Another loss from Avalanche

[SIKSKIER]

The one avi I was caught in was while catskiing in British Columbia.The operation was super safe but things happen.We have lead and tail guides for exactly these situations.I was right behind the lead guide but the slope fractured and off I went for a ride.Its a helpless feeling.Luckily I was only buried to the waist and even if I was covered,there were 14 people there that probably would have gotten me right out.Sometimes its not all about being reckless.

 

[JimG.]

Sometimes its not all about being reckless.

Probably most of the time it's not about recklessness.

 

[JimG.]

Here's one for Switzerland

Not a lot of variation year to year for skiers anyway. Europeans take safety and avalanche/piste control super seriously.

In Switzerland it is interesting that your odds for avalanche death wasn't that much different if you are on the road or in a building until recently.

 

[fbrissette]

The one avi I was caught in was while catskiing in British Columbia.The operation was super safe but things happen.We have lead and tail guides for exactly these situations.I was right behind the lead guide but the slope fractured and off I went for a ride.Its a helpless feeling.Luckily I was only buried to the waist and even if I was covered,there were 14 people there that probably would have gotten me right out.Sometimes its not all about being reckless.

Were you skiing with the lead guide or were you second after the lead guide reached safety ? In anything but very stable conditions it should be one skier at a time.

 

[fbrissette]

Probably most of the time it's not about recklessness.

Probably. However, if you read incident reports, mistakes are made in most avalanche deaths (failure to recognize dangers despite signs, bad ski routes both uphill and downhill).

 

[SIKSKIER]

Were you skiing with the lead guide or were you second after the lead guide reached safety ? In anything but very stable conditions it should be one skier at a time.

I was second right behind the guide.The guides are very professional and super carefull.Over my 7 years going there.we had dozens of sections that would be "one at a time".This was a short slope and didnt appear at all to be worthy of anything close to needing that kind of restriction.It was more a slough with a fracture about 8 inches deep and the slope fell for probably 200 vert.Still scared the crap out of me.Never found my poles but when it took me out,luckily both my skis stuck in vertically and were easily visible.