City Warns Against Skiing Tempting Hill Years After Lethal Avalanche
The City of Missoula, Montana, is warning locals against skiing Mt. Jumbo — a hill that borders East Missoula and the Lower Rattlesnake neighborhoods — because of elk herds and avalanche risk.In a recent social media post, the City addressed two ski or snowboard tracks that appeared on Mt. Jumbo last Friday."Just a reminder that the Mt. Jumbo winter closure is in place to help protect the overwintering elk herd but also to prevent the potential for a human-triggered avalanche," the post reads.
In 2014, a snowboarder triggered a hard slab avalanche on Mt. Jumbo, according to the West Central Montana Avalanche Center. While the snowboarder managed to self-arrest, the avalanche continued downwards into the base of the ravine, catching two children who were playing in the backyard of their house. They survived.The avalanche also destroyed a two-story wooden home, burying two residents who were trapped inside. One of the residents died after being transported to Saint Patrick Hospital's Emergency Department. Four other structures and several vehicles were also damaged by the avalanche.Before the avalanche, near-record snowfall had arrived in the Missoula Valley, opening up areas like Mt. Jumbo, which aren't always skiable. Hoping to take advantage of the snow, a group of friends headed to the hill's west slope in pursuit of sled rides and powder turns. None of them had avalanche training or rescue equipment.Now, the City's Parks and Recreation staff and Missoula County's Office of Emergency Management work alongside the West Central Montana Avalanche Center to monitor avalanche risk on Mt. Jumbo. When hazardous conditions arise, Missoula County issues Urban Avalanche Warnings through Smart 911 and the news media.Outside of the Mt. Jumbo closure, Missoula is home to numerous nearby skiing opportunities. Marshall Mountain, a former ski area, is a popular backcountry skiing zone near town. Lolo Pass, located southwest of Missoula, is another area frequented by ski tourers and split borders.For in-bounds skiing, Missoula residents often head to the local ski area, Montana Snowbowl.Today, the West Central Montana Avalanche Center cautioned that large, three to five-foot-deep persistent slab avalanches are possible in the Rattlesnake Area near Mt. Jumbo."If you want to avoid avalanches entirely, stick to slopes less than 30 degrees in slope angle without steeper terrain above you," the forecast, which was published on Monday and expires Saturday, reads.
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