Slide North of Bozone.

**bushman** · 10-29-2012, 04:02 PM

Anybody know the details?
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/10/29...ana-1-injured/

**concretejungle** · 10-29-2012, 04:11 PM

http://www.mtavalanche.com/current

They said they'll be up there today getting more info.

**totaliboard** · 10-30-2012, 07:52 AM

All I know is that runout path looks rocky as fuck. not fun. ive learned (the hard way) the bridgers are a force to be reckoned with. if the snowpack doesnt want you there, you better stay home..

**icelanticskier** · 10-30-2012, 08:11 AM

climb what you ski!

vibes

rog

**08-15** · 10-30-2012, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by icelanticskier

climb what you ski!

vibes

rog

They actually triggered the avalanche skinning up, not skiing down.

**icelanticskier** · 10-31-2012, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by Al Mondbrot

They actually triggered the avalanche skinning up, not skiing down.

that was my point.

rog

**concretejungle** · 11-01-2012, 07:25 PM

http://www.mtavalanche.com/sites/def...Oct%202012.pdf

**totaliboard** · 11-02-2012, 12:21 PM

^they mention a lack of communication (amongst other things) supposedly led to the trigger. i know when i got broke off this past spring, the slide was certainly a byproduct of miscommunication and poor decision making by my group. avalanches can be avoided if you have an honest and cohesive group dynamic and you know where to go. but most importantly, where not to go. frazier scares the shit out of me..

**icelanticskier** · 11-02-2012, 12:55 PM

avalanches can also be avoided with proper travel/route finding. skinning up an open 35/40 degree exposed bowl? could there been a less exposed way up? go up a safer route and have one of the party put in a ski cut and see how things feel/react.

frig the binding/avalung lesson. travel lessons beyond just spreading out should be considered here.

rog

**totaliboard** · 11-02-2012, 07:54 PM

^yup. i mean its all relative, but i dont feel much safer all strapped in with an avalung, airbag helmet and shit than i would just dropping in and nukin it- hoping for the best

**icelanticskier** · 11-02-2012, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by totaliboard

^yup. i mean its all relative, but i dont feel much safer all strapped in with an avalung, airbag helmet and shit than i would just dropping in and nukin it- hoping for the best

nuking it? explain please.

rog

**totaliboard** · 11-03-2012, 02:13 AM

what comes to mind is an image of travis rice or someone in a ski video just landing, popping off a slab and then riding out of it..

**icelanticskier** · 11-04-2012, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by totaliboard

what comes to mind is an image of travis rice or someone in a ski video just landing, popping off a slab and then riding out of it..

ah. there are many different ways to ski a slope depending on how "touchy" things appear to be. just dropping in and slaying a slope can be a recipe for disaster, unless yer carrying so much speed that you are lucky enough to out run a slide if one occurs.

bridging layers are especially tricky and you definitely need to ski those lighter on yer feet depending on how thick and dense that bridging layer is. especially important to expose only one skier at a time to keep weight minimal. skiing slowly with a lower edge angle and lighter touch is very important.

here's an example of lighter touch skiing on an upside down 15 inch new snow where the top 8-10 inches was fairly stout wind compacted bridged buff. felt pretty good about the support, but definitely wasn't gonna dig too deep with the turns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaU6tEiQnuk

rob was actually filming from up and out of the gully feature on a bench below a lower angle area.

rog

**natew08** · 11-05-2012, 03:46 PM

So are you advocating skiing things 'lightly' that you wouldn't ski otherwise?

**icelanticskier** · 11-05-2012, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by natew08

So are you advocating skiing things 'lightly' that you wouldn't ski otherwise?

all i'm saying is, from my personal experience and opinion, is that there are MANY ways to approach and ski a slope depending on how things stack up. not so much a go or no go deal. more of a, ok this is what we're dealing with here, how do we turn this into an opportunity with the least amount of risk possible?

tricky? very. rewarding? oh so very. opens up a lot of options on days where it'd be so easy to just stay under the covers. but then what would ya learn about the snow that day? absolutely nothing.

rog

**natew08** · 11-05-2012, 04:13 PM

I would contend you're putting just as much force if not more force into the snow pack if not more by the technique you show in the video. Slowing down and making a real speed checking style turn gives you more time to sink in the snowpack. If you're hauling ass and doing a 11s down the slope you're not sinking in deeply or spending much time on any one piece of slope. This is all academic because I've never heard / read / been taught anything like this so to even allude to the idea of skiing 'lightly' is foolish. You should either have confidence to ski the slope or confidence to move onto something safer.

**icelanticskier** · 11-05-2012, 04:21 PM

i was very much "light footing" those turns and keep my edge angle fairly low so as to not punch in as deeply. kinda like how you'd ski breakable crust.

rog

**wendigo** · 11-05-2012, 04:27 PM

rog, dropping the asinine advice since 2009.

**natew08** · 11-05-2012, 04:34 PM

'Just ski lightly bro'
*blows out air to save weight*

**concretejungle** · 11-05-2012, 04:48 PM

Can you jack asses shut the fuck up?

**icelanticskier** · 11-05-2012, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by concretejungle

Can you jack asses shut the fuck up?

rog

**natew08** · 11-05-2012, 05:19 PM

Ok I'll be more constructive.

What evidence do you have for 'skiing lightly' being a safe avalanche reduction technique.

**icelanticskier** · 11-05-2012, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by natew08

Ok I'll be more constructive.
What evidence do you have for 'skiing lightly' being a safe avalanche reduction technique.

the slope stayed intact. i guy making aggressive jump turns or edging in hard is gonna make more of an impact on a potentially dangerous slope than skiing it gently. not hard to understand. ever here of windshield wiper turns? very handy at times in different situations. sometimes you get partway down a slope and what you thought was solid and stable all of a did not feel as such. time to change technique to suit.

anyone want some csa squash? mmmmm, tasty

rog

Z · 11-05-2012, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by natew08

Ok I'll be more constructive.

What evidence do you have for 'skiing lightly' being a safe avalanche reduction technique.

"Skiing lightly" is a term that is used, but not really for making awkward over-finished turns like in Rog's video. If I were to tell someone to ski lightly it would mean a few things.

1. That fat cornice entry sure looks like a nice drop, but don't hit and add extra stress to the slope. Don't even go near the thing.
2. Nice looking cliff mid-slope. Don't hit it for the same reason. No more stress than necessary. Smooth turns.
3. Don't fall on this slope please. Nothing fancy.

If I say that to someone, that's what I mean. If someone says that to me, same applies, but I also take that as a mindset to be extra careful/smooth/whatever you want to call it, and be suspicious of every miniature rollover, exposed trigger point, whatever. Really you should do that on every slope, but you know what i mean.

Not really an "avalanche-reduction" technique you would get taught in a course...The smallest things can make a slope slide or stay put. Couldn't HURT, right?

Early season skiing scares me more every year. Glad these guys are fine. Stay safe.