Wearing Beacons all the time while skiing

just thinking out loud

back when I was a kid NOBODY wore helmets while free-skiing, well maybe a couple of kids with what seemed at the time to be "overprotective" parents or if you were a racer.

Fast forward 20 years and it seems like everybody skis with a helmet on. I personally feel naked not wearing a lid.

Is this ever gonna happen with beacons? I'm actually thinking about wearing my new beacon everytime I ski, even if I'm only skiing inbounds at Killington. That way it just becomes habit to throw it on whenever I go out. I mean the drawback is only the fact that you're gonna go through more batteries, right?

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Originally Posted by laseranimal

just thinking out loud

back when I was a kid NOBODY wore helmets while free-skiing, well maybe a couple of kids with what seemed at the time to be "overprotective" parents or if you were a racer.

Fast forward 20 years and it seems like everybody skis with a helmet on. I personally feel naked not wearing a lid.

Is this ever gonna happen with beacons? I'm actually thinking about wearing my new beacon everytime I ski, even if I'm only skiing inbounds at Killington. That way it just becomes habit to throw it on whenever I go out. I mean the drawback is only the fact that you're gonna go through more batteries, right?

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Well, skiing with a beacon at kmart is kind of retarded. But it can't hurt i guess.

I seem to always be wearing mine while skiing. Not always turned on, but usually my day involves something not technically inbounds. On a deep day ill turn it on all day just in case.

I've learned that you should at least carry it in your pack, you never know what kind of shit your are going to get into. You might miss out if you don't have all your gear with you.

That sounds kinda like overkill. How many inbounds slides has Killington had?

That said, my buddies and I do wear them on powder days at the resort. I think it is smarter to rely on yourself and your friends.....that presuming that Patrol will always be there to help.

ski with a shovel and probe too?
i am going that way for sure.

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Originally Posted by marshalolson

ski with a shovel and probe too?
i am going that way for sure.

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Yeah. If yer wearing a pack, your shovel and probe are in there. And if you are wearing pack, you are wearing your beacon. And if you have a pack on without a shovel and probe in it, then you are just weird.;) :biggrin:

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Originally Posted by Z

Yeah. If yer wearing a pack, your shovel and probe are in there. And if you are wearing pack, you are wearing your beacon. And if you have a pack on without a shovel and probe in it, then you are just weird.;) :biggrin:

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well, my point was, beeping w/o shovel/probe is semi retarded...

well maybe not. fuck everyone else.

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Originally Posted by marshalolson

well, my point was, beeping w/o shovel/probe is semi retarded...

well maybe not. fuck everyone else.

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yup. I was agreeing with ya. Digging someone out with your hands? Not so effective.

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Originally Posted by Huckwheat

That sounds kinda like overkill. How many inbounds slides has Killington had?

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none


that was kinda my question, even though I know its overkill why not just get used to it so it doesn't feel like overkill any more

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Originally Posted by laseranimal

none


that was kinda my question, even though I know its overkill why not just get used to it so it doesn't feel like overkill any more

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Just think how rad you'll look at apres! :rolleyes:

Seriously, I've transmitted on huge inbounds dump days (like a 3-footer at Wolfie), and if I know I'm heading out of the gates into slide terrain, I'll obviously wear all the gear. Using pack/beacon/shovel/probe for an average day (even with sidecountry shots in the trees): overkill. But at least you look like a badass in the liftline.

I wear mine to the grocery store. I look rad.

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Originally Posted by iskibc

I wear mine to the grocery store. I look rad.

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Are you the most extreme skier in your office?

(beeping at the water cooler = so hot right now)

I bring all of my equipment on the bus.

Not really, but if it has snowed a lot and/or I am in the backcountry it comes with me.

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Originally Posted by iskibc

I wear mine to the grocery store. I look rad.

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iski could probably be involved in a slide at the grocery though...

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Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Are you the most extreme skier in your office?

(beeping at the water cooler = so hot right now)

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To the extreme brah! I also dangle my goggles from my rearview mirror. Makes me look core.

amateurs. I wear my T1's grocery shopping and I'm broadcasting on 457 24/7.

How many days do stay inbounds all day?.......unless it's killington boiler

The last year I lived in Killington I saw lower O- slide 03/ maybe!
Honestly, a can of mace or a hand gun would make more sense than a beacon at Killingtime!

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Originally Posted by marshalolson

well, my point was, beeping w/o shovel/probe is semi retarded...

well maybe not. fuck everyone else.

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it's nice to have one but if i'm skiing solo on a pow day i'd rather have my beacon on than have to decide if i want to ride with a big pack on a full tram. i'd like to have it all but i've seen too many inbounds slides to not atleast have the beacon. this may be more specific to the west but whatever.

spending +$200 for a device that could save your life and not wearing it just doesn't make a lot of sense (avvy condition dependent).
At soli most all the goods are accessed from summit. So having your pack and gear on you or @ the patrol shack when the gates drop means your ready to roll. It kind of surprises me the number of people who are willing to hike up 10 to 15 min sidecountry bootpacks w/ out safety gear. Sure patrol runs control routes on some of this terrain, but thats not failsafe and if shit happens I guess they figure the avvy dog or patrol luggin a recco receiver will drop out of the sky and it will all be good.
I guess I am just a gear slut but a lot of times the most awesome powder runs are a matter of being in the right spot at the right time with the right gear.
I cant ever recall the parking lot/village as being in the right spot so I like to roll with my gear. Just having fresh gloves or extra goggles and a thermos full of hot bev. makes luggin a pack worth it.

I have always worn mine in bounds any time it could slide. but bridger really got me in the habit of always having my shovel probe and beacon with me.

when i worked at snowbird and drove down the canyon every night i was tempted to wear mine on the drive home from work a few times.

Depends where I'm skiing.

Most days at Crystal I wear mine. Same with Baker.

Very different back in CO though. I hardly ever worn one. Way back when when the lifts were running at Berthoud I did. Otherwises...I only would wear it if I thought I may end up going OB.

Just recieve my new Mammut to replace my Tracker. Super impressed and the difference in size is amazing. THe tracker is pretty bulky. Noticed it for sure. The barryvox is so tiny and the harness so well designed that I dont think Ill ever be bother wearing it.

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Originally Posted by marshalolson

iski could probably be involved in a slide at the grocery though...

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You want to be involved in a slide at the grocery store? Just grab an apple off the bottom row and ...WoooooHooooo!

Having all the gear doesn't help if you're skiing alone.

In most places I ski, no one skis inbounds with a shovel, so they'll have to go for patrol no matter what happens to me or what I'm carrying. However, I still beep on any day with freshies, because there's a chance patrol can actually dig me out alive if they don't have to get a probe line together.

Unless it is a sunny groomer day, I will be beeping. Have it, will use it.

Overkill is better than killed in my book.


Batteries can be replaced, my daughter can't have her father replaced.

I wear mine from the time i put my boots on until it's time to take them off again. I have witnessed many in-bounds slides and that's the first thing the hasty search party is going to be doing besides ensuring no danger to their own asses. Even then it might be too long , but if there's plenty of other people doing likewise, they might find you first- for example that slide at Mt. Baker this year, and that was outside the boundary if I'm not mistaken.

What is this 'inbounds' of which you speak?

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Originally Posted by bad_roo

What is this 'inbounds' of which you speak?

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uuhh that would be inside the ski area boundary where there is avalanche control, but also nasty beasts such as post-control release, skier accidental and natural avalanche activity

we were at the moose a few years back, and the person I was with saw a guy at the bar, with his beacon on, at like 6:30pm. she pulls her beacon out, flips it to recieve, and jokingly starts scanning - she walks in a big half-circle, sweeping the ground, and ends up at his back. he turns around, and she's like "don't wear your beacon in the bar!"... :rolleyes2

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Originally Posted by Red Baron

we were at the moose a few years back, and the person I was with saw a guy at the bar, with his beacon on, at like 6:30pm. she pulls her beacon out, flips it to recieve, and jokingly starts scanning - she walks in a big half-circle, sweeping the ground, and ends up at his back. he turns around, and she's like "don't wear your beacon in the bar!"... :rolleyes2

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Try the "cougar beacon" line... it works great in Utah. ;)

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Originally Posted by iggyskier

Depends where I'm skiing.

Most days at Crystal I wear mine. Same with Baker.

Very different back in CO though. I hardly ever worn one. Way back when when the lifts were running at Berthoud I did. Otherwises...I only would wear it if I thought I may end up going OB.

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the irony of this seems a bit silly.

i wear mine based on what im going to be skiing that day and a call on snow stability.

agreed that if you spend all the money on it, you might as well use it.

also - i never bother wearing it if i dont have shovel and probe with me as well.

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Originally Posted by snorkeldeep

the irony of this seems a bit silly.

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Irony? Crystal is more likely to have signifigant depositions and windloading during the day.

Since just about any I'm inbounds day I also have the potential to be out of bounds, I bring mine. I've triggered a slide inside a ski area boundry before. I already payed all the money for it. If I already have it, why not have it on. It costs a penny to wear for a day. It doesn't weigh anything. It is not bulky or uncomfortable. The question isn't "should I?" The question is "why not?" Won't hurt a thing and minute possibility it might help. So I wear mine almost all the time I'm skiing except for dedicated groomer days and night skiing.

on at the car, off at the bar.

Pretty geeky, but I wear mine whenever the forecast is marginal, even inbounds. Even on prodeal that stuff ain't cheap, so might as well get your money's worth.

cjoo1f, you certainly would know about the head patroller death while ski cutting at meadows back in the day on the "small" windrill under cascade chair. there's a few of those that don't get bombed all the time. 'course a beacon would not have helped him... I guess you never really know, so I bring it along just for kicks, if only to find my sorry ass buried in a tree well in jacks woods.

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Originally Posted by Orange Julius

you certainly would know about the head patroller death while ski cutting at meadows back in the day on the "small" windrill under cascade chair. there's a few of those that don't get bombed all the time. 'course a beacon would not have helped him... I guess you never really know, so I bring it along just for kicks, if only to find my sorry ass buried in a tree well in jacks woods.

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SOP at there and ski bowl is a beacon with no shovel/probe when conditions warrant FWIW. I can think of at least one other inbounds burial at Meadows, and plenty of big control slides.

I wear a beacon when conditions warrant, shovel and probe usually come along, but not always.

I didn't see this being brought up?
I wear my beacon driving Up LCC or Big Cottonwood Canyons in UTAH. I have seen way to many slides hit the road with near misses and a couple of hits over the years. I also wear my beacon when skiing any resort in either of the canyons. Alta, Bird, or Solitude. i never go to Brighton. I wear a beacon always, shovel and probe in my pack. Helmet always. These items are just part of the ski package. Kinda like a seatbelt. They are always on.

Kevin

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Originally Posted by Prindle_16

I didn't see this being brought up?
I wear my beacon driving Up LCC or Big Cottonwood Canyons in UTAH. I have seen way to many slides hit the road with near misses and a couple of hits over the years. I also wear my beacon when skiing any resort in either of the canyons. Alta, Bird, or Solitude. i never go to Brighton. I wear a beacon always, shovel and probe in my pack. Helmet always. These items are just part of the ski package. Kinda like a seatbelt. They are always on.

Kevin

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yeah, i mostly wear mine diving on days where i'm trying to beat the road closure up the canyon in lcc but other times i wear it so i don't have to take off my jacket in the cold. also, it's already turned on and then i have time for a quick beacon check while eveyone else is turning theirs on.

I wear mine pretty much every day. I even wore it while teaching on Teewinot once (I'm just a badass like that). Actually, I roled in at like 12:45from skiing OB all morning when I was supposed to be there at 12:30. I pulled my ski school vest out from under my jacket and was good to go.

I've set off small slides in bounds. There is no way patrol can ski cut/bomb every shot at JH. A guy got caught in a slide in Casper Bowl last year and fortunately he and his buddies had avy gear and got him out.

I don't usually wear a pack unless I'm skiing the headwall, casper bowl, the crags, or out the gates. If one of my friends or I ever got caught in bounds I figure we could at least have their location pinpointed and by that time patrol would probably be on scene. If its a big day, high avy risk I'll wear my pack.

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Originally Posted by Summit

Since just about any I'm inbounds day I also have the potential to be out of bounds, I bring mine.

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Amen. Most beacons will transmit 8hrs a day five days a week for up to six weeks and still maintain adequate levels of search/transmit capability. That's a conservative estimate. I can spend more at the bar in 1 hour than I do on batteries for a whole season.
I would add that if you bring your beacon with you, you should be wearing it and if you are wearing it, you should turn it on when you put it on. Only users lose dope...