Colorado, USA – A backcountry skier narrowly avoided disaster after triggering several avalanches while descending a steep couloir on Cathedral Peak on April 4, 2026. Despite debris rushing past him, the skier remained on his feet throughout the sequence.

Avalanche observers reported that three separate slabs fractured within the right side of the couloir. Each slab, heavily loaded with storm snow transported by strong spindrifts, released as the skier descended, growing larger with each successive slide.

The team ascending on the left side of the couloir noted no signs of instability, though they acknowledged the slabs were easy to trigger with the weight of a skier. After the third slab released, the lower section of the line was cleared of almost all storm snow, and the remainder of the descent was uneventful.

“The slabs seemed very easy to replicate,” the report stated. “Regardless of trying our best in the heavy, wet snow to stay center or left, each feature released separately.”

This incident highlights the persistent dangers in Colorado backcountry terrain, especially in areas affected by recent storms and heavy wind transport of snow. Proper observation and caution remain critical for all skiers venturing into avalanche-prone couloirs.

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