Snow Dome Avalanche April 1984

It is hard to explain years later the frightful events of an avalanche on the first ascent of SnowDome. When something like this happens to a skier, it can be hard to pick up the skins again, regain some confidence and get back out there doing it again.  I think for all us ever involved in an incident know it can have a profound impact on the way you make future decisions in the backcountry. We were extremely lucky.  I could go on and on about the incident but I think I will leave that to Anne Trout below.

The summer after this event, four of us from that incident bushwacked our way to the summit following the bench beyond Matt’s Slope, which is the way I skied out on that day to get help.   Bob Peca still lives in Valdez as does Brian Teale.  Pat Levy resides in Fairbanks. Chris Larsen has the best of all of us, living in Hawi on the Big Island.

Hope you enjoy this story from my Valdez Vanguard files.

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