A SKIER got caught in a human-triggered avalanche while skiing back country at Mount Hotham on Saturday.
The male skier was skiing off-piste with a group of friends on the Harris’ Horror run about 9.30am, when the cornice collapsed, taking him some 50 to 100 metres down the slope and tearing both skis from his feet.
Witnesses saw the incident from the First Run café and called Mount Hotham Ski Patrol but his friends had safely retrieved him before the patrol arrived.
The skier was said to be shaken, but uninjured.
Mount Hotham Ski Patrol volunteer captain, David Wilson, said it was a dangerous and avoidable situation.
“It’s a consequence of what happened in the days before – we had 30 to 40cm of fresh snow on nothing. Just grass and a warm base,” he said.
“The last two snowfalls we had were falling on slopes that had snow making on them and had been groomed, so there was a solid base underneath.
“But all that got washed away with rain, so we’re back down to just patches of snow and mostly grass and rock, which is entirely different skiing.
"If people are not aware, they can get caught out.”
The man involved is a Hotham local and an experienced skier, Mr Wilson said.
He was reportedly buried twice as he was rolled in the avalanche path and hit small snow gums before stopping in the creek.
Mr Wilson said, while the skier was experienced, the incident highlighted the need for all backcountry skiers to think carefully about where they ski.
“Backcountry skiing is getting more and more popular, especially this season with no lifts running,” he said.
“This was a bit of a heads up for other people to not just run out to exposed areas and do what you want.
“It’s a matter of reading the terrain and understanding what can happen.”
Mr Wilson said it’s not unusual for avalanches to happen on the mountain, but Australians seem to struggle to accept it.
“Avalanches are very real. Last year we had an avalanche in an extreme area that we’ve never seen slide before," he said.
“More so than other resorts in Australia, we are prone to them here.”
