Tele News Page 2 ...
Images From The Durrand Glacier
Avalanche Investigation
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June, 2003-- The following photos were sent
to us by the team put together by Peter Millar to independently
investigate the circumstances surrounding the January 20, 2003
avalanche at Selkirk Mountain Experience. The slide killed seven
skiers and boarders in the vicinity of the Durrand Glacier. Led
by famed guide Ruedi Beglinger, opinions on our talk forum have
been given suggesting basic safe travel protocols in avalanche
terrain may have been violated when the party broke into two
groups, with one climbing directly above the other in what has
been observed to possibly be a windloaded terrain trap. The crown
of the fatal slide reportedly broke right through the middle
of the upper group, sweeping three members to their death and
burying everyone in the lower group. Four more in the lower group
perished as well. The investigation by Canadian authorities is
continuing. |
The gully. Photo: Frank Baumann.
(Editor's
note: approximate climber's route & positions added, based
on published reports and drawings)
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A view of the top of the gully.
The red line indicates the estimated location of the crown line--the
point at which the fatal slide released--right at the point where
the upper section of the 37.5 degree slope rolls over and becomes
a slightly convex shape and begins to flatten out.
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A view of the general area showing SME's
Durrand Glacier Chalet (red arrow), and at upper left, the La
Traviata couloir where the fatal avalanche occured. Photo: Frank
Baumann |
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A portion of the SME guide map
showing the area of the fatal slide (above and just to the right
of of the "19" notation, near the ridge top) and an
established route leading around the ridge to the west (31, which
becomes 19). Peter Millar's group reportedly skied up 19 onto
the backside of the ridge to prove its viability as an alternative
route to the top of the ridge where the avalanche occured. Scans
courtesy of Frank Baumann.
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