Avalanche Awareness

[thetrailboss]

Crazy lift lines causing more to venture out in the back country?
Sounds like it.

Why Utah is in the middle of one of its most deadly ski seasons

At the core of one of Utah's most deadly avalanche seasons are an unusually finicky and weak snowpack and record number of people recreating in the backcountry. But experts say this year is an anomaly and, if skiers and snowboarders show patience, more avalanche deaths are not necessarily in the...

www.sltrib.com

Some highlights:

In Utah, that surge continued through the summer. It was spurred by more people moving into the Salt Lake Valley and by uncertainty about whether resorts would open this season and, if so, for how long. Though tracking of backcountry traffic has been spotty, some preliminary U.S. Forest Service data out of the Salt Lake office shows visitation up 200% over last year.

Four people died Feb. 6 when an avalanche the width of 10 football fields swept up seven of eight skiers who were skinning up a trail alongside Wilson Glade in Mill Creek Canyon. The skiers were divided into two groups. One included five skiers who originated in Big Cottonwood Canyon and were climbing to take another run, and the second included three who were making their way up from Mill Creek Canyon.

“We’ve got a super savvy crew of backcountry skiers and boarders and riders who know how to manage these certain parameters that they have seen before,” he said. “And I think the curve ball right now is, a lot of us have never seen this before.”

All who have died in Utah this year have been experienced backcountry skiers and riders and all but Steuterman were skiing with partners and carrying backcountry essentials: a shovel, a beacon and a probe.

“If we’re depending on rescue gear,” he said in November, “we’ve already screwed up.”

 

[dblskifanatic]

Crazy lift lines causing more to venture out in the back country?
Sounds like it.

In Colorado, that is definitely the case.

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...-for-avalanches-since-1910-4-dead-in-colorado

That article one thing stood out an eastern state NH

Experienced Skier Killed in Avalanche in New Hampshire’s Ammonoosuc Ravine

New Hampshire Fish and Game has confirmed the death of a skier in an avalanche in the Ammonoosuc Ravine of New Hampshire’s Presidential Range. Following a 24-hour search, which began Tuesday night, a multiagency rescue effort recovered the individual’s body on the west side of Mt. Washington...

backcountrymagazine.com

Just the thought of being trapped under feet of snow and not being able to move is enough to discourage serious terrain in he backcountry. Top of Loveland Pass is more my speed where there is less risk. But just driving up Loveland Pass can be an issue as it was last year.

 

[kingslug]

I had a little taste of that last season..fell into a hole in feet of snow..the second my face got covered i freaked a little as i could barly push it off..got out of it but it shook me up pretty well..the guide was watching above me and was ready to come down to me..happened so fast i didnt know what the hell happened.
Later we came across a group..no guide..contemplating dropping into an area they probably knew nothing about..we left fast.
I cant imagine being out there with all these people all over the place..above you..scary.
Even when you book a guide..most people have no experience..they hand you avi gear that without practice is useless..a beacon..they will use that to find you..
It must be pretty stressfull guiding people whose lives you are responsible for..knowing they cant help you if you get buried..

 

[FBGM]

Accident: Wilson Glade - Utah Avalanche Center

utahavalanchecenter.org

Full report now up. Rough read.

 

[thetrailboss]

Accident: Wilson Glade - Utah Avalanche Center

utahavalanchecenter.org

Full report now up. Rough read.

The video summary. The reporter is obviously shaken-up:

The next week looks really dangerous out there. Be safe.

 

[FBGM]

The video summary. The reporter is obviously shaken-up:

The next week looks really dangerous out there. Be safe.

Skiing mellow trees in my safe zone tomorrow and Sunday. I don’t even think about crazy stuff anymore. Not this winter

 

[kingslug]

Sounds like most of them knew what they were doing and just got caught. It can happen anywhere any time. Deep powder is like a drug..

 

[JimG.]

Skiing mellow trees in my safe zone tomorrow and Sunday. I don’t even think about crazy stuff anymore. Not this winter

Heh...now you sound like me.

I ski to have fun, not to test my limits every turn or step I make.

 

[NYDB]

Jeezus that wilson glade report is awful.

 

[kingslug]

If you ever saw a big avalanche happen..its unreal. The European ones are truly scary..takes out whole towns. Many moons ago after skiing a glacier in Austria an avalanche killed half the ski instructors the next week.
At this point I think spending a grand for an airbag is worth it if your going to go out there. It just might save you..

 

[NYDB]

Sounds like most of them knew what they were doing and just got caught. It can happen anywhere any time. Deep powder is like a drug..

I think skinning past multiple small avalanches would have me turning the fuck around.

I understand going meadow skipping but that whole face was 30 degrees plus.

I subscribe to the theory that covid has affected our decision making individually and collectively.

We are decision making impaired over a spectrum of activities.

We can't quite separate ourselves from it now, but in a couple years we will look back and realize it. Quite clearly even.
God what an awful thing. To have to dig out dead friends.

 

[kingslug]

20 years ago I was taken on a sidecounty tour of Alta..We went through some avi terrain. I had no idea about any of this but was told..don't stop..got to keep going going..were in an avi area. uh ok. After that there were several avis that killed a few. My friends then told me to take the avi 1 course and we have to all be prepared to go out there. Talk about an eye opener. And thats just the beginning of being prepared. I wonder how many people out there have done this. Theres so much to know.
The scariest sound in the world when your out there is a snowmobile above you...

 

[FBGM]

If you ever saw a big avalanche happen..its unreal. The European ones are truly scary..takes out whole towns. Many moons ago after skiing a glacier in Austria an avalanche killed half the ski instructors the next week.
At this point I think spending a grand for an airbag is worth it if your going to go out there. It just might save you..

Air bag would not have done much good in this case. Drug into trees. Airbag is useless.

While I think airbags are a great tool and piece of technology they can also lead to a false hope and a decision made that you might not have with no airbag.

 

[kingslug]

Agreed..its just a piece of gear that might help..but understanding its limitations is key. I wore them for the first time last year..but was still sketched out in some of the areas...just looking at and skiing over these huge slide paths was freaky..hit by one of those and you would be toast from the impact. We were above tree line most of the time.

 

[deadheadskier]

That was a tough report to read.

I hate to sound insensitive, but these people were freaking DUMB.

The avalanche forecast was HIGH for where they were. They SAW avalanches in the area, took photos and posted them to Instagram tagging the Avalanche Center!

Then they still went skiing? What ?!?!?

Maybe there needs to be more financial deterrents to make people think twice about heading out in those conditions.

The one on Washington last week was a freak accident during relatively low danger conditions. Utah situation not so much.

 

[jimk]

That was a tough report to read.

I hate to sound insensitive, but these people were freaking DUMB.

The avalanche forecast was HIGH for where they were. They SAW avalanches in the area, took photos and posted them to Instagram tagging the Avalanche Center!

Then they still went skiing? What ?!?!?

Maybe there needs to be more financial deterrents to make people think twice about heading out in those conditions.

The one on Washington last week was a freak accident during relatively low danger conditions. Utah situation not so much.

Scared me to read it too. Not an excuse, but apparently this area had never slide before. Also, it was considered fairly low angle for a slide.

 

[thetrailboss]

Scared me to read it too. Not an excuse, but apparently this area had never slide before. Also, it was considered fairly low angle for a slide.

I am pretty sure that the report said that this area has slid before. Other nearby areas have frequent slides. Granted this slide was HUGE.

 

[thetrailboss]

That was a tough report to read.

I hate to sound insensitive, but these people were freaking DUMB.

The avalanche forecast was HIGH for where they were. They SAW avalanches in the area, took photos and posted them to Instagram tagging the Avalanche Center!

Then they still went skiing? What ?!?!?

Maybe there needs to be more financial deterrents to make people think twice about heading out in those conditions.

The one on Washington last week was a freak accident during relatively low danger conditions. Utah situation not so much.

As said, with COVID, and a TERRIBLE snow season to date, people are really Jonesin' to ski. As the article I posted said, last season alone there was a 200% increase of folks in the National Forest BC skiing. We heard A LOT last week about the danger and not to go out. Saturday it was sunny and nice with fresh snow. I was not surprised to hear of trouble, but horrified as to the magnitude. Again, these folks had equipment and were experienced. I would also think that if I saw a slide I would bail on my trip.

 

[deadheadskier]

Ya think?

If the avalanche forecast is HIGH for Northeast facing slopes at 9500 feet and you show up to such a spot and see evidence of actual avalanches when you arrive?

Condolences to their friends and family and RIP. Totally sucks.

But this story needs to be read by anyone who BC skis in potential Avy terrain.

 

[FBGM]

Ya think?

If the avalanche forecast is HIGH for Northeast facing slopes at 9500 feet and you show up to such a spot and see evidence of actual avalanches when you arrive?

Condolences to their friends and family and RIP. Totally sucks.

But this story needs to be read by anyone who BC skis in potential Avy terrain.

Would I have skied it? Who knows.

Should it have been skied? Questionable.

Did 4 kids die doing what they love. Yes



When a decade accident happenes like this it is fine to step back and question, review, think, etc...

I don’t like calling people dumb, saying they were idiots for being there, saying “who would go ski in high avy danger”. We all ski because we love it. No matter what coast we are on or what vacation we are on. Some of the best skiing I have ever done was in red/black avy days. You can ski whenever and wherever and manage conditions and aspects and be safe.

This accident is heavy. Mistakes were made, sure. Can we learn, yes. Wemistakes as obvious as other accidents, no. Was there some odd ball/freak stuff, yes. Worst case type shit? Yes.

TGR discussion is as best as I’ve ever seen on this. Peeps being respectful and trying to learn. So we can ski the best stuff we can and still go home to the wife, kid, beer, friend at days end.