Only hearing bits and pieces, heard it was on the backside of McCoy. And something about BC patrol winching a cat down for recovery. Anyone else know anything?
Pretty sure this was an old friend of mine :(
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Only hearing bits and pieces, heard it was on the backside of McCoy. And something about BC patrol winching a cat down for recovery. Anyone else know anything?
Pretty sure this was an old friend of mine :(
Fatal Avalanche Accident in Vail and Summit County Zone
On Monday, March 22, 2021, a skier was caught and killed in an avalanche outside of the Beaver Creek Ski Area boundary in an area locally known as Sanctuary Chute. Our deepest condolences to the friends and family of the victim. This is the 12th avalanche fatality in Colorado this season. Read the preliminary report here.
https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/a...ep&view=public
Is this zone to the NW of the Larkspur top terminal?
Definitely a local head. I'm dreading the news.
Yes....and yes another local. BrutalQuote:
Originally Posted by SKIP IN7RO
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More info: https://www.vaildaily.com/news/eagle...-beaver-creek/
Tough winter for the valley
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It's been a few years but had some great days with Gary skiing lines in EV and canyoneering in the Roost. He was a former patroller and all around good dude- kind, humble, soft-spoken. We had drifted apart but my life was brighter knowing that he was still getting after it high up in the Gore. And to have this happen, in the slackcountry on a green/yellow day, is just... fuck it all.
RIP old friend
Attachment 368687
Gary Allen Smith, 37, was caught and killed in an avalanche in the backcountry near Beaver Creek Resort on Monday, the Eagle County Coroner has confirmed.
The avalanche occurred in an area near the bottom of the Larkspur Bowl known as the Sanctuary Chute, below treeline in a steep northwest-facing chute at an elevation of around 10,500 feet near the Lime Creek drainage. Smith was trapped in the slide and his skiing companion was able to locate him, dig him out and call for help, but Smith did not survive.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center filed an initial report on Monday and will file a follow-up report.
The fatality is the 35th avalanche death in the U.S. this season and the 12th in Colorado, making it the deadliest avalanche season since the 1992-93 season in Colorado, when 12 people also died.
Smith was a well-known local backcountry skier who worked at a backcountry shop and was a gear editor at wildsnow.com. The website describes him as an “obsessive tinkerer and modifier of his gear, rarely satisfied with stock options and always looking for improvement.”
Gary Allen Smith is remembered as a backcountry adventurer who loved winter.
Smith is a former ski patroller who began backcountry touring after an injury. Before moving to the Vail area he lived in Taos, New Mexico.
Oh man Lefty, I am so sorry.....Fuck it all indeed. Vibes to you and yours, and to Gary's family.......Quote:
Originally Posted by leftfield
RIP Gary :(
RIP.:frown:
vibes
RIP.
RIP. I never knew Gary but appreciated his writing on WildSnow. He did a great job of communicating a lot of information. And most importantly sounded like an exemplary human.
I also really trusted his boot reviews and especially enjoyed the writings from AK. Major bummer
sorry to hear about this. GodspeedQuote:
Originally Posted by leftfield
RIP
Sorry for your loss guys. Guy sounded like a good man and was taken way too soon.
He's too young. RIP...
Someone got partially buried the other day coming down from the Bald Spot.
Very sad to hear about Gary. Never met him but I really appreciated his content on Wildsnow. Definitely one of their best contributors
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There is a report up on CAIC. Can't tell if it is preliminary or final. Doesn't have all the info typically associated with a final report but it also usually starts off by saying it's a preliminary report if that's the case.
https://avalanche.state.co.us/accidents/colorado/
RIP Ghostrider. Miss you brother.
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Final report: https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/a...nv&view=public
RIP. I didn't know the deceased but knew of him and we shared mutual friends. Sad season.
can any of y’all confirm that there is an access gate at the top of Larkspur?
There used to be a bootpack at least. No formal gate that I remember. Off the cat track from Larkspur. I went out that way a few times but it was years ago. Definitely could have changed since.Quote:
Originally Posted by ~mikey b
I remember a pretty big multi level smoke shack too, and I’m guessing that’s long gone.
Stop bringing up my pain of losing that smoke shack.Quote:
Originally Posted by Name Redacted
Let's not have "media" give away all the spots please. Yes access from Beaver Creek but a necessary skin back in to the resort. Neither have formal gates.Quote:
Originally Posted by ~mikey b
copy that
on all levels
just trying to be sure
I edited out the note at the end
There used to be a gate at the end of the traverse to Loco and a bootpack about midway.
[emoji106]
A billion years ago....BC isn't interested in advertising any such thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by SKIP IN7RO
Not to side track things but, are you saying that access to public lands from Beaver Creek is or is not officially condoned/allowed/maintained?
I believe that it is a grey area that might shift to less ambiguity in the future as a result of this incident.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunion 2020
That's no skin out. Any variation of larkburger is a long ass shuttle unless you are really willing to climb a ton of vert back up.Quote:
Originally Posted by simple
But, brass tacks, it's a hop skip and a jump away from getting off the lift (see below).
I don't really see how a cat could have been utilized here to do the body recovery. That befuddles me.Quote:
At 3:46 PM, ski patrollers left the ski area boundary to assess the accident site. In the meantime, Skier 2 arrived back in the ski area and provided additional details about Skier 1’s condition and the accident location.
Around 4:00 PM, searchers reached Skier 1 and confirmed he was deceased. Beaver Creek Ski Patrol used a snowcat with its winch attached to a tree to transport the patrollers and Skier 1 back to the ski area.
To avoid private property...skin out. I believe the party ascended in that method right? So....want to adjust that statement? Doesn't matter to me but you may not realize that folks adjusted that ski line in recent years.Quote:
Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark
Thanks, reason I ask is that it is VR and the issues with access in Park City from the Canyons to public lands.Quote:
Originally Posted by Name Redacted
I choose not to adjust my lazy lines thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by simple
Emphasis mine. I don't know BC at all but my interpretation of this statement is that there is no gate and they ducked the rope. Whether or not ski patrol looks the other way, I have no idea.Quote:
Originally Posted by CAIC