At least 3 dead, 15 injured after B.C. avalanche

As expected...

No charges in fatal B.C. avalanche
By KATIE SCHNEIDER, CALGARY SUN
Last Updated: April 29, 2010 2:21pm

Mounties say no criminal charges will be laid in relation to a deadly avalanche that killed two Alberta snowmobilers near Revelstoke last month.

RCMP have completed their investigation into the slide on March 13 that killed Shay Snortland, 33, of Lacombe, and Kurtis Reynolds, 33, of Strathmore, during the Big Iron Shootout.

The RCMP said the loosely organized event did not include high marking and was limited to a drag race type of format on a flat part of the valley to avoid the high avalanche risk areas.

Once the drag racing event ended a large group of people chose to ignore avalanche warnings and went to nearby Turbo Bowl to participate or watch snowmobilers high mark.

At that time the avalanche was triggered, swallowing up nearly 200 people and killing Snortland and Reynolds.

The RCMP said there is no evidence to support charges against any people involved.

http://www.kmcmag.com/wp-content/upl...ck_KMCW011.pdf

that was a good read.

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Originally Posted by powdork

that was a good read.

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Indeed, more should read this. Thanks LeeLau

Much better insight on a challenging problem than we have seen before. Thanks Lee.

Yes, that piece did give some perspective to a terrible accident. It seems to me that the SAR model, where a response is usually only urgent, is inadequate to this type of event. It demands more of a 911 emergency response model. The heliskiing industry stepped up and responded very quickly in this case, but they can't be expected to pull everybody's ass out of the fire on 15 minutes notice.

Great write up on a very tragic incident.

It is too bad that funding for education is always lacking, support your avalanche centers, SAR teams and if you have them organizations like Friends of Berthoud Pass that give FREE avy awareness courses.

are slednecks generally that ignorant? astounding if so.

When heli operations have to mobilize a bunch of helicopters, and have to go rescue people (essentially shutting down their operation), do they get compensation? At least for the heli time?

Just wondering, I remember Mike Weigele saying on a CBC interview that essentially he was tired of having to initiate rescues in the Blue River area.

If the heli outfits aren't getting some cash for helping out and given the likely decrease to heli operation's bottom line due to the world's financial woes I wonder how long heli operations will be wiling to supply $2,500/hr machines, and stopping their revenue stream to help out?

There is a process for heli operators to be reimbursed for the heli time. Normally it has to be from a request from SAR with approval from a Regional Manager. This can create a time delay in responses so sometimes there are agreements and preplans that allow for up to an hour heli time immediately in certain situations. CMH has done a lot to assist SAR in the province and many times without any compensation. They have to balance their customers and business with an unspoken code of the mountains to help when able.

Some more facts and figures. ( Forgive me if these have already been posted. )

According to IMSA, snowmobiling is a 20 billion dollar industry in North America ( I think that's an all inclusive figure. But read for yourself: http://www.snowmobile.org/features_facts2010.asp ).

These are some statistics about how much the snowmo industry donates:

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/colum.../13383371.html

( "The snowmobile industry, which reaps the lion’s share of benefit, contributes a paltry $10,000 a year, split between Bombardier and Yamaha." )

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Originally Posted by Kootenay Kid

There is a process for heli operators to be reimbursed for the heli time. Normally it has to be from a request from SAR with approval from a Regional Manager.

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Same unwritten understanding in the Coast.