Don't have lunch in an avalanche zone.

[Beaver]

Snowmobiler buried on Kootenay slide
WebPosted Feb 3 2004 07:16 AM PST
CASTLEGAR, B.C. - A snowmobiler from Washington state is missing after being hit by an avalanche in the Columbia Mountains near Castlegar on Monday.

He was part of a group of seven snowmobilers who accidentally triggered the snow slide.


Const. Wally Bursey of the Castlegar RCMP says the avalanche struck at an unfortunate time.

"They had stopped for lunch. They had all their packs nd gear off and in their packs were their avalanche probes and shovels.

"So they only had their bare hands and the windshields off their snowmobiles to try and dig out their friends."


Bursey says the group also missed a chance to get help from a search crew nearby that was looking for another avalanche victim – a U.S. snowboarder buried in an avalanche near Nelson on Friday.

"The search party from that avalanche was just flying by and the group said they heard the helicopter and onboard the helicopter was an RCMP dog man with three dogs and search people,

"So had they had a satellite phone, we probably would have been able to give them help just minutes after their friend got buried."

Bursey says avalanche technicians are assessing the area on Tuesday morning before recovery crews are sent in.

[Rusty Nails]

Yeah, but who carries a satellite phone, honestly.

[random]

dude, soooo weird!
in my snow class yesterday, this guy came in who works for the avalanche association in K-country was ranting about this rescue he did with a group of snowmobiles who stopped to have lunch in an avalanche zone

[bagtagley]

Originally posted by random
dude, soooo weird!
in my snow class yesterday, this guy came in who works for the avalanche association in K-country was ranting about this rescue he did with a group of snowmobiles who stopped to have lunch in an avalanche zone

Wow, that sure is random.

[JR]

Originally posted by Rusty Nails
Yeah, but who carries a satellite phone, honestly.

Actually, I know a few folks who do. They are coming down in price and are getting to be more affordable. Cheap insurance really.

I always carry a radio phone which can access about a hundred commonly used local radio channels. It saved my ass when I broke my femur.

[random]

Originally posted by JR

I always carry a radio phone which can access about a hundred commonly used local radio channels. It saved my ass when I broke my femur.

What's even more random is when i was doing my avi course a couple weeks ago the dude went on about his buddy who saved his and his friends ass with his radio phone. Or it's been a long day and I'm making things up in my head. again.

[H-man]

Good lesson in this that having the gear is really not as important as recognizing the danger signs and using good route fiding knowledge/technique.

[powderpyg]

Funny thing, or not so really funny. That snowmoblier, was killed on Ladybird Mtn., which is really close to where the Valhalla Cats slide happened. Like maybe two bowls away, in the same range and they both happened around noon! Hmmmmmmmmmmmm?