2-25-17 Tatoosh Accident

"NPS rangers at Mt. Rainier National Park on Saturday relayed a report that six people were hit by a large loose dry avalanche that naturally released in the Fly Couloir on Lane Peak in the Tatoosh Range. One or more of the individuals were partially buried. Details are limited but at this time there were no known injuries."
www.nwac.us/avalanche-forecast/current/cascade-west-south/

6 caught, partially buried, self recovered, no injuries. They were about half of a large group on Lane at the time.

Loose dry to ground, occurred at ~5400' on N aspect, on a 38-40 degree slope below steeper terrain.

The day's forecast was Moderate. The concern was wet avalanches on solar aspects with warming, but this dry avy occurred at around 20F on a shaded aspect. Reporting party said the avalanche was natural, not skier triggered.
www.nwac.us/avalanche-forecast/avalanche.../cascade-west-south/

Wow what a large group. Were they a group of novices ? To get 6 people hit makes me wonder about there level of overall mountain awareness.
Maybe they had there own set of modified avalanche travel protocols or heuristic and financial interests at the forefront of there decision making process. Itll be interesting to find out. X

The Sunday evening NWAC Discussion was slightly different, five involved, several partial burials and minor injuries.

Figuring the road would open too late for a geezer to get anywhere, I settled for some XC laps at Cougar Rock today (Monday).  It was breezy and snowing over an inch per hour.  Several large natural avalanches could be heard (one viewed) in the big chute at the west end of the Tatoosh.  Some ran all the way to the Nisqually River.  I call this path 'Six-Shooter' for the multiple NW-facing starting zones high on the shoulder of Eagle Peak.

vogtski- I know those active high chutes, they're visible from Oh My Curve, one of the indicator slopes we observe if possible en route to Paradise.

The latest info I had was from Saturday and I wasn't in the park at the time of the incident. NWAC has the party's contact info and may have made an inquiry, thus the updated info in the Discussion on Sunday night. Glad it wasn't as serious as initially reported.

  Maybe they had there...financial interests at the forefront of there decision making process. Itll be interesting to find out. X

Nope. Commercial services aren't allowed in the Tatoosh as I understand it. Beat a different drum.