It’s been an unfortunate and tragic weekend in the mountain community. First, the untimely death of legendary climber and BASE jumper, Dean Potter, and his friend, Graham Hunt, in Yosemite, California during a wingsuit flight on Saturday and now an avalanche death in the Tetons…
On Sunday, May, 17, 2015, an avalanche swept down the Sickle Couloir on Mount Moran in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. It hit a group of four backcountry ski mountaineers sweeping three of them 500 feet over ice and rocks – killing one and injuring two.
Luke Lynch, was killed in the avalanche. Stephen P. Adamson Jr. suffered life threatening injuries. Brook Yeomans received minor injuries. Zahan Billimoria escaped uninjured. They are all residents of Jackson, WY.
Wet, loose snow released from above the ascending ski mountaineers. The snow dragged the three injured skiers over hazardous terrain. Billimoria, a guide for Exum, was able to move out of the way of the heaviest parts of the slide. This allowed him to descend to the injured parties, call 911, and provide aid – including moving the injured out of the slide path.
Teton County Search and Rescue, Grand Teton Park Rangers, and other emergency responders responded quickly when called at 9:30am. Snow continued to fall down the couloir throughout the day. Between lulls in the storm, Adamson was flown to the Jenny Lake Rescue Station and then on to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho. The helicopter returned to pick up the other survivors, Lynch, and the park rangers and rescue gear. By 3pm, everyone was removed from the scene.
You can read more about this avalanche tragedy on NationalParksTraveler.com, Jackson Hole News & Guide, Teton Valley News, or from the National Park Service.
Read the avalanche report on Avalanche.org.
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UPDATE: Please read the follow up interview with Zahan Billimoria featured on Powder.com.
UPDATE: Stephen P. Adamson Jr died as a result of his injuries in the Sickle Couloir on May 19, 2015. Read more in the Jackson Hole News & Guide.
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Mount Moran sits at 12,605′ feet, two miles west of Jenny Lake in GTNP to the north of the famous Grand Teton. There are no direct trails to the base and most people access Moran by boat or skiing across the lake in winter. It is a remote ski destination that is popular in the spring.
The Sickle Couloir is a remote and steep couloir that runs 3100 feet. Nestled along the north east ridge, the Sickle Couloir starts at the peak’s shoulder and runs down to tree line. It often requires rappelling mid line. According to Select Peaks of Greater Yellowstone, it was first skied by Jeff Rhoads and Cory Flandrow in 1992.
Read more about skiing the Sickle Couloir on Steve Romeo’s blog, TetonAt.com or watch this video on TGR.
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According to Avalanche.org, this is the 10th avalanche death of the 2014/2015 winter season. With the late, May snowfall across the western US, all backcountry skiers need to be aware of wet avalanche activity as they can unexpectedly drag you over exposed and hazardous terrain.
Please be careful out there.
