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my guess is that the skier that was caught, who apparently is familiar with the area, typically makes a few turns on that little shot before traversing skier right to the ascent ridge. clearly a bad idea on Saturday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer
The buried guy seemed to be the most prepared of the group. Stayed calm and knew where the gear was in both packs. Perhaps the rest of the group were just along for the ride that day? Either way, I'm glad dude lived to ski another day. Hopefully many can learn from this clusterfuck...
Reminds me of the tracks I saw off Rose today while driving down to Carson City. All on the east side, e/ne open slope, all tracks going into wicked gully terrain traps. That's gonna bite some locals big time one of these days, cause I can't recall many Rose skiers with beacons, probes and shovels, much less avie sense - or they wouldn't have skied where they did.
Feel the need to chime in here, having skied that bowl myself right around Christmas two years ago. I just want to point out that it's very difficult to second guess the decision to ski that slope without having been there. I remember cutting the top and throwing in a shithook and not believing it when nothing moved. We did two or three laps in there before heading out and I was watching for the white dragon the whole time. There was a different snowpack that year, as there is every day and every place, and I could have been simply luckier than Mr Slopetest Dummy (which each of us are when we ski). It also could have been one of those rare days where steep slopes are go. It's really hard to tell. I remember we had moderate danger on that aspect too that day. Aside from that, we had four each trained partners, beacons, shovels, and probes. Two of us had real rescue experience.
The guy couldn't have shaved it any closer. Should call him Mr Super Lucky instead.
Second most of what has been said re: lack of preparedness. Want to add that this is a great object lesson in how small slides in certain terrain can be very consequential. Writing this from Boulder and hearing about the Aspen patroller who just died, I am reminded of the inbounds death at Snowmass a year ago from a 10' wide slide.
https://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/ac...inv&acc_id=431
Anybody who wants to be ready for less benign accident scenarios, come to the Alpenglow AT/Tele Demo Day at Alpine Meadows on Sat. Rich Meyer will be doing a clinic on informal avalanche companion rescue techniques class covering beacon searches, strategic shoveling and probing.
Hope to see you there.
^^^ The lack of preparation and bewildering response was enough to get me out of my seat in disbelief, let alone any second guessing of decision making.
Planning a Squaw/Alpine weekend with the family, so I imagine I'll check out the demo goings on at Alpine.
I wouldn't give those people too much of a hard time about their reaction to the avalanche... its all classic behavior when the shit hits the fan. People get bewildered and make bad decisions under stress. What you see in the video is how people act when things go wrong.
Decision making wasn't that bad. People were skiing one at a time and stopping in safe zones, more than you can say for a lot of folks. If everyone had had gear the response would have been way smoother, it was just one more level of stress on the guy with the helmet cam.
That hand was kind of a flashback for me. I had a friend who got buried inbounds and the only visual was his index finger. Luckily, he stopped right under the chair. He was face up and said the freakiest part wasn't being buried, it was when someone dug a tunnel to his face so he could breathe. He said every time snow fell down the hole, he felt like he was gonna choke and it was very claustrophobic. Something to keep in mind if you end up in a similar sitch.
it looks like that girl had never had a beacon on before watching her try to take it off w/ her jacket still on. and it really looks like the motionless dolt standing next to her has absolutely no clue as to the seriousness of the situation. and the guy who gets buried is skiing a pitch like that way too slow and carelessly for someone who people are guessing "knew the area well". and don't forget all this is happening about 100 yards from a massive crown visible to all in town.
and i agree w/ whoever said they have no clue as to the reaction they are gonna receive from people like us watching that video. it really defies belief.
today was absolutely rediculous w/ a foot+ top layer of surface hoary angel flakes at the cp. great for conditions right now but potentially bad when it snows again. fortunately we have nothing but clear skies for the foreseeable future so the sierra sun will probably right the ship before the next dump
Regarding the video:
Simply mind boggling... holyyyyyyyyy >%[_[={&$($&#(/!!!!!!!!!!!!
...and yes, sickening.
10 min of footage is worth a lifetime of teaching. Hopefully all who watch this can gain a little or a s&@t load.
Regarding Emerald Chutes:
Simply mind boggling, too! Skied em chute proper and the main gully yesterday and snowboarde d eagle chute today. Wow wow wow! Best snow I've had in 6 visits over the last 7 years. Perfect weather...couldnt have been a better setup.
Get some! Just pick more north for more pow after today's sun
What gimpy said. Today was angel feathery powder absurdity on CP. Great close out to 2012. Happy New Years mags!
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I am looking for a partner(s) for tomorrow. Thinking Powderhouse but down for anything between SLT and KW.
PM me and I will be there.
Sierra Cement skiing the clouds
http://stk.tetongravity.com/forums/a...6&d=1357090190
Proof of purchase.
Emerald Bay Chute, 3 2 1! The Scorpion drops the knee!
http://i46.tinypic.com/w7ixsi.jpg
2012 left the Scorpion in the whiteroom.
http://i49.tinypic.com/2jg79jb.jpg
Light and lake.
http://i50.tinypic.com/2rh3h4i.jpg
The Prophet getting shacked in what is often a funky crusty porn thrash zone into the drainage.
http://i50.tinypic.com/saw6xh.jpg
The Distopian Ski Future has begun!
http://i50.tinypic.com/sbsoci.jpg
More to come...
Happy New Year!
If anyone is interested in joining a ski lease in the Keys (South Lake near the Y) let me know. Starts this weekend and runs through the end of April. Much better deal than last year, with respect to having a skiable base that will last all season! Hopefully the re-opened Burger Lounge can turn it around since it's right around the corner.
We're at 9 members looking for 1-2 more, in a 4 bedroom house. Hot tub and waterfront, as with most Keys houses. Cost is about $1200. PM me for more details.
I'm not the organizer, but schuss and I are both in the group, so there's at least 2 maggots, and most people in the house have Vailwood Tahoe Local passes. I plan on spending about half my time in the BC.
Do it. The BC rocks. Thunder was thunderous, and the bush huck was left unmolested, but packed for the in run.
looks damn good 213
Enginerd and I toured surrounding area around AM today. Skinned up to Grouse a couple of times for good snow in the trees. We headed over to Munchkins in the afternoon for the NE facing trees - great snow holding up in there.
[I will withhold commentary about the standard ridiculousness you see back there that mirrors with that echo video. Lots of no gear on serious slopes. Unfortunate that is the approach some take (whether intentional or otherwise).]
We hit some slopes today that had a little loading and would have been tough if it went. It was interesting assessing where we should go, and how we should do it. Everyone was beeping, and we even did an inbound lap to wait for someone to get fresh batteries. Good to get out there and get some skinning in. And a few turns as well. NE facing trees were skiing the best.
This sounds very familiar via one of my wife's co-workers. Is there by chance someone in your group who lives / works in Petaluma?Quote:
Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio
Perhaps the criticisms of the event has run it's course but If I had been the guy buried and then saw that video, I would punch that motherfucker that just stood there right in the teeth
Do SOMETHING you fucking retard.
Dude was ignorant at the start and likely still is
having never ridden there i can't imagine what it's like to have that in your view all the time. lots of other places, too, but large bodies of water i don't associate with riding at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by BGnight
edit: got stuck on the lake pic and totally missed the other great shot. lucky you.
The High T boundary has essentially been moved out to Grouse rock (TheDad can confirm the exact location; unless there is another Grouse that I am not aware of), which could explain any ridiculousness, or rather unpreparedness seen in that area. In the Munchkins area you also have Field of Dreams and Condo run, which many often do without the appropriate gear. Not trying to justify what anyone was doing, just wouldn't be suprised by the lack of gear, since those areas are sidecountry.Quote:
Originally Posted by Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer
Hey unpossible, your legs make it okay to 12 straight days? I'm glad I stopped at 10, else I wouldn't be fully recuperated to start my new job tomorrow ...
O'dark-thirty, 1 deg F, let's go skiing.
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