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Yikes: https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/a...58&view=public
Scary quote from prelim report:
"Gunnison County Sheriff's Office and Crested Butte Mountain Rescue responded, but reduced their response based on avalanche hazard and the condition of the skier. The skier is presumed to have perished awaiting an official announcement."
Well shit. Don't know who it is yet, but certainly a good chance that I know him. From CB News:
Avalanche kills skier near Crested Butte Tuesday morning
By Mark Reaman
A skier caught in an avalanche in the Climax Chutes near Crested Butte was killed Tuesday afternoon. While the name is not yet being officially released, the skier was a Crested Butte local in his 40s with extensive experience in the backcountry.
According to emergency rescue personnel, the victim was carried into the trees where he sustained traumatic injuries. He was not buried by the slide. Friends on scene attempted resuscitation for an extended period of time.
According to Crested Butte Fire Protections District chief Rob Weisbaum, CB Search and Rescue, the CBFPD, The Mt. Crested Butte police department and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center personnel were on scene.
“We sent an initial crew to the area to evaluate the situation and assess the risks involved and the status of the patient,” he explained. “We were able to maintain contact with the parties involved via cell phone. Trauma cardiac arrests in the backcountry setting are not survivable.
The accident occurred about 10:45 Tuesday morning. Four people were in the ski party and only was caught in the slide.
More details will be in this week’s Crested Butte News.
Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim.
And yeah, now I know who. Nice dude with super strong community ties and a ton of experience. So tough with all the COVID deaths and chaos on top of it. :( RIP
RIP. :frown:
Sorry man.
Being swept through trees has always been a fear of mine, not a way I would like to check out.
If god lets me choose? I take blunt force trauma instead of deep snow suffocation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunion 2020
Vibes to the departed. And those that loved him.
RIP
That's pretty early in the day for a wet slab. How warm was it down there today?
Vibes.
45 the first time I looked at my thermometer at 7:30 yesterday (9400'). What they were on was pretty low and a thinner snowpack as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark
Ooof. RIP, condolences to friends and family and your community, goldenboy.
The CAIC photo reminds me of the East Vail chutes.....
Shit. One of the first people I met when I moved to CB, right next door. Super sad. About as kind and genuine as they come.
The list of friends and acquaintances lost in the mountains is uncomfortably long. Rest in Peace.
Tough few months for the CB community it sounds like.
No refreeze the night before at the elevation they were skiing at, according to my source on the ground.Quote:
Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark
RIP and condolences to those left behind.
Looks like it stayed around 35 degrees most of the night at a nearby station at 11K. The farthest left thick grey line is midnight the night before. ~42 degrees at the time of the accident. In any case, I'll echo what Z said. He was a really nice dude, always with a smile, that really cared about his community. It's been making me more and more sad as the day goes on, even though I didn't know him well at all.
Attachment 326874
One of the pitfalls of living in a small community. Every tragic death touches you whether you knew them well or not.Quote:
It's been making me more and more sad as the day goes on, even though I didn't know him well at all.
Well shit. Not much to contribute other than RIP.
Looking at that second photo (and @goldenboy's knowing the victim's experience level), it looks as if the group didn't like what they saw and were trying to make a safe exit - hanging on the ridge line and likely working toward the dense trees.
Is that how you guys read that photo as well?
... Thom
Condolences.
Below treeline generally safer until its suddenly saturated and more dangerous is the only thing that we might learn from this. Hard freeze needed.
Man, looks like a rib to that point that Id trust.
Tough one
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(Also replying to Galibier)- Back in the day, I used to ski Climax a lot. We could run shuttle and park at the top of a subdivision and be at the top of that line in 30-40 minutes until they gated it. We'd always follow a rib down the upper part rather than get in the middle of the bigger open spaces that all caught a lot of wind load. At the bottom, the ribs all petered out and you'd end up in the gullies or hacking through steep trees to keep the exit as safe as you could. Climax was always a place that I feared and gave extra respect to. Great skiing but I've only been once in the past 15 years or so (with Z!).Quote:
Originally Posted by Kinnikinnick
And yeah, Bunion- worse in a small town when you not only know the victim, but all their close friends that are hurting as well...
Thanks for that (@goldenboy).
Apart from not going out at all (high overnight temps) or possibly not turning back soon enough, their escape route looked good to me which (putting myself in their position) was a bit unnerving to say the least.
... Thom
Looking at the point forecast from CAIC for my zone (Monarch Pass) for the next 4 days there will be 3 hrs of sub freezing temps. Seems unusual for this time of year?
Concur, look at the second photo at full size. Lots of crowns & debris, no good way out. Man I feel for these guys...so tragic.Quote:
Originally Posted by galibier_numero_un
Sorry to hear this CB guys. Condolences to friends and family, sounds like a great guy. Shitty indeed.
I have no knowledge of the circumstances but I think calling a halt slapping the skins back on and retreating is a skill set that should be a part of avy and trip training and planning. Who hasn't stood at the bottom of a pitch and thought I would have been a lot wiser if I had backed out at some point.
Which episode in "The Fifty" was it when Bjarne said "no way" and you could feel the sigh of relief coming from everyone?Quote:
Originally Posted by whipski
Maybe someone else would have said it 5 minutes later ... or not.
That was a highlight moment for me - much as I'd like to think it's well-burned into my protocol.
... Thom
it might have seemed safe on that ridge, he might have gone 10 feet too far from the safe ridge: all of them may have seen a safe, slow way down? A skin track going up would be more exposed and vulnerable? Hard to say.
If anything most accidents in recent years especially of folks with a lot of experience have shown that 5-10 feet or less is the difference between life and death.
Yes, very hard to say.
Yep it seems like the protocol is go...no go but retreat is is more of an after thought. Cody seemed to work that into the discussion quite a bit proactively. I can also see where it may be more dangerous as well. Feels so sad for his loved ones.Quote:
Originally Posted by galibier_numero_un
Final report is up. https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/a...nv&view=public
well written. pit of your stomach feeling reading that. condolences to all :(Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenboy
That was a tough read. I feel like I could have wound up in the same situation if I was there. Gonna keep this one in the front of my mind for a while for sure.
Had to have been hard for Ben to write in particular, as I am sure he knew Dan well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Summit