Avy Fatality on Vail Pass 4/18/2013

[Lindahl]

Just hearing murmurs of a fatality up on Vail Pass that happened about an hour ago. Vibes to his/her friends and family. Yeah, it was spring for a bit, but winter came back - lots of activity out there. Be careful guys.

[jpcm]

Yea hearing the same thing. Sounds like a huge slide in one of the big paths next to cupcakes. North facing side of Ptarmigan Pass. From second hand accounts, 10ft crown, snapping trees, ran all the way through the lower forrest. +++VIBES

[Like a Boss]

CAIC:

https://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/ac...rep&acc_id=504

[neufox47]

For those experienced with CO's snowpack, short of an isothermic snowpack, do you ever feel safe on a slope with a North aspect there?

[MakersTeleMark]

For those experienced with CO's snowpack, short of an isothermic snowpack, do you ever feel safe on a slope with a North aspect there?

I've skied that slope in winter, and have also first-hand watch someone trigger it and take a good sized ride on it. It all depends.

My deep thoughts go out to the lost today, and those around.

[BraddA]

"Feel safe?" Well, that's debatable. After the last two cycles? No.

Terrible news, especially given how high the stoke-meter has been for the last few weeks. Vibes.

[Hacksaw]

For those experienced with CO's snowpack, short of an isothermic snowpack, do you ever feel safe on a slope with a North aspect there?

Not really...

[icelanticskier]

do you ever feel safe on a slope with a North aspect there?

plenty of safe north facing slopes in colorado even during high avy danger. they are mostly all about 30 degrees or less. safe. easy.

rog

[goldenboy]

For those experienced with CO's snowpack, short of an isothermic snowpack, do you ever feel safe on a slope with a North aspect there?

Sometimes, some places, some years...

[BraddA]

CAIC has a few pics up: terrifying

[hatchgreenchile]

Terrifying is right.

[icelanticskier]

nature

rog

[HikeforTurns]

"The three individuals involved were under the influence of a marijuana strain called Dead-Head OG, according to Eagle County deputies."

Thank you for that piece of brilliant journalism 9 news and Eagle County.

RIP to the fallen, be careful out there guys.

[MakersTeleMark]

"The three individuals involved were under the influence of a marijuana strain called Dead-Head OG, according to Eagle County deputies."

Thank you for that piece of brilliant journalism 9 news and Eagle County.

RIP to the fallen, be careful out there guys.

Lauren:

“Detectives with the Eagle County Sheriff's Office were informed that the parties involved were under the influence of Dead-Head OG (a strain of marijuana) at the time of the incident.”

Some of the most ridiculous reporting I have ever read in the Vail Daily. The victim’s name isn’t even released, yet you highlight a particular strain of marijuana in your short report as if it is relevant to the accident.

Irresponsible reporting. Why don’t you go to chair 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. and ask what all the folks in line are on?

Piss poor reporting. Sorry your copy editor left for Summit.

Just despicable.

Do you even know if that was a contributing cause? Of course not. I’ve skied that slope mid-winter, and also first-hand watched a person take a ride in that bowl. Education and time in the backcountry along with season-to-season analysis is what informs that choice.

Boils my blood to see your reporting with the known consequences of the inferences which it draws; both detracting from the current avalanche conditions (hey, if I’m not stoned, I can ride it, they were just a bunch of stoners), and your gross insensitivity to the fatality, coupled with the fact that you have no causal connection whatsoever between triggering a deep slab instability and what a person had in their system.

And... I don’t even smoke pot.

Please retract. You are going to have to live with that report.

Sucks to read, but I care enough to let you know my thoughts.

[Crampedon]

Really, they have some fucking nerve. Bullshit. Lets all tell them so.

Here is her email- lglendenning@vaildaily.com

-Then two lines down they have a story about this cannabis game. Who approves this crap? Any proofreaders?

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/201...ntProfile=1062

[simple]

Ugh.

Deep slab instability and what looks like mega wind loading.

Vibes to everyone involved. It is shaking up our community.

[smitchell333]

Bummer.

Thanks to that insightful reporting and LE provided information we know which cannabis strain to avoid when skiing in avy terrain.

[Name Redacted]

What do you expect from a free paper. Gotta do what you can to get views. "This just in: Snowboarders smoke Marijuana"

RIP to the victim, sad to hear. This is definitely not our regular April snowpack.

[BraddA]

"This information was part of the official statement by the Sheriff's Office," was the response I received from Lauren @ the Daily.
I feel for the parents & surviving party members.

[BraddA]

I just received another from Lauren: "...When drugs are involved in any accident it is always reported and always relevant. I stand by my reporting."

I suggested that "always relevant" was a normative statement, perhaps one best left to trained investigators.

[goldenboy]

I wonder if the official statement also stated the color of the clothes the victim was wearing. And if so, why didn't the reporter note that the victim was "wearing a blue coat". Horrible reporting.

RIP, and condolences to friends and family

[Blurred]

Poor form reporting.

God bless the dead

[Name Redacted]

Should write an letter to the editor. Poor reporting, insensitivity to the victim. This is a community paper, not the nyt.

[simple]

The denver post printed it as well on page 2. They omitted the strain detail.

How the sheriff came to learn that information is what i want to know.

[Wildman]

So sad. VIBES*** Reporter should be ashamed. Completely irrelevant. Im surprised they didn't report that the victims thermos contained Organic Guatemalan Coffee. He was probably high on caffeine!!!