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"Surviving a bad break: Free helicopter service saves backcountry skier injured in avalanche" by Rich Landers published in Spokesman Review 2/28/16 - http://www.spokesman.com/stories/201...g-a-bad-break/
Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center Report - http://www.idahopanhandleavalanche.o...n--events.html
The injured skier in this story in SpknMike here on TGR. Lucky man; harrowing experience.
Yep. Good dude, skied with him quite a few times. Sucks he got broken up so bad. Hopefully a full recovery will happen, hips can be a long tough battle. Heal up proper mang!Quote:
Originally Posted by GoldMember
Could not agree more with the positive words about Mike as I too have had the pleasure of touring with him. He is a solid cat and I wish him all the best on his recovery and look forward to getting back out with him in the future.
Holy shit....good read. I cant believe they left the last guy with just a shell. Realizing you are all alone, with darkness creeping in and lack of overnight cloths must have been sobering.
I think I am going to order some quikclot.
Some scary stuff.
These guys all seemed to know what they were doing, yet the mother nature can't be controlled.
Can't imagine what that last guy had to go through til he got himself down.
Jesus.
And a PLB. Not that cell service is part of my emergency plan but it sounds like 911 was less than helpful. If the article is to be believed it wasn't until the PLB got activated that things really started moving in the right direction. Scary stuff, good thing he was with a couple guys who had their heads on straight. Makes you stop and think about who you ski with. Glad everyone made it out, hopefully we get a first hand report at some point.Quote:
Originally Posted by BuzzardJam
I think the article is the first-hand report. On other sites, he's reflected that the article speaks for him and that he was reluctant to be public but it was worth the article in order to help others. I don't know that we'll get much more from him beyond what was written.Quote:
Originally Posted by GPP33
You're right about the PLB. Seemed like there was a bunch of confusion until that fired and got people going.
Wow. That is one of the craziest avalanche stories I've ever read. Glad Mike is alive and will recover. Sounds like he was right on the edge.
Unbelievable. The screamer suit! Another for the guy being left alone out there. That. Would. Suck.
I think Mike will be baking Mike Goguen some cookies with a big thank you card. Bad deal hopefully he will heal up and get some better days in the mountains.
Sobering and a very good read in advocacy of preparedness, awareness, and a little bit of luck. Cheers to Mike, his partners, and the rescue crew for all contributing to a good ending to a fairly harrowing event. Pretty gnarly.
Mike's a good dude and a very knowledgeable backcountry user. just another reminder that any of us can be caught in a slide.
St. Regis basin is a fun place to ski and usually more or less safe but has a deserved reputation for unpredictability.
I've got mikes skis in the shop right now, they're no worse for wear, tuning up nicely.
My thoughts exactly. Cheers Mike, hope the recovery goes well!Quote:
Originally Posted by truax
Props to a couple of people willing to helo into a blizzard at night to save a couple of people they never met before.
I think we all try to rationalize how victims made a mistake we never would, how they were unknowledgable or unprepared. It's always sobering when you realize that they are more knowledgable/skilled/experienced than you and you realize that if it happened to them it could happen to you. The two sports I find this most noteabley true are backcountry skiing and kayaking. Too many guys way better than I am get seriously hurt or killed while not even pushing the limits for me to think I can get away with anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charmander
^^thisQuote:
Originally Posted by Rideski
never met or rode with mike, but thats a harrowing experience. super stoked he was able to make it out okay and vibes to him and family/friends. good preparation goes a long way, and even with all the knowledge you have, the mtns can change that in a split second. good on you and your friends for keeping a level head, and the heli service for picking you off the mtn. heal quick!
Absolutely! Check them out - http://www.twobearair.org/ Great group with nothing but Mike Goguen's financial support. Props!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rideski
Seriously.Quote:
Originally Posted by truax
It's interesting because there have been a bunch of articles lately in the Montana newspapers about these air rescue services and how much they charge, whether health insurance will pay (they have been refusing), etc. Been kind of a big issue lately. I hope Mike doesn't get stuck with a huge bill for all this. Not that it isn't worth it to save a person's life, but still, that would suck to get billed tens of thousands.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoldMember
As I understand it, no charge. It's a purely philanthropic effort.Quote:
Originally Posted by yeahman
I am a subscriber to NW Medstar in case I or my wife ever need it. $159 for three years coverage for the whole family. No brainer for our area and is available for Montana residents, too, I believe. https://www.nwmedstar.org/
A friend had his son flown off Schweitzer after a trauma park accident. Cost him about $10k. That was enough to make me think it's worth the premium for NWM.
holy shitballs
We have the Corsar card out here in CO. Doesn't count for med transport though.
Thanks everyone for the well wishes and kind words. (Definitely owe a lot of thanks to everyone involved with my rescue, rehab as well.)
Hope in sharing the story that other bc users might learn something from our day. The article was mostly an accurate account (some quotes not word-for-word and the timeline is a bit off).
Hope your recovery is going well and fast.Quote:
Originally Posted by spknmike
Thanks for sharing your story.
It's such a mind awakening.
And I'm happy the outcome was somewhat ideal.
Im pretty sure that heli/search and rescue is completely free here in Montana. I was seriously hurt on my mountain bike 5 years ago and my buddies decieded SAR was better equipped t than they were to get me out. SAR called in a heli which was not able to land and eventually got me out by other means . I received no bill. I know of other situations where heli's have been deployed and no charges happened.Quote:
Originally Posted by yeahman
Here's one of the newspaper articles I was talking about...not sure if air ambulance is exactly the same thing as SAR operations, but I have a friend who works for one out of Butte as a paramedic and he seems to go on both rescue missions and ambulance flights.Quote:
Originally Posted by MTslackcountry
Spknmike, glad you are okay!
I always enjoyed your pictures, words and website, Mike. I was super bummed to hear about your accident. I know that you will have a speedy and full recovery and that you'll be up to your old ways in no time! Good luck
That was a compelling article... best wishes on a good recovery. This definitely makes me reassess my first aid kit though, I wouldn't have been prepared to treat a partner with an injury of that magnitude, in terms of equipment or knowledge.
Glad you're still with us. Thank you for enlightening us with your story. I will also be reassessing my kit and level of first aid knowledge. Best wishes dude.
Mike. Glad to hear you are home safe and recovering. I have not had the opportunity to meet or rip with you, but have enjoyed your posts and stoke. You will be killing it in no time buddy. I appreciate the fact check on the SpoReview article too. Here are a few quick thoughts of mine:
1. The classic theme across all sports seems to always reveal that the experts tend to be the ones not just getting into troubled situations, but either death or near death ones. I know this is a board assumption, but I personally feel that the the more time you spend in certain situations, the more comfortable one gets. It might not be the case that the expert is taking bigger risks, but gets complacent. I would say we are all guilty of this sometimes. BTW, not saying that is what happened with Mike or his party, it is just an observation.
2. From point 1- do not under estimate the importance of a well packed pack. It will weigh more, but if packed right, that should be about the only drawback. It will save your life when if ever needed.
3. Join Search and Rescue. I have been an active member of Priest Lake Search and Rescue for almost three years. The training (usually at no cost to active members), working with people from all walks of life with a wealth of knowledge and the ability to rescue or recover a person is gratifying. Part of training is preparing your packs for survival situations. I also reflect on how the training removes you personally from being the expert or recreationalist and puts you in the mindset of how a rescue works and operates. Now having working knowledge from two different ends ultimately helps prepare and manage the day. For example, I have the training on the recreational side of avalanches (us being out there in avie terrian) and training on avie operations through a rescue or recovery mission. Having that knowledge from both sides definitely helps me assess risk and how to manage it.
4. Two Bear Air is truly an amazing asset....really almost a luxury. I have had the opportunity to work with them on a few occasions and it is a seamless effort with those guys. We also use Fairchild's AFB birds if needed and that can be a logistical nightmare sometimes.
5. Lastly, I live in Sandpoint, Anyone that wants to rip, hit me up. I do not have a pass, but have a sled and ski in the Selkirks, Cabinets, and Koot Pass. Mike, I hope we get to rip together next year!
Cheers.
Mac
I've long thought about adding some Quikclot to the kit. Going to do it after reading this.
Good luck with the recovery Mike! I've enjoyed your site and hope to see you getting after it again soon. That is a harrowing story, thanks for sharing it, both for the education and for the well deserved credit to the efforts of some dedicated people. As much as the injuries must suck, it is really nice to see a spotlight on a story that could have been much worse. It seems like for everything that went wrong you guys (and 2 Bear) had/did enough to answer the situation. Well done all around.
Earlier reports seemed to indicate that Jason was also injured, was that incorrect?
milmac, pm incoming