Second avalanche at Jackson Hole hits restaurant

30th December 2008, by Chris Gill

Just two days after a fatal avalanche at Jackson Hole, a second slide has struck the ski area - this time spilling through a mountain restaurant.

According to the Associated Press, the small avalanche happened before the ski area opened for the day sending snow spilling through the Bridger restaurant at the top of the main gondola. Staff and ski patrollers were in the area at the time, but no one was injured and everyone seems to have been accounted for.

The slide happened at 9.30am and ploughed into the back of the building, pushing through the back door. A couple of people were caught out, but quickly rescued. The resort has been kept closed pending an investigation and checks. Only a couple of beginner lifts lower down the mountain were later opened.

According to reports, the ski patrol were checking another part of the mountain at the time and did not trigger the latest slide.

Avalanche danger in Jackson Hole has been extreme since a series of fierce storms dumped huge amounts of fresh snow to the region last week.

• avalanche
• jackson hole
• wyoming
• in-bounds

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