Post control slide at Mammoth, and how TGR may have saved my life
Below is what I posted on the Mammoth Mountain forums about the post control release on Drop Out 2 (D2) on Saturday. I just wanted to add a few things here since most don't read the MM forums. I could very well have been involved in this slide.
Nearly all of the runs off the top had control releases Saturday mourning, so it was obviously unstable. D2 did not slide, but it is much narrower, and has several large rocks that act to anchor it. It was ski cut multiple times with no cracking et cetera. The four boarders that set it off all hit the trigger zone at the same time. (The trigger zone for all the controlled slides were 10-20 off the top, and this was no different.)
These guys did some really stupid things in their lust for fresh powder. Had they gone in one at a time well spaced out, it may not have gone, but at least it would have only been one, not four people. Three of them also left right after the slide stopped making it hard to tell if everybody was accounted for. I still have the uncomfortable felling somebody is still buried out there, and it probably won't go away until the spring thaw.
I want to thank the maggot collective for stressing avalanche awareness. A few years ago I would have snaked these guys to get the goods, and had them drop the avi on top of me. Because of what I have learned here, and the stimulus to read and learn beyond these boards I knew this was an unsafe situation. So, instead of being in the avalanche, I was able to watch the whole thing from a safe spot, and hopefully contribute to post release safety. I have watched a bunch of slides in ski porn films, but I can tell those of you have have never seen multiple people carried by a slide, that it is a very scary situation. It is very difficult to keep everyone accounted for, think about your own safety, and others with you. In hind sight, I think I did everything right, or at least to the best of my abilities. My two mistakes were; 1-not being able to keep track of all four victims, and 2-I dropped my glove when I started the beacon search, which patrol thought was a clue (I immediately told the first 'troller on the scene I had dropped my glove, so that was quickly remedied.) As for keeping track of victims, I can tell you it is very difficult when so much is happening at once. Had everybody stayed in the area it would have been quickly sorted out.
I am glad I have practiced with my beacon, and at least mentally rehearsed a rescue situation. Most of what I did seemed to be an automatic response. I don't really recall thinking about any of this, I just kind of did it. So I guess what I am saying is practice and review rescues, because when it happens, it just happens, and there is so much to think about and do, and your adrenaline levels are through the roof.
Sorry for such a long winded post, but this is my first real avalanche, and I thought people were going to die. It is very humbling. If anybody has anything to add, or suggestions on what to do differently I would greatly appreciate useful comments. No need to add the boarders were douches, that is obvious.
Thanks
From Mammoth Mountain Forums.
Okay here is the story straight for the horses mouth, so to speak. I was standing on top of the crown and watch the whole slide on D2. I was first down post slide, and did the first beacon search. I was third chair on 23. Four boards, of six in front, went to D2. My partner and I were on skis, so we good easily have snaked the line in D2 while the boarders were buckling in, but by the frantic way they were putting on their boards I knew they would have dropped right on top of me, so we waited. We had planned on skiing it one at a time, with a ski cut to safe zone, et cetera. We watched as all four of them hit D2 at the same time. They were just a few feet apart, and were all in the trigger zone at the same time. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. What at first appeared to be some slough, quickly grew into a moderate since avalanche. We watched trying to keep sight of all four of them, but toward the bottom of the slide two of them started to go under, then pop up again a couple of times. It was very difficult to keep track of 4 people two of which would disappear momentarily. I lost track of one of them, and thought there was a total burial, but could not be sure. My partner wasn't sure either. We both skied around the crown from opposite sides to avoid any hang fire, but because of the rocks we had to enter the slide patch, or go the long way around through D1 or D3, which means taking our eyes of the position of possible victims. I enter D2 skiers right just before the rocks, and dropped off of an approximate 2 foot crown onto some exposed rocks. I wouldn't say it ran to ground, but it is expose more rocks. I carefully skied to the deposition zone, and started a beacon search, not that I had much hope they were wearing beacons. Once I got to the area I last saw the possible buried victim I started probing. The first patroller was on seen within 4-5 minutes, with two more there within another 1-2 minutes. We were trying to get information from the other partially buried victim, but he was very stressed, and nearly incoherent, (not that I blame him since he went completely under and suck a lung full of snow.)
Here is were things really ***** me off. Three of the people who rode the slide simply got up and left. The victim who stayed wasn't sure were is two buddies were, nor the third boarder who dropped in at the same time as he did. When patrol talked to him, and he started to calm down he called his friends, and at least two of them were accounted for. I still can't believe those idiots left the scene. It would have make everything so much easier, not to mention they left their buddy sitting in the snow very shaken up. Fortunately there were 2-3 'trollers on chair 23 who saw the whole thing, and they were able to account for all four people, even though I still was not totally comfortable that there was still a possible burial.
A 'troller showed up with the Recco receiver within about 10 minutes, and came up with nothing, (except for the units I wear on my boots, so it does work.) King the Mammoth avi dogs was on the scene at about 30 minutes post slide. It was fun to watch him at work. King was having a throughly good time working the field. He got a hit, and they dug up the boarders beanie. King was really happy with that. No other hits, so I felt comfortable there was no burial, and finally left the scene.
Patrol did an excellent job getting the mountain open. Was it 100% safe? No, but it never will be. They ski cut D2 at least twice. I don't know if they bombed it, but I suspect they did. Could they have done more? I don't know, but I would not try to second guess them, since all I see is a very professional patrol that does an excellent job over all. So over all, I think Thatguy's comments are completely off base. As we were standing around chatting about post control releases, the 'troller I was talking made a great comment. He said "The only way we can guarantee that there will be no avalanches is to never open the top of the mountain." As has been said before, "This ain't Disneyland."
