TR; this last weekend at Bridger

[Bunion 2020]

Accident report from 2.24.2012 avalanche on Saddle Peak. Wow. Skier 1 sounds real smart; actually they all do. Dropping and OB line steeper than 40 degrees on a high danger day? Everyone has a right to make their own decisions, but from an armchair perspective there was little sound decision-making happening in that group that day.. Lucky to be alive.

Stay safe out there, folks.

http://www.mtavalanche.com/sites/def...ent_Public.pdf

I have heard "unconfirmed" that skier 1 has had more than 2 heli-evacs from the BC area surrounding Bridger Bowl.

Porkchop? Anyone?

[igBand]

Excuse me if imma little proud my j-6 got first in the jamboree today, plus super deep crazy blower pow face shot white room ridge skiin, sorry tenex missed ya bud, base lets hook up soon...how bout that new crown on saddle?

Give a mini-LB a fist bump for us! Yee-haw!!

Pretty darn filthy up there today. D E E P. 'Nuff said.

[andrewjesaitis]

After a face shot filled morning, I skinned way out to the south today and was thinking of digging a couple pits out of curiosity. There is no way I would drop into anything out of bounds right now, yet I saw a couple people do it. Just nuts.

The number of naturals was unbelievable--at least 8-10 between Saddle and Bridger Peak. Cracks in stuff that hadn't slide. It was sketchy enough that I didn't even want to get on to something with a skiable aspect to dig a pit. So I stuck to the ridge and had a nice tour. Interestedly, much more avalanche activity on the east side than the west side--makes sense with the way things are currently loaded, but I always feel like the west side snowpack is usually much weaker.

Stay safe out there! I know I won't be skiing anything in the BC for some time to come...

[baseWeldr]

@bunion-dunno bout 2helis(incidents yes as the report indicates) maybe he was there when the doctor broke his leg (?)
many of the ol bb sidecountry crew have passes down there(bigsky), ask them they'd know more about him if you wanna know- fits avy victim profile ...

@lex - congrats m'man meant to listen then ask you later cuz i didnt- next gen rep!

tone was that you gingerly rippin...? youve got some twins around wearin similar shit...

some fine cold soft snow skiin, last hr lower mtn a lil bumped up w big traffic lately but no prob, many opps for powderpile destructo turns resulting in those pesky snowsprays to the face...goodtimes

edit: yes saw deep lookin new crown below rockband on the horizon line of saddle lookin from bb, pulled out going home chute as well, looked like it stepped to the ground, heard it went natural overnight sat/sun

[Bobcat Sig]

Man ... today confirmed yet again why I don't like Bridger; long lines, windy, closures and the snow was just terrible.





















NOT.

Holy hell was it epic today. Seriously, just fucking rad! The opening laps on PK were quite good. Then, we hit the lower gate to Slushman's and got probably the 10th chair. Good God were the laps back there ten kinds of awesome. Best day of the year, by far. I'm still fucking stoked on today. FKNA!!


As to those crimefighters headed out Saddle today ... That, I could not believe, even when the crown was visible from the highway. Unbelievable. I'm just glad no one slid anything.

Oh, and big props to the Bridger Patrol getting both the Ridger and Slushman's open. That must have been a bear of a job. Kudos.

[hick]

I have heard "unconfirmed" that skier 1 has had more than 2 heli-evacs from the BC area surrounding Bridger Bowl.

Porkchop? Anyone?

Sweet record. The B Bowl old tards (oh excuse me I meant old guard), fucking smart ones for sure. That chick might want to get some new ski partners and maybe pull her head out of her asshole, maybe start making just a little better decisions in the future. The B Bowl hardcores never cease to amaze me.

[dyna1fit]

lest we forget... not a hint of compassion for these folks. they put more than their share at risk. read these posts fucktards and live...

[john c]

Sweet record. The B Bowl old tards (oh excuse me I meant old guard), fucking smart ones for sure. That chick might want to get some new ski partners and maybe pull her head out of her asshole, maybe start making just a little better decisions in the future. The B Bowl hardcores never cease to amaze me.

quoted for truth, at least the old fuck tard who wears the rear entry boots and waddles his sorry washed up ass out to the high consequence blue squar every day will be leaving for AK soon. I would want that shitstick to guide me in Alaska about as much as I would want the doctor to do surgery on me. Fuck them, they put people at risk every day, what if some of that hangfire woulda come down during the heli evac...... Rumor has it that BB will not be selling passes to people who have nicknames and have been skiing there for more then 20 years. They are too fucking old to ski the real terrain and their egos can't take it so they wanna be the big men out on Saddle. Real big, all of your tracks were erased last night by a fucking 8 foot fracture.

[tone capone]

tone was that you gingerly rippin...? youve got some twins around wearin similar shit...

Not me, I've been chillin again since around mid month, in "rehab"... Not fun but still hopeful. Stoked that it's this sick right now. I rode the lift with your buddy Troy one day, I was doin pretty good that day. One day at a time, ha ha.

It's been cool to watch this avy cycle from the armchair though. Fuck it I'm just gonna say it. There is no amount of warning or reasoning that can change the psychology of a small percentage, that is obvious. As long as the volunteers and the professionals are willing to perform at the level of risk that open boundaries require, then we have this priveledge. The avlanche pros, the ski patrol, search and rescue etc. do an amazing job, but I think it's gonna cost some lives sooner than later and that comes with the territory. There are alot of horrible ways to die out there, I would have been stoked to survive a slide off Saddle like that. The stuff off the ramp is no joke right now either, even worse ways to die out there. It's just not worth it right now. I thought those new rockered flop sticks made skiing the crud as fun as pow anyways?

I just can't wait to get back to the hill. Doing everything I can to make that happen. At least there is a base there now for March and April, 40 something days of hope and promise.

[john c]

"I thought those new rockered flop sticks made skiing the crud as fun as pow"
The old tards still have straight skis and think rocker is a cover band from the eighteis. IE the last time they got laid. This makes them even bigger avy bait then they already are cuz they ski slow and punch deep. That slide that ripped the dorkter to peices, I coulda skied out of backwards. Ask him how his quad is doing, it was completely pulled off the bone. Definatly hearing that their passes are gone next year.

[baseWeldr]

the dr is a biglie guy spinnin tramlaps now, lotsa bb poacher expats shreddin lonepeak lately...
spot on tho mostly, you must have a local lil bird whisperin to ya...
unfortunately lotsa the older nicknames gittin replaced by new ones & mad pow disease gonna cull the herd sometime sadly...

edit2add-

A large natural slide occurred on Saddle Peak Saturday night (2-25). This slide propagated across the ridge that many consider to be the safest route down

[butterscotch]

looks like i picked the wrong weekend to go to red lodge. you're welcome everyone.

[lobstahmeatwad]

the dr is a biglie guy spinnin tramlaps now, lotsa bb poacher expats shreddin lonepeak lately...

Thank fucking god. I still see him at bb on bigger days.
How bout his twin, the other lunatic with autism he says?
Crazy fuck.

[Lexi-Bell]

Damn fine again today minus people, practically ski on rides on the slushmenz, how did those tracks wind up on the remaining snow above the crown on saddle?

Thank fucking god. I still see him at bb on bigger days. How bout his twin, the other lunatic with autism he says?
Crazy fuck.

Pretty sure they're talking about a different doctor; bc not weizner.

Johnc bringing da lulz.

[shreddacord]

[NWFlow]

There is no amount of warning or reasoning that can change the psychology of a small percentage, that is obvious. As long as the volunteers and the professionals are willing to perform at the level of risk that open boundaries require, then we have this priveledge. The avlanche pros, the ski patrol, search and rescue etc. do an amazing job, but I think it's gonna cost some lives sooner than later and that comes with the territory. There are alot of horrible ways to die out there, I would have been stoked to survive a slide off Saddle like that. The stuff off the ramp is no joke right now either, even worse ways to die out there. It's just not worth it right now.

At this point I wish Bridger would just close that gate. It is now completely obvious that the small percentage are not going to use that gate responsibly. By several unbelievable strokes of luck, no one has died out there yet -- but with people dropping lines like the south summit on a high hazard day it is only a matter of time. There really is no point in repeatedly exposing rescuers to risk when it is readily apparent that people are unwilling to exercise any caution whatsoever. And when poor decisions outside the ropes cause in-bounds closures (i.e. closing Slushman's and the ridge to respond to a Saddle slide) there is really no excuse. Close the gate. Still want to ski Saddle? Great, skin for it.

[Aenigma]

Eh, that's kind of a slippery slope when you want people to be protected from themselves. Yeah, it sucks that stuff got shut down early, but who am I to say people don't have the right to put themselves in harm's way? I don't think there's a clear answer to access gates and safety, but the risks and responsibilities are posted pretty clearly when you leave...

I say leave them open so I can get out when I want, and if people want to go kill themselves for epicbrobrasickpowgnar turns, then so be it. It's sad, but it's their life.

[tone capone]

As long as first responders are down with it, then let it be open. If some people don't value their life enough to stay off it with a snowpack like that, then let nature take it's course. There will be a price, it's just a question of how many until the community has enough of the carnage or rescuers pull the plug. We've all had a little luck on our sides at times, but this is like russian roulette. I don't blame the authorities for keeping it closed when they do. A helicopeter aint gonna swoop down and save ya if it's storming or socked in.

I wouldn't blame them if next time it's like this they close for a week. It's not like it's any safer three days later, just more likely there will be more lemmings on it when it rips big like it did the other night.

They should just take the lift out this summer and put it up Saddle for the Usual Suspects and make Slushmans and Mundy's a skin accessed freeride playground.:

[mtcham]

Wouldn't bother me a bit if they shut the gate when the avi center calls it high and slopes are ripping out up and down the range. The idiots are really not the concern but subjecting SAR, patrol and the avi center guys to extreme risks has to be weighed. I for one like having these guys around.

From nbcmontana.com

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/30555162/detail.html

"BOZEMAN, Mont. -- A new report released for last Friday's avalanche said a group of three skiers were on Saddle Peak, just south of the Bridger Bowl ski area.
All three knew the avalanche danger was high, it said, and one of the skiers was with a group that triggered a large avalanche a few days prior.
Saddle Peak is a popular spot for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. In fact, according to the report, skiers had already taken runs down the slope that day.
But it was Casey Lewis' first time down when she was caught in the slide.
"As soon as they cross that boundary line, whether they're one or two feet on the other side of that boundary line, they might as well be one or two miles away in any backcountry area" said Bridger Bowl marketing director Doug Wales. "We're not doing control work out there."
Wales said that even though skiers ride the ski area's lift then hike to Saddle Peak, it's up to the individuals to make the judgement whether to step out-of-bounds.
"When anybody's making that personal choice to go in the backcountry, they need to take it upon themselves to do their own research" Wales said.
That means knowing what the avalanche rating is. The report said the three skiing that day all knew the danger was high but went anyway.
"I couldn't name all the points and shoots out there but I know how to get back down" said Rock Mees, about snowboarding in the backcountry.
Mees said he likes going in the backcountry.
But once, he got lost for hours. After finding out first hand how dangerous it can be, he always takes precautions- including staying away when avalanche danger is high.
"If it's more than moderate, I don't really care about going" Mees said.
Other back-country enthusiasts agreed.
"Yeah it's not worth it when the avalanche is high" said skier Colin Ruh. "At the beginning of this season it wasn't that high, and it was nicer to go up there. But right now, no."
Avalanche experts said even for the most experienced, all it takes is one bad run to trigger a deadly slide.
NBC Montana checked with Search and Rescue to see how much it costs every time they're called out.
Lieutenant Jason Jarrett told us they divide a year's worth of bills by how many missions they went on.
Lt. Jarrett said it totals about $280 per rescue.
Of course, some rescues are more expensive than others, he said. For instance, the Saddle Peak avalanche required a helicopter."

[NWFlow]

It just seems like BS that the out of bounds conditions affects in bounds decision making. Since rescuers are volunteers I guess that does make a difference, but it is also a bit of a slippery slope when employees paid by the ski area are responding to out of bounds incidents. I don't really give a shit if people put themselves in harm's way, but when it starts to affect others with lift closures etc. I do start to have a problem with it. Going to have a lot less of that if the gate is closed or moved to the bottom of the lift.

As a side note: does anyone know who does pay for SAR responses like this last Saddle rescue?

[mtcham]

As a side note: does anyone know who does pay for SAR responses like this last Saddle rescue?

Here ya go
http://www.kxlf.com/news/when-gallat...ots-the-bill-/

[NWFlow]

Kinda what I thought in regards to funding. It does make sense that taxpayers pay. I know I will appreciate SAR public funding if I am ever in a position to need it!

I think the reason Bridger can't just close the gate for high hazard days (aside from any USFS logistics that may be involved) is because it then begins to imply that the area is "safe" on lower hazard days. If the gate is going to be there, it has to be open.

[Bunion 2020]

I think the reason Bridger can't just close the gate for high hazard days (aside from any USFS logistics that may be involved) is because it then begins to imply that the area is "safe" on lower hazard days. If the gate is going to be there, it has to be open.

And right there in those 2 sentences you sum up the conundrum for all terrain/ski area managers.

"If" BB decided to close the gate on days they deem questionable/hazardous the lemmings would duck the ropes and go anyway.

Free will can be a bitch but it beats the alternatives.

[Bobcat Sig]

Dare I say it, but SkiFishBum in the Canyons avalanche thread had it nailed; what the hell happened to personal responsibility? Sounds like those folks need more of it...

[lobstahmeatwad]

Here ya go
http://www.kxlf.com/news/when-gallat...ots-the-bill-/

funneh. When I eat too many cheese blintzes and get gigantic fat and have a heart attack or stroke out and have to be air lifted to billings for heart or brain surgery no one picks up my cost.
Even though there are warnings all over the place against this behavior and well the bakery just makes them so good its impossible for me to ignore them and I live right next door and that's why I live there.
I say make um pay per incident on top of tax payer dollars. Accidents happen and you always have to pay. Offer a SAR BC insurance plan you can pay into if you are stupid and hurt yourself allot.
You have one douche causing two BC ski evacts in 1 year??? WTF!