Snowmaker Dies in the Line of Duty at Hunter

[Stache]

http://capitalregion.ynn.com/conten...ski-trail-claims-life-of-hunter-mt--employee/

 

[BenedictGomez]

Good God, I'm not familiar with this trail, but if it's steep enough that you could fall off the side and die (while stationary), shouldn't there be safety netting on that trail?

Or maybe there is normally netting in place but it wasn't in place due to the snowmaking?

 

[marcski]

That is horrible...My condolences to his family and friends.

Hunter has some steep drops. I once fell off the side of Annapurna (I was stopped on the side of the trail, facing uphill on my inside edges, so I could watch my brother shred some moguls. I lost my balance, and slipped off the edge of the trail into the woods on my back, head-first. Skis popped off...It was freaking scary...I had my hands behind my head in case I hit a rock...but luckily it was my lower back and hip that struck a rock or tree or something that stopped me and I only got a bad bruise. The thing was, I was a good 30 yards down. After a while, a ski patrol makes his way down to me..after slipping and sliding about 20 feet himself. He asks me if think I could climb out of there. In response I said, "I'm not sure, do you think you can?". They had to put me on a board...in order to get me out. And...once you're on a board, only a doc can remove you..so I had to go to the hospital and get x-rays which were negative.

 

[millerm277]

But if it's steep enough that you could fall off the side and die (while stationary), shouldn't there be safety netting on that trail?

It's not very steep, actually, and doesn't have a bad drop off the side, that's actually the (on-map) glades on the downhill side of the trail (skier's right), you can safely ski off the downhill side.

But it was raining followed by a flash freeze, things get very icy, very quickly.

 

[skiadikt]

wow that's terrible. condolences to the family.

 

[kartski]

From the article, he was dressed for the job and conditions. RIP. 41 is too young; Regards to his family.

 

[catskills]

This is very sad. My condolences to the family. Snowmaking is a dangerous job. They risk their lives so others can ski and ride down a slope. I have seen at least one article that lists Snowmaking as the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America. Looks like this trail may not have had any previous snow making this year. Any natural snow on the trail could have been a sheet of ice with the previous days rain and sleet. When I made snow many years ago I started wearing a sawed off short ski pole with basket attached to one of my wrist. If I fell I could use it to self arrest. We wore rubber rain gear that kept you dry but made for a very fast slide down the mountain if you took a spill. Carrying a straight claw hammer was also useful for self arrest.

Kingston Freeman article.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2012/01/18/blotter/doc4f172b0553810671724492.txt

 

[andrec10]

So very sad. Condolences to the Family! BTW, Milky way was open, but with the flash freeze, I bet everything was a sheet of ice. Maybe its time to equip these guys with Ice Axes!

 

[Glenn]

That's terrible. I feel for the family.

 

[catskills]

.......Maybe its time to equip these guys with Ice Axes!

+1 ^^^^^

 

[Nick]

Snowmaking as the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America. ]

I would never, ever have guessed that

 

[BenedictGomez]

I would never, ever have guessed that

I think he means snowmaking/grooming.

 

[snowmonster]

Prayers and thoughts with this man, his family and friends.

 

[legalskier]

It's not very steep, actually, and doesn't have a bad drop off the side, that's actually the (on-map) glades on the downhill side of the trail (skier's right), you can safely ski off the downhill side.
But it was raining followed by a flash freeze, things get very icy, very quickly.

I usually ski Lower Crossover instead of Milky Way because LC is steeper and is open more frequently than WW, so my memory's a bit sketchy, but isn't there a wooded area on skier's right that drops down towards Lower K? That's the only area I imagine he could have gone.
The guys on the snow crew really are the unsung heroes of the mountain, especially during a year like this one. I approached a couple of crew members on Sunday at Belleayre to tell them how much I appreciated the job they've done so far. They've been performing magic under adverse conditions/situation.

RIP Brian- my condolences to your family.

 

[catskills]

I think he means snowmaking/grooming.

Actually I meant just the snowmaking part. You have no idea what it takes to make snow in total darkness at night. This is not to say grooming a night is not dangerous.

Here are just a few other examples:
Keystone snowmaker dies

Snowmass snowmaker dies

 

[millerm277]

I usually ski Lower Crossover instead of Milky Way because LC is steeper and is open more frequently than WW, so my memory's a bit sketchy, but isn't there a wooded area on skier's right that drops down towards Lower K? That's the only area I imagine he could have gone.

Yep, that's the on map "Milky Glades", which I suspect he slid into.

My point was just that it isn't a steep cliff that has/should have fencing or anything like that, it's a normal woods transition. Unfortunate accident.

 

[deadheadskier]

Very sad. Vibes to his family, friends and the Hunter community.

 

[oakapple]

My son and I skied that trail on Sunday. It has had snowmaking several times over the last several weeks. It is a single-black diamond and not the steepest Hunter has, but it was heavily bumped up and would have been treacherous. Like many Hunter trails, if you leave the course it's a long way down.

The same day, I slipped an edge on Claire's Way and took a tumble, slamming my lower leg into a fence. Fortunately, it was only a bruise.

 

[ScottySkis]

Such horrible thing to happen, i hope his family and friends get through this okay

 

[2sons]

Holy mackerel. RIP in a very big way.