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Colorado Avalanche Information Center, 10230 Smith Road, Denver, CO 80206
303 371-1080, 303 371-5508 (fax), caic@avalanche.state.co.us
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Key Words: Colorado, Avalanche, Damage, Runout Distance
ABSTRACT
On February 2, 1996, routine avalanchereductionwork by
ski areaworkers releasedanavalanchethatransignificantly
beyond the path's maximum known runout zone. The soft
slab avalanche destroyed a thick stand of 200-year-old and
older, conifers before crashing into the ski areaparking lot
where it damaged or destroyed a numberof vehicles. The
weather and snowcover conditions prior to the avalanche,
theresultsofavalanchedynamicandrunoutformulas
applied to the avalanche, andas the damage causedby the
slide are illustrated anddiscussed on the poster. From this
avalancheeventseveralconclusionscanbedrawn
regardingavalanchedynamics,land-useplanningand
forecasting.
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down the Rainbow skitrail and crashed into the parking
lotwhereitdestroyedapickuptruck,acaranda
snowmobile.Ashuttlebus,grader,and anothercar also
sustained significant damage. The destruction could have
been worse as the avalanche passed within 15 feet (4.6 m)
oftheskiareamaintenance building.Thebuildingwas
not damaged nor were any people caughtor injuredby the
avalanche. Fortunately, the parking lot hadonly been open
for several minutes and people andcars werecongregating
on the farside of the lot,well away fromthe avalanche.
The newavalanchepath is nowcalled"Over theRainbow."
The debris traveled more than 100 feet into the ski area
parking lot and stopped undera chairlift (Lift 5). The pow-
der cloud continued across the parking lot and upslope to
justbeyondI-70,morethan500feetaway.Thepowder
cloudscattered smalltreebranches north oftheparking
lot and dusted some people in the parking lot.
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