February 22, 2014, Chair Peak Large Avalanche

Is that the normal route those folks are taking? That seems really cavalier, the crossloading on that slope is screaming at them. Wouldn't it be safer to climb to the small saddle above them and traverse just under the cliffs? I don't know that area.

If I'm guessing right, this is the slope that slid.  Skiers were perhaps on the bench/ridge lower left?

I've only been up there once or twice, so others can weigh in, but the typical approach to that ridge is out of frame to the lower left and not in the line of fire from that cliff and the cross-loaded slope. The approach path to where this picture was taken is pretty steep and open in its own right, though perhaps less exposed than the pictured terrain.

My guess is the slide started above the folks in the picture posted by Marcus and then ran down the low angle rolling terrain that ends at a very prominent bench which is the top of a large cliff band about 400' above Snow Lake.  There is a chute that drops through that cliff band and on down to the lake and it sounds like the skiers were near the entrance to that chute when the slide happened coming at them from above.  The article linked by Marcus said "Fortunately it banked left of the mountain" which I interpret to mean that they were very lucky it didn't sweep them over that cliff to the lake...

When conditions are right, skiing that chute to the lake can be sublime but it is an obvious major avy path which should be avoided when hazard is considerable.

Ya think?

Skied the east side of chair with my son yesterday. About 10 different groups out. Snow felt solid yet that was the surface snow.

The route through Bryant colouir is the normal route and is where the skiers are in the pics. You really can't make that bench due to hazard on the other side.

I am glad no one was killed below them at the lake. Some friends headed that way at noon.

My takeaway is that one just never knows, especially with the weird winter we have seen.

... so essentially playing roulette is cool as long as you are lucky...