the report, had more than five years of backcountry experience and had basic training from the American Institute for Avalanche Research.
According to the report, the avalanche that killed Zhou was unintentionally triggered by a snowboarder descending the Mummichog couloir, and was large enough to "sweep the victim off his feet and into the trees at the base of the chute."
Investigators noted "several very large natural avalanches released in adjacent paths in the days following the accident."
On Jan. 9, the forecast called for a winter storm, investigators noted. The skiers planned their ascent to the Mummichog couloir with the intention of avoiding the storm, but it came on earlier than expected, according to the report.
"They scouted the route the day prior, and the group discussed ways to avoid instability within the snowpack, the need to move quickly before a forecasted afternoon/evening storm system arrived, and the technical skiing challenges for the descent on the [southwest] face," investigators wrote in their report.
When they reached the top, the most experienced skier noted a failing test for potential avalanche conditions. That skier and the two least experienced skiers in the group descended to a safe zone behind a rock wall.
As Zhou and another skier began their descent, one of the skiers "observed a fast-moving sluff gathering behind [Zhou]." The skier "shouted a warning but is unsure if it was heard," investigators stated.
The sluff hit Zhou and knocked him off his feet, according to the report. "As he tumbled, multiple wind slabs and drifts released and carried him in a fast-moving avalanche out of the bottom of the couloir."
One of the skiers used an avalanche beacon to pick up a signal to where Zhou had fallen. They found him "partially buried and wrapped around a tree," the report states. When they extricated him, the skiers reported Zhou had no pulse and was not breathing.
Investigators noted that the party included a paramedic, a flight nurse, and a respiratory therapist. The group performed CPR on Zhou for at least 30 minutes but were unable to resuscitate him.
At that point, they'd already activated an SOS signal and contacted the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Search and Rescue team. As the intensity of the winter storm increased, the group built a makeshift stretcher and started carrying Zhou down the mountain.
They made it about one-third of the way before their stretcher broke, the report states. They transferred Zhou to one of the group's snowboards and carried him another third of the way down. After "about 3.5 hours," they encountered LVMPDSAR, according to the report.
Two of the skiers then descended because they didn't have headlamps, while the other two stayed with the SAR team to help carry Zhou the rest of the way down the mountain, arriving back at the Deer Creek trailhead at approximately 6 p.m. They'd begun their ascent approximately 10 hours earlier, according to the report.
According to police, the avalanche carried Zhou approximately 500 feet. He was declared deceased by medical personnel at the scene.
"We do not intend to place any blame on the involved parties," avalanche investigators stated. "Instead, we offer the following comments in the hope that they will help people avoid future avalanche accidents."
Investigators concluded the early arrival of the winter storm on Jan. 9 caused new drifts to form quickly. "As a result, the avalanche hazard increased dramatically," they stated.
"The group knew the storm was coming but based on the timing of the weather forecast they thought they could achieve their objective before the visibility decreased and the avalanche hazard increased," investigators stated. "Unfortunately, the arrival of the storm and the increase in avalanche hazard corresponded with the group's arrival in the couloir. Although they seem to have recognized this, they made the fateful decision to move further into the terrain."
FOLLOW-UP: Las Vegas Search & Rescue crews sound the alarm after avalanche kills backcountry skier
In concluding their report, investigators provided the following points as learning opportunities from this fateful event:
- "During storms, the avalanche hazard in alpine terrain can change on the order of minutes. Attempting big, or consequential objectives with rapidly approaching weather is a consequential decision."
- "Even small avalanches are incredibly dangerous in steep, confined terrain where you can get swept into rocks, trees, or other obstacles. Because of this, actively drifting couloirs can be very bad places to be."
- "Group dynamics matter. Managing a group of 5 in confined and consequential terrain (such as a couloir) is difficult under any circumstance. In this case, even though the group recognized the hazard, differing opinions may have prolonged the decision to turn around and led to a fatal approach to managing the hazard."
- "This group performed exceptionally well during the rescue and recovery. Managing severe trauma in a field setting is difficult. Moving non-ambulatory patients through backcountry terrain is even more so. In this case, the team was able to fabricate two impromptu stretchers/sleds onsite and move the victim out of avalanche terrain before SAR arrived. This effort simplified the SAR response and significantly reduced the avalanche risk to rescuers as the storm led to a significant natural avalanche cycle the following day."
"Our condolences go out to the friends and family of the victim," investigators concluded. They thanked Zhou's fellow skiers and LVMPDSAR for volunteering to help with their report.
