Community in Shock as Avalanche Buries Patroller
Posted on Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
(”Big Wally,” far right, with friends Kirk Speckhals and Tom Foley.)
For the second time in two winters, Jackson Hole ski patrollers are facing a tough fight against Mother Nature, trying to reduce the avalanche danger at one of the nation’s wildest resorts.
Today an in-bounds slide took down a 20-year veteran of the patrol, Mark “Big Wally” Wolling. He and a partner were on a morning bomb run, before the resort opened, when they triggered a slide above them. Both were caught, but Wolling’s partner managed to grab a tree and self-arrest. Wolling was swept over a cliff, carried more than 200 feet and buried beneath six feet of debris.
The avalanche occurred in Cheyenne Bowl, expert terrain on the upper mountain served by the Aerial Tram and Sublette lift.
Patrollers used transceivers to locate Wolling and dig him out, but he was not breathing and had no detectable pulse. However, after he was transported to the Teton Village Clinic at the base of the mountain, his pulse revived. He has since been flown to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls for care.
The slide occurred after Wolling had detonated one bomb on the slope, and he and his partner skied down it. When they set two more charges near the cliff, the slope collapsed above them.
Jackson Hole has received more than 30 inches of snow in the past week, and winds of 30 to 60 mph battered the upper mountain this morning. The area in question had been controlled by patrol over the past few weeks, but no major slides had been observed.
(The slide began just below the Rendezvous Trail and ran the length of Cheyenne Bowl. Wolling was caught just above the cliff, swept over and buried. Photo via JHMR.)
Patrollers are up against a treacherously weak layer of faceted crystals, or depth hoar, at the base of the snowpack. This layer can remain buried for a long time, until just enough weight or shock causes heavier snow to slide on the crystals. Depth hoar usually is caused by a long, cold fall drought. Backcountry skiers say this year’s danger may be the worst they can recall.
“It’s totally rotten down there, and it’s just not going to change,” says Forrest McCarthy, an Exum mountain guide and backcountry skier. “It’s counterintuitive. We have the highest danger in the years with the least snow.”
Wolling, 58, is a fixture in the community, known for his imposing figure and the “Goatstock” parties he has thrown at his house in Wilson; last fall’s was a major event that raised funds for injured skier Jimmy Zell.
The incident is a tough blow for the patrol, which last year lost patroller Kathryn Miller Hess to head injuries suffered in a fall. Patrollers worked furiously over the holidays last winter to reduce the avalanche danger as in-bounds slides killed a local skier and slammed the Couloir restaurant. The resort closed the upper mountain today for further avalanche control.
As the sign reads atop the Aerial Tram, “Our mountain is like nothing you have skied before.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with Big Wally and his family, the patrol and all of the resort staff.
Update 1/7: Big Wally remains in critical condition at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. I did not mean to give the impression that skiing in bounds at Jackson Hole is dangerous. All lifts on the upper mountain are open today. The danger persists in the backcountry. I think many of us take for granted the types of challenges and hazards the patrol faces; even after repeated bombing and a ski cut, a slope can still slide.
Update 1/9: Big Wally has died. Statement from the resort:
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is extremely saddened to confirm the news that veteran ski patroller Mark “Big Wally” Wolling has passed away.
Big Wally had been an employee of JHMR since 1978 and an invaluable member of the Ski Patrol since 1989. As one of the longer tenured patrollers, his experience, camaraderie, team spirit and sheer size were legendary in Jackson Hole and he will be deeply missed for a very long time.
“Widely loved by colleagues at JHMR and across the ski industry, his passing leaves us with an enormous sense of loss,” commented Jerry Blann, President JHMR. “We send our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends at this tragic time.”
A public memorial service will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday behind the Mangy Moose in Teton Village.
My BEST goes to “Big Wally” for a Fast and Strong recovery!
Our thoughts are with Big Wally, his friends and family. And our utmost respect and gratitude to the JHMR patrol.
All my thought to my “for ever friend” Big Wally and his family ,also to the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol…Keep giving news about the Big Guy.Vincent
i talked to DR.Greenbaum up on glory today and it sounds like Big Wally is getting our medical system’s best treatment- the man is built to last and here’s to hoping he pulls through yet another of life’s tests- i hope Jeff Greenbaum takes the time to write in because as we were approaching the summitt of Glory we saw two guys air into the run between Gazex 2 and 3- this was after the trollers had taken the time to call me to warn backcountry users about the sketchy and unpredictable conditions and i was doing my best to spread the word- Jeff made a good point , with this slide cycle it certanly feels like if something went it would go to the road- commuting drivers do not deserve this potential fate- poor Big Wally was unlucky, these 2 guys on Glory were really lucky for now- sorry for using this incident as a forum,but i think we can learn from our superiors- cheers jay
Big Wally’s family has created a page for updates on his condition. (You must register, but it’s easy.)
https://www.carepages.com/carepages/MarkWolling/updates
There is some hope he will pull out of this.
Some do everything wrong (ie Jay’s post) & live to tell; others have great respect for the power of mother nature, do everything right & do not…tough concept
RIP Big Wally forever skiing your field of dreams! Jackson has truly suffered a loss & you will be forever remembered.