RIP: Jamie Pierre

[AdironRider]

right, but snow on a 20 degree slope isn't as likely to slide as snow on a 40 degree slope. That's what I'm suggesting he should have looked for.

Prime slope angle to start avalanches is 32 degrees. Anything higher usually implies that it slides promptly during the events, and lower is just a hazard reduction.

I have trouble feeling bad about this, considering basically every rule of travel in avalanche terrain was broken, and the only reason this guy is famous is cause he lawn darted a 250 foot cliff of the back of Targhee. Guy got his death wish IMO. No training or avi gear? Retarded.

This is no different than the moron who speedflew himself into a rock just a week or two ago. Had it coming.

 

[UVSHTSTRM]

Prime slope angle to start avalanches is 32 degrees. Anything higher usually implies that it slides promptly during the events, and lower is just a hazard reduction.

I have trouble feeling bad about this, considering basically every rule of travel in avalanche terrain was broken, and the only reason this guy is famous is cause he lawn darted a 250 foot cliff of the back of Targhee. Guy got his death wish IMO. No training or avi gear? Retarded.

This is no different than the moron who speedflew himself into a rock just a week or two ago. Had it coming.

Well Said! I know plenty of people who would huck themselves off a cliff on a dare, doesn't mean they are a great skier or a knowledgeable mountaineer, could just mean they were a thrill seeker with a few screws loose and with no regard for human lives (yours or others). Nothing really special in my opinion, just dumb.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

The guy really pushed the envelope so I'm not too shocked. Not sure what motivates someone to take such risks. He ended upside down in some deep snow after he did the big jump off the back of GT. Not sure if he would have survived it if there were not people at the landing zone to pull him out. Feel bad for his family.

 

[thetrailboss]

The other thing that does not make sense is that they started in Alta, hiked over Baldy, and were about to hit a shot on Cirque Ridge, which is right below the Tram at Snowbird. That is a hell of a hike considering that they could have just parked at Snowbird Center and hoofed it up Dick Bass Highway and cut over from Gad Valley. This, setting off another avi and continuing, and not having training for avalanche or gear make me go :blink: Too many weird things here.....

 

[riverc0il]

The other thing that does not make sense is that they started in Alta, hiked over Baldy, and were about to hit a shot on Cirque Ridge, which is right below the Tram at Snowbird. That is a hell of a hike considering that they could have just parked at Snowbird Center and hoofed it up Dick Bass Highway and cut over from Gad Valley. This, setting off another avi and continuing, and not having training for avalanche or gear make me go :blink: Too many weird things here.....

They could have been planning on skinning back up Snowbird and going back down Alta. Multi-aspect tours are very cool from my perspective. It is neat to hike up one side, ski another aspect, then hike back up and return. I don't know the geography of Alta/Bird, though. Maybe they were calling an audible and deviated from their plan for some reason?

 

[andyzee]

Be serious, if nothing else, no one is going to accuse these guys of being geniuses. Don't over analyze.

 

[MadPatSki]

They could have been planning on skinning back up Snowbird and going back down Alta. Multi-aspect tours are very cool from my perspective. It is neat to hike up one side, ski another aspect, then hike back up and return. I don't know the geography of Alta/Bird, though. Maybe they were calling an audible and deviated from their plan for some reason?

Easier way up through Alta? I remember ready some folks placing a car at the bottom of the Bird and starting off in Alta. Or was it the other way around (when one or both are closed).

 

[Gnarcissaro]

Duhhhh. Isn't Alta base is hundreds of feet higher elevation than Snowbird?

Less vertical hike up, more vertical/longer ride down going up Alta to Baldy down Bird.

 

[marcski]

The place was packed over the weekend. I saw a pic of Alta's parking lot and it was quite full....you'd never know the lifts weren't spinning by looking at the lot.

 

[Nick]

Wow, this guy was a pro without any avi training or gear.

Yeah, that really surprised me to! The guy spends his entire career in the backcountry!

 

[Nick]

The guy really pushed the envelope so I'm not too shocked. Not sure what motivates someone to take such risks. He ended upside down in some deep snow after he did the big jump off the back of GT. Not sure if he would have survived it if there were not people at the landing zone to pull him out. Feel bad for his family.

I had read somewhere they thought he landed head-first on purpose... that it was the fact that he landed like that that allowed him to live?

I'll have to see if I can dig that up...

 

[Warp Daddy]

Sad , just sad for all involved

 

[bigbog]

Lots of these young guys, with a strong list of activity skills...sometimes dismiss Motha Nature's(and AviPatrol!) tell-tale warning signs....agreed Warp..Is Sad.

 

[Gnarcissaro]

This link is the same page I posted before, but it is now far more in depth as UAC has done some investigation.

http://utahavalanchecenter.org/accident_gad_valley_11132011

There are some typos in the Weather and Avy History section. I think some "Octobers" are supposed to be "Novembers."

Also worth noting is this snow profile showing the weak snowpack in Peruvian Cirque. The cirque, being where the party set off the first avy which did not catch them.

 

[thetrailboss]

Duhhhh. Isn't Alta base is hundreds of feet higher elevation than Snowbird?

Less vertical hike up, more vertical/longer ride down going up Alta to Baldy down Bird.

It's not that much higher and whatever gain you get is cancelled by the length of the approach to Snowbird via Baldy. But as Riv suggested, these guys were probably touring and doing different aspects all day. The pictures in the avi report are really telling.

 

[skiadikt]

The other thing that does not make sense is that they started in Alta, hiked over Baldy, and were about to hit a shot on Cirque Ridge, which is right below the Tram at Snowbird. That is a hell of a hike considering that they could have just parked at Snowbird Center and hoofed it up Dick Bass Highway and cut over from Gad Valley. This, setting off another avi and continuing, and not having training for avalanche or gear make me go :blink: Too many weird things here.....

read somewhere that it happened on barry barry steep.

agree, i don't understand them hiking up alta, up the high baldy traverse to ski something in the south cirque area. maybe there were too many people skiing alta.

 

[catskills]

Yeah, that really surprised me to! The guy spends his entire career in the backcountry!

He is a professional. Professionals don't need no stinking AVI gear. Seriously not having AVI gear did not change the results in this case.

 

[thetrailboss]

read somewhere that it happened on barry barry steep.

agree, i don't understand them hiking up alta, up the high baldy traverse to ski something in the south cirque area. maybe there were too many people skiing alta.

Yes, they were near Barry, Barry Steep...like one or two chutes over. But FWIW some people call the whole area South Chutes.

I just got back from a drive up there to see what was going on. Snowmaking is underway on the usual suspects....Big Emma, Lowest Bassackwards...Chickadee...and the base of Peruvian. It is very bony out there. I could see up into the area where the accident took place and there are lots of exposed rocks. Alta had slightly more snow, but not much more. They are getting Collins ready to go. Word has it that Friday is the day for both areas. No spoiler for Snowbird I guess. I spoke with an employee who was getting Creekside ready.

 

[JimG.]

I had read somewhere they thought he landed head-first on purpose... that it was the fact that he landed like that that allowed him to live?

That makes about as much sense as skiing OB without avi training or gear.

Which in this case means it is probably true. There was a loose cannon aspect to Pierre's career that predestined this outcome. Dead man walking.

 

[SIKSKIER]

He is a professional. Professionals don't need no stinking AVI gear. Seriously not having AVI gear did not change the results in this case.

I disagree.Granted the snow didn't bury and sufficate him.however,if they had training and avi gear that usually contains a shovel and other items to test snow stability,they may have made a different choice.