WHITEFISH AVALANCHE!! PAGING FLATHEAD MAGS!

[powstash]

Gripping read. Thanks for posting the article.

So the search began for the missing brother-in-law, with help from the Whitefish man who pointed probe teams to the general area where he had last been seen. His body was recovered at about 4:30 p.m.

Searchers speculated he had not died instantly, as there were no signs of trauma and it appeared he had been able to move his head, carving out a cavity for breathing.

He was buried in three feet of snow.

That sort of thing absolutely makes me both sad and furious all in one. <sigh>

[grskier]

Holy crap that sounds huge..

+++vibes+++ for friends and family

[Lonnie]

Gripping read. Thanks for posting the article.

That sort of thing absolutely makes me both sad and furious all in one. <sigh>

My thoughts exactly.

[GoldMember]

My thoughts exactly.

Me too. I'm not going to go on a rant about how easily he could have been saved because for the most part, I think everyone here knows. Really sad that this kind of thing happens. Condolences to all affected and let's hope no one else is involved and that the searchers stay safe. It's really spooky out right now.

[flanker769]

+++VIBES+++ to all family, friends and those touched by this unfortunate incident.
My heart skipped a beat driving to work this morning when I heard about this on the news as I had friends playing in the canyon this weekend... thankfully they weren't there yesterday.
I'm just trying to orientate myself and figure out where exactly the slide took place.
When standing on top of flower point looking at the chutes on the other side of the canyon, where is Firberglass Hill? Did the avalanche occur on the ski hill side of the canyon or the other side where the chutes are?

[danimal's dead]

It wasn't really fiberglass hill that slid. It was what we call Skooq chutes or Skooquelia (sp?). When hiking out of the canyon back to chair 7 they are the cutes toward the top of the hill on your right. Just before you get to the part where you skate back on the groomer. It was the South facing aspect that slid not the North facing side, which is the side most people ski coming immediately off of flower point.

[AsheanMT]

Conflicting reports all over the place right now. I have a solid source who has been discussing this with patrol and NOBODY really knows how many people may or may not be buried. Apparently the skier who triggered it was a 19 y/o skiing on spats with no avy gear and wearing headphones. He was the first one to be found all beat to hell atop the debris. I'm hearing three deaths but can't confirm more than two. Very sad to think that there could be more bodies out there without any way to know if or where anyone might be.

So all of you guys know, the area that this slide occurred is VERY popular for bilers but more so for lift accessed BC riders. There can be dozens of people back there at any given moment. Our hearts go out to those who were caught in it and Ash and I are so happy to hear that Danimal is okay. Dan sent me a pm saturday night telling us that he was heading back there for sunday and my heart sank when I heard about the avi. I was so relived to hear his voice. Humbling to think that he and Ash were riding that same terrain only a couple of months ago. Humbling to think that any of us could have very easily been there.

[Lonnie]

Apparently the skier who triggered it was a 19 y/o skiing on spats with no avy gear and wearing headphones.

"Involuntary manslaughter occurs where there is no intention to kill or cause serious injury but death is due to recklessness or criminal negligence..."

[beaterdit]

good God. 250'x7'x1/4 mile is ridiculous. Hopefully no others under there. Please keep us posted if names are released, getting nervous for a Whitefish buddy

That would be scary enough but the article says 250 YARDS wide. So that's 750 FEET wide by about 1300 feet long by 7 feet deep.

Jeez. Hope there aren't any more under the debris. This is the kind of thing that could hamper recovery till spring melt.

Trigger and first fatality was a 19 YO kid on spats wearing headphones. Unfortunately, in spite of the lack of gear, sounds like he could easily have been a lurker, if not a member here.

More thoughts to all involved and all whitefish locals.

[AsheanMT]

Trigger and first fatality was a 19 YO kid on spats wearing headphones. Unfortunately, in spite of the lack of gear, sounds like he could easily have been a lurker, if not a member here.

True. Thats the scariest part of this in my mind simply because this spot is SOO FKN POPULAR and easy to get to that it draws hoards of people many of whom have absolutely no knowledge of avi's and just want to get an epic run. We can cast blame all day long but it does nothing to change the fact that there are so many riders out there these days that just have no education/awareness and thus no respect for snowpack. They honestly don't know any better.

[AsheanMT]

looks like they had to blast the rest in order to keep searchers safe.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m.

Blasting in the area of the avalanche was successful, releasing a small portion of unsafe snow mass, according to a press release from Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan.

The blasting team is exiting the area and, when the scene is safe, about 60 trained responders from several area search rescue organizations will resume searching for the two missing skiers.

[acostiga]

damn. i was out there not two days ago but the weekend prior. we skied what they called the skooklia (sp?) area with some guys who know the terrain well. they did beacon checks, we dug a pit, everyone was equipped, etc. the ridge up there had a pretty huge cornice from what i remember.

the spot we were at and route skied down was the side without the cornice, facing back towards the canyon creek drainage/ski resort. the other side with the cornice, was facing away from canyon creek. the more i learn about this incident, the more spooked i am getting. i'm still not really sure where the slide took place- just can't visualize it. did it happen on the side that is reached from the access by the t-bar? where you ski down from the t-bar, hang a left and then hike for maybe 15 minutes? from there, you ski down and finish at the bottom of the canyon- where the snowmobilers roar past. did that side slide, or the other?

it was tough to sleep last night.

that area is super-high traffic because it's so easily accessed. scary. just got an e-mail from school administration that one of the victims was a 2006 graduate of our high school, and has two sisters at the other high school in town. RIP.

asheanMT, glad to read that you're in the avy class. i hope that stan goes over some of the details tomorrow night. i'm that nerdy looking dude sitting toward the front, taking copious notes. danimal's dead, thanks for the details. it's weird how bits and pieces keep streaming in, and it's tough to know what's just rumor and what's true. i did hear on the radio a few minutes ago that fwp took out that crazy moose, so at least that's a good thing.

[AsheanMT]

Update: The names of the two riders have been released.

Two killed in avalanche are identified

Associated Press - January 14, 2008 4:14 PM ET

WHITEFISH, Mont. (AP) - Flathead County authorities have released the names of 2 backcountry skiers, killed yesterday in an avalanche near the Whitefish Mountain Resort in northwest Montana.

The victims were 19-year-old Anthony Kollman of Kalispell, and 36-year-old David Gogolak of Whitefish.

Up to 100 searchers are on the scene of the avalanche, using probe poles and canine teams in an effort to locate any other victims.

A U.S. Customs helicopter was requested and is also on the scene.

Sheriff Mike Meehan says search efforts will continue throughout the evening hours, as long as conditions are safe for recovery crews.

But the sheriff says weather could hinder rescue efforts. The National Weather Service is predicting high winds -- up to 50 miles per hour-- and up to 8 inches of snow after midnight tonight.

[todug27]

wow, scary stuff. had one of the more fun runs of my life back there the one trip to big mountain i've had which makes it een more surreal.

hoping for the best for anyone else who may have been in the area.

[single]

Apparently the skier who triggered it was a 19 y/o skiing on spats with no avy gear and wearing headphones. He was the first one to be found all beat to hell atop the debris.

"Involuntary manslaughter occurs where there is no intention to kill or cause serious injury but death is due to recklessness or criminal negligence..."

So were the people who were buried and killed just skinning straight up the avalanche terrain? I would not call it involuntary manslaughter, especially not yet. It could very well be the victims fault that they were traveling in an unsafe zone. Unless the kid on spats KNEW that there were people traveling below him before he dropped in, I would not say that it was his fault. It is all part of backcountry skiing. Not only do you have to asess the snowpack/terrain/weather, you have to take into factor that there might be a total dipshit dropping in right above you.

Sad day for all, but I dont want to get the rope ready for this kid just yet.

[powdork]

Sad day for all, but I dont want to get the rope ready for this kid just yet.

i believe he is already among the deceased

[300hp]

I hope we all have respect for a situation like this, but in light of recent events on the board I want to say that one of the deceased is a family man and best friend to a maggot. Please just pray and refrain from casting blame.
Hunter

[Lonnie]

Folks, just posting hypotheticals. Many folks talking about lack of education with regards to OB and snow conditions etc, etc. I just took the "education" angle a bit farther just to open up some debate. Would a few prosecutions for manslaughter change that? Would charging for rescue attempts (like they do with forest fires)? I dunno.

What I do know is that way to many folks have departed from this earth this winter due to the white death and it saddens me.

Sorry I hijacked the thread. If I get motivated (which I'm not right now), I might post a new thread with some non specific criteria just for the sake of debate.

[todug27]

its now the top story on cnn.com

[fluffballs]

My Friend just told me about this, apparently his boss' close friend was one of the victims. The brief report he gave me, probably passed on from the brother in-law. They had finished skiing the area, don't know if the were on a different slope or not, when the 19 year-old dropped in and triggered the slide above them. The were standing right next to one another. Very sad, here's the cnn link http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/14/mon....ap/index.html

I hope there was no one else involved.

[AsheanMT]

Just found this.

[enlosandes]

Wow, very personal yet to the point.

[Core Shot]

They had finished skiing the area, don't know if the were on a different slope or not, when the 19 year-old dropped in and triggered the slide above them. The were standing right next to one another. .

This is the new reality.

Its not what you do. Think about how many morons could be above you.


R.I.P.

[RootSkier]

wOW.

45678

[Dr. Send]

Jesus. 30+ feet of debris is fucking terrifying.

+++++++++++