2 dumb-ass snowboarders rescued at Togwotee

[Tye 1on]

As a former/recovering snowboarder myself, I usually don't say things like 'dumb-ass' and 'snowboarder' is an oxymoron, but...

http://www.jacksonholenews.com/article.php?art_id=2568

Snowboarders rescued

By Katy Niner
December 27, 2007

Two snowboarders spent Christmas Eve lost in the Buffalo Fork drainage after taking the wrong backcountry route off Angle Mountain near Togwotee Pass.

Teton County Search and Rescue retrieved the two men, 17 and 22, about 10 a.m. on Christmas morning.

The two Wisconsinites were en route to Pinedale when their group of between six and eight people stopped about noon for a snowmobile excursion into Bridger-Teton National Forest, according to a report from the Teton County Sheriff’s Office and from Togwotee Mountain Lodge general manager Jeff Golightly. They climbed onto their own vehicles and headed into the backcountry just east of Togwotee Mountain Lodge.

The snowmobile driver who six-hours later reported them missing said he dropped them off on Angle Mountain, arranging to meet them at the bottom.

He said he had warned them not to snowboard down the north side, terrain that had a high threat of avalanches. The snowboarders lacked backcountry rescue gear and had no knowledge of the local avalanche conditions.

At 5:42 p.m., the driver reported the men missing to the snowcat rental shop at the lodge. Lodge personnel encouraged him to contact Teton County Search and Rescue. In the meantime, two lodge snowcat guides went out to look for them, spotting tracks off the north side. Because of harsh weather, Teton County Search and Rescue decided to begin its search at daybreak. The lodge gave the worried group free lodging Christmas Eve.

“We all thought the worst,” Golightly said. “We were all pleasantly surprised.”

After being rescued, the two men reported that they had snowboarded down the north side all the way to the Buffalo Fork, thousands of vertical feet and at least 3.5 miles, Golightly estimated.

They spent the night walking around the drainage while the temperature dipped from 16 degrees at 6 p.m. to a low of minus 4 degrees at 9 a.m., according to the Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center’s 8,710-foot weather station at Togwotee Mountain Lodge.

One of the men took off his shirt to start a fire with matches he found in his pocket. At daybreak, they hiked up the ridge line, where they found cell phone reception and called one of the men’s dad in Wisconsin. They then called 911.

Teton County Search and Rescue had already dispatched 20 people to Togwotee Pass, including a medic and a helicopter. The lodge sent between four and six guides to assist. Rescuers received the cell phone call while the helicopter was in flight and the snowboarders directed them to their location.

Ambulance staff looked them over, but the men declined medical treatment. After reuniting with the rest of their group, they ate cheeseburgers at the lodge.

“This one turned out to be positive,” said Capt. Jim Whalen of the sheriff’s office. “So often in the middle of winter, they don’t turn out positive.”
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Let's see. Didn't know the mountain. No avi knowledge. No avi tools. Fuck

[berko]

Im most surprised that there are actually people who have Golightly as their last name.

[schwerty]

Damn cheesheads.

[Long duc dong]

Glad they are OK. Definitely not a good decision to go back there without the proper procedures.

[HotCarl]

"Check this out,dude. I'm gonna take off my cotton shirt and start a fire out here. This'll be the stuff legends are made of!"

[Toadman]

maybe they should at least learn their compass headings next time they go out or at the very least have someone tell them which way north is.

[grubbers]

something tells me that even if those 2 guys were on skis, they would be equally stupid.

but snowboarding does have quite the appeal to those in the lower iq range.

[willywhit]

The snowboarders lacked backcountry rescue gear and had no knowledge of the local avalanche conditions.

After reuniting with the rest of their group, they ate cheeseburgers at the lodge.

hacks !
they woulda been mackin' on BACON cheeseburgers if they had any real skillz

[DharmaBum]

The snowboarders lacked backcountry rescue gear and had no knowledge of the local avalanche conditions.

It appears that "dumbass" is the proper adjective afterall.

[Tye 1on]

It appears that "dumbass" is the proper adjective afterall.

Yeah, i didn't choose it lightly.

There's some really strong, smart, fun boarders out there that know how to put great trips together. Remember this TR from WySplitRide? http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=106143

Same mountain. Having a bbq. And being, errr, particularly focused on safety.
Then there's these knuckleheads putting a bunch of SAR folks into work mode on Christmas freakin morning. Nice...

[Jer]

The two Wisconsinites

This pretty much sums up why they were so unbelievably stupid. For some really bizarre reason, midwestern snowboarders are stuck in some kind of 80's time warp where they still feel they have to prove how rebellious/individualistic/rad/hardcore/dumb they are. I've ridden with and had many snowboarding bc partners from places like WA, CO, UT and MT and they were all just normal guys who used thier brains. But for some reason you go to any hill in MI or WI and you'll see about a million morons acting like...morons. Hopefully they got the bill for the rescue, athough I know that's probably hoping for too much.

[Trackhead]

Was that this one?

[SuperChief]

Make em Pay, that heli isn't cheap, People like this make me think un-prepared BC users should pay if the S&R guys get called out.

[Sluff]

They are from Wisconsin...what do you expect. Send them the rescue bill.

[Tye 1on]

Was that this one?

bingo, good find tracky.
and good work randostevo...

[Conundrum]

I would put some onus on the guy that dropped them off.

"Hey, avi danger is high today, oh you don't have gear, just stay off the north side. Wait, no compass, well, good luck, see you at the bottom..."

[Jer]

I would put some onus on the guy that dropped them off.

"Hey, avi danger is high today, oh you don't have gear, just stay off the north side. Wait, no compass, well, good luck, see you at the bottom..."

IMO the guy who dropped them off was just trying to clean up the gene pool.

[Conundrum]

IMO the guy who dropped them off was just trying to clean up the gene pool.

good point

[Tye 1on]

I would put some onus on the guy that dropped them off.

"Hey, avi danger is high today, oh you don't have gear, just stay off the north side. Wait, no compass, well, good luck, see you at the bottom..."

good point commondrum...bet the sheriff had a little chat with him...
Pulled this off the archived avi reports, for 12/24, Togwotee area...
---------
The general avalanche hazard is CONSIDERABLE, and will increase during the day as new snow and strong winds form soft slabs and add weight to existing weak layers. Two avalanche problems exist. First, backcountry travelers could trigger new soft slabs developing during the day to one foot in depth on steep, wind-loaded slopes. Second, deeper hard slabs, 2 to 5 feet in depth persist. More substantial triggers such as snowmobiles, large groups, or surface slides steeping down may be needed to initiate these hard slabs. Serious consequences could result if caught in one of these hard slab avalanches. Natural avalanche activity will become possible later in the day.
---------

[skiski]

good point commondrum...bet the sheriff had a little chat with him...

Who knows how much the snowmobile driver actually said to them. He may not have known too much about avalanches, and they may have claimed to know what they're doing. If I were him I certainly would have strongly discouraged their whole trip, but in the end, I don't think he's responsible for their stupidity. Anyway, back to the main point - those guys were unbelievably dumb. However, the luck/stupidity scale tipped slightly in their favor that day, and that's all you need in the end.

[Fear Of A Flat Planet]

I think it just the time of year. Everybody is on holiday and visiting unfamiliar terrain. Back in Wisconsin, I'd imagine that they probably don't have to deal with avalanche danger, etc. A couple years ago, we had an out of town SKIER take off out of bounds at Snowbowl, got lost and died. There are ignorant people out there, and it doesn't matter if they're on 2 sticks or 1.

[Jer]

Everybody is on holiday and visiting unfamiliar terrain. Back in Wisconsin, I'd imagine that they probably don't have to deal with avalanche danger, etc.

That's no excuse. Sometimes in the summer in northern WI I go chasing after black bears armed only with a camera or vid. I wouldn't do the same thing in Alaska. Mainly because I have a brain.

[Fear Of A Flat Planet]

That's no excuse. Sometimes in the summer in northern WI I go chasing after black bears armed only with a camera or vid. I wouldn't do the same thing in Alaska. Mainly because I have a brain.

not saying its an excuse...but rather a possible reason.