TR; this last weekend at Bridger

Hi Fi · 01-18-2009, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by fez

a little poking around and we found our way into that north facing chute with the trees in the middle that splits the cliffs into no-name bowl. pretty fun chute.

Seconded. Skied it one lap after meeting Tone atop saddle on Fri. Best turns of the day. And has anyone checked out the mondo cave down in those cliffs? Great spot for lunch, etc... the mountain goats thought so too with fur and tracks in there. Ecxellent terrain all over that mountain.

**tone capone** · 01-18-2009, 11:56 PM

Ditching vail to make Bozangles the new winter home!!

Hope too many don't follow!

This is why we can't always be too positive.

Gotta be sure and remind those Coloradans of our seasonal month long droughts.

**Telemarc** · 01-19-2009, 04:44 PM

Don't know what to say, Travis Engstrom passed on this weekend and has left his wife Kelly and young child Kaden. Traivs was just a great down to earth guy please send out good vibes for his family and friends.

The mountains around Cooke City and the Washburn Range:

On Saturday a rider was killed in a large avalanche on Crown Butte next to Daisy Pass. His snowmobile was stuck high on a northeast facing slope near 10,000 ft at the end of the day. As he worked to free his sled, it began to tumble downhill. It rolled 3-4 times before striking a rock, and the slope fractured 300 feet wide running 1000 ft vertical. Slope angles in the starting zone were 37-40 degrees and the crown had a maximum height of 10-15 ft. The victim’s four partners immediately conducted a very thorough beacon search but could not detect a signal. A search continued the following day, and he was located with an avalanche dog. He was found under 3 feet of snow with his beacon accidentally turned off.

**mtcham** · 01-19-2009, 05:10 PM

Heartfelt condolances to Travis's family, friends and coworkers. Travis was always a great help to my son and I in the shop and will be missed by many in the community.

A sad reminder to check everyones beacon in your party. This was a tragic weekend in Montana.

**Eluder** · 01-19-2009, 05:50 PM

Damn I hate this shit....

**cowdog** · 01-19-2009, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by rludes025

Damn I hate this shit....

. I know that slope well, having made more than few turns right there. It is always so sad and difficult. I just knew Travis from interactions at the shop. Seemed like a nice guy. Condolences to his family and friends. Sigh.

**baseWeldr** · 01-19-2009, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by cowdog

. I know that slope well, having made more than few turns right there. It is always so sad and difficult. Sigh.

x2
dang...

**workinforturns** · 01-19-2009, 06:51 PM

travis from chalet?

**Telemarc** · 01-19-2009, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by workinforturns

travis from chalet?

Yes, Travis who worked at Chalet...

**workinforturns** · 01-19-2009, 08:39 PM

holy shit. couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. he just helped me re-mold my intuitions the other day. this is just too bad.

people be safe out there.

**Jumper Bones** · 01-19-2009, 09:22 PM

Shit. The Chalet guys have been nothing but nice to me, although the only name I know there is Tom...so I'm sure I've talked and been helped by this guy...fuck.

RIP.

**lobstahmeatwad** · 01-19-2009, 10:04 PM

That Travis guy was a super nice guy. He helped me out on many, many occasions over the last 6 years.
This is a terrible thing to hear.

**tone capone** · 01-20-2009, 01:23 AM

Very bad news. So sorry this happened. Another good man taken down this year. a shame to pay this price for what we do.

+++++++++++++++vibes to friends, family, coworkers.

**BobbyBill** · 01-20-2009, 07:06 AM

Bad deal...Travis helped my wife on many occasions with her boots and was super friendly and a pleasure to deal with at Chalet. Thoughts are with his family, friends and co -workers. This really sucks.

**gb406** · 01-20-2009, 09:48 AM

I'm tremendously sad. Travis was exemplary. I grew to depend on him for help at Chalet.

The other death, in the Gravellys, was a good friend. Kirk Hewitt, was an advocate for fairness in land access issues. He had a magnetic personality. I sat through 12 forest service meetings with him last year as we attempted to negotiate with a stubborn group of hikers who didn't want to share trails. It was always a comfort to have Kirk and his honest attitude at the table. He had more local mountain knowledge than almost anyone around here. The slide that took him was a pipsqueak of a slough, it reached out and tagged him. "You're it", it said.

**fez** · 01-20-2009, 10:06 AM

condolences both their friends and family.
this really sucks to hear. i didnt know travis, but i;m sure if i see a picture of him i'd know who you are talking about. we got lucky and avoided any injuries around here for a while. looks like this weekend made up for lost time.

**muted** · 01-20-2009, 02:33 PM

Avie article about researchers at MSU

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/sc...alanche&st=cse

**tone capone** · 01-20-2009, 05:10 PM

Wow. Definetly has got me afraid of things. A delicate balance involving the whole pack on some slopes it seems.

**Jumper Bones** · 01-21-2009, 11:22 AM

http://travisengstrom.org/

There's a service for Travis at 2pm Friday, at Hope Lutheran Church on Graff St (off of S 19th).

**XtrPickels** · 01-21-2009, 11:52 AM

+vibes for friends and family.
Trav was a nice guy

**Sirshredalot** · 01-22-2009, 05:39 PM

I've been a little spooked since this past weekend.

I knew Travis on a friendly/professional basis over the past 5 years. He always treated me like a buddy when I was in the shop and I was on a wave and hello basis with him outside of work. It's spooky to think that I was cracking jokes with him about beating up his demo gear Thursday night and then he was gone Saturday.

He's the best I've ever known someone who died in a slide, but I know that is likely to change over the years. We now have spooky ice crust and surface hoar from the recent warm and clear weather, and it will likely get buried this weekend. And the depth hoar has not completely disappeared, either. Please, everyone, let's play safe out there.

**tone capone** · 01-22-2009, 05:58 PM

What is so sad to me is that both Travis and Kirk were the kind of guys that are the real heroes to me.

Guys that are working everyday to keep us safe and having fun out there. Sharing their knowledge and doing their best to ensure that other people have the same opportunity to enjoy playing in the snow that they had.

Travis was the ideal shop guy. Your problem was his problem, and he wasn't happy till he could help you out. That is gold nowadays.

Kirk did more than his fair share of helping to maintain access to our public lands. He wanted everyone to get along and share what we have. He was part of what makes Montana better than anywhere else you'd want to live.

The other thing is that they were family guys. They worked hard, played hard, and were dedicated to their families as well. That is something I aspire to myself someday, and I have great respect for those guys for having done it themselves. It sucks when people die in the snow, they always seem to be among the best people. Very sad this week for these guys and their families.

**fez** · 01-23-2009, 03:43 PM

as my wife said when i showed her the vid:

"That is awesome"

**tone capone** · 01-23-2009, 03:50 PM

Hell yeah. It never ceases to amaze me, how good those guys were on the skinny skis back in the day. Even in the 50's and 60's people were sick here!

So many good lines and good skiers in there, time well spent. I have nothing but catching up to do with that shred fest!

Any pics to share this year MT? I remember some good ones from last yr.