Tahoe Weather, Conditions, Stoke, and What's Up Thread...

[pizzaforbreakfast]

wow, just read the account and watched the video of a skier caught in a slide on echo peak on the sac site. what a lucky fucker. check it out to see 10 things not to do when bc skiing. what a bunch of dipshits. really goes to show you need to go w/ people who you trust. or at least people w/ peeps. unreal

'Wow' is right. Only 2 beacons, shovels, and probes for a group of 5? That would have likely been a very sad video had the victim been completely buried.

[Marhankins]

That was ridiculous!

[TahoeBC]

That was hard to watch, so looks like not everyone was beeping. One shovel with out a handle, and what the hell is he doing digging without gloves on???

[Patches]

Good for them for making the video public, knowing it looked like a cluster. Lots to learn - or have drilled into you again.

[splat]

What the hell were they even doing out there? I hope the comments on youtube inform them just how ill-prepared they were. That guy is beyond lucky to be alive.

The minute the dude said "Give me your beacon, take your time," I about gagged. Those are the same people you never want above you.

[jetlag]

I got sick watching it. Guy should be dead:

You didnt hear? Camelbak packs are the new tools of the backcountry.

[slobmonster]

What the actual fuck/??? They're just standing there while their friend is buried. Oy gevalt......

[JAREDS]

OMG did i just watch the victim dig himself out while the other guy was warming up his hands using pre-glove methods?
I try to not pass judgement on these things because you never know the full situation etc; this one looked bad though.

[jetlag]

Man just finished watching this...

His hand is free! Quick put a ski pole on it!

[rod9301]

Did anybody ski the SE chutes on Jakes? What are the conditions?

Thanks

[Ottime]

That is one lucky dude. Watching the time it took to get a beacon in search, while there was physical evidence (a hand sticking out!) of the location was tough. Add to that... Not actually keeping an eye on the slide and victim. Digging without handle or glove. Digging above buried person so snow fills back in. Skiing potential hang fire. Attempting to break his wrist with a ski pole. Geez. At least the buried guy stayed calm and cool. So lucky to have survived. Holy shit.

[guroo270]

I was waiting for the digger to say, "Can someone ski down and get a handle for this shovel? Take your time."

[mmmm...pow!]

Good for them for making the video public, knowing it looked like a cluster. Lots to learn - or have drilled into you again.

Ha! You think they have a clue how bad this looks? I bet this was the highlight of their vacation. They probably feel like real backcountry skiers now that they were involved with an avalanche.

[jetlag]

The funny thing is that it looks like a BD deploy shovel... why the hell are they separating shovel and handle on that thing anyway?

[MrSmith]

OMG. It just keeps getting worse.

[MrSmith]

C'mon. Is this the troll of all time? Somebody handy with special effects? I can't believe I'm watching this guy dig himself out.

[The Dad]

Bill Foster's family asks that, for those so inclined, donations in his memory be made to the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe or the Sierra Avalanche Center. I just gave $100 to SAC.

[snapt]

I'll refrain from being negative since everyone has said what I would say. Props to those guys at least for posting it, hopefully for the right reasons of letting others learn from their mistakes rather than for the "look how core I am" approach.

I think it illustrates the bigger issue of the growing popularity of BC skiing and how many folks have gone in head first without much experience, training, or practice. I was astounded to see tracks in the places I did while the last cycle was going, and to have people come up and ask what the safest way down was (at least they asked). Unfortunately we'll probably see a lot more of this and in some cases it won't turn out so lucky.

[NatEE]

What the hell were they even doing out there? I hope the comments on youtube inform them just how ill-prepared they were. That guy is beyond lucky to be alive.

Comments disabled. Probably out of respect for those who at least were willing to turn over the footage, since I can't imagine the youtube collective being very polite about this one. Very fortunate that he got that hand up out of the snow...

[TahoeJ]

I'm all for keeping your cool in a stressful situation, but "take your time" is just such a fantastic face-palm of a moment it's hard to comprehend. How about hurry the fuck up already? And I thought I was a BC jong.

[RaccoonFace]

I think it is Olympic Boot Works and the owner is Buck. He used to own Java Summit Sports in Soda Spring and knows his shit. I have no contact info.

I just called! Thank you!

[bodywhomper]

discussion about that slide should, imo, be moved to the slide forum.

wow. that was hard to watch. so utterly dysfunctional, unpracticed and uncoordinated. that should be posted everywhere. I wonder who they were, I would like to make sure to avoid ever skiing with them. Not to mention, skiing echo on dec 27 on a pitch that steep, with a rollover? WTH?

just to clarify, apparently, the slide occurred on 12/29.

when was the last weather event in that area? were others observing instabilities in the recent-ish storm snow this past weekend?

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

I saw that on SAC this morning - I really don't have much to add. Similar to the above, I am shocked that a group would ski that terrain on Echo on the 29th. Add to that 2 sets of avy gear for a group of 5 (and one set was with the buried victim).

Hopefully this video will make its way to Level 1 classes as an intro of what not to do....

Glad, however, that it had a good outcome as I certainly don't wish harm on anyone, in particular this time of the year.

Alpine today is a global mogul field everywhere I look .... A little different than yesterday at the South Shore, that is for sure.

[unpossible]

^^^^

UCL, we just hit High T out to the boundary. Snow is still fresh over there. Some spots are wind effected and scoured but it all skied really well. The cold weather, winds, and brief dusting, have done wonders for some stuff that normally gets baked.

[whyturn]

Wow that video is good for learning how to be more prepared. Glad he is alright and made it out. Hopefully they learn a few things and are more prepared for the BC. Always better to be over prepared and hope it never happens.