I almost posted about this when I first read it in the NY Times Sunday paper a week or two ago. Now in yesterday's paper, the last Sunday sports section of the year reports that it was the most viewed article of the year, so I will go ahead and post the link.
http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/#/?part=tunnel-creekWhen I first opened that paper it was quite puzzling. It was a special section, something they don't do very often. The front page, out of 12-16, consists of the title, "Avalanche," and a full page photo of an avalanche. It is about what happened at a place called Tunnel Creek in the Cascade Mountains. Following a huge snowstorm a group of elite backcountry skiers headed down the mountain, starting from above the course. It is completely captivating. There is a growing sense of foreboding, reminiscent of "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. You just know it is going to end badly for someone. At least for me there was also a sense of "Oh, no, not him/her...."
It's quite long but worth it IMO.
UPDATE: A follow-up with some more info and reaction to the article/section --
http://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/snow-fall-tells-a-story-about-an-avalanche-and-a-newspapers-reinvention/
