Another loss from Avalanche

[dlague]

Swedish Freeskier Matilda Rapaport dies in Avalanche in Chile



http://unofficialnetworks.com/2016/07/matilda-rapaport-passes-away-following-avalanche-in-chile

 

[JimG.]

Read this yesterday. Skiers dying sucks.

I'm sure I'll catch a rash of sh*t for saying it but I'd be just as impressed with these freeskiers without the "you fall you die" terrain.

Of course, avalanches are most common on anything 30+ degrees steep so the avalanches are pretty inevitable. What a shame, beautiful woman.

 

[machski]

Apparently, you 2 have not pushed it to the limit. I can tell you, skiing something super steep that you think, "holy crap" while ripping it, is o e hell of adrenaline rush. Don't get me wrong, I love skiing powder as well on a reasonably pitched slope and that is a rush too, but nothing like after ripping McConky's or Big Couloir or similar. I get why the best want to keep pushing it. Avalanche knowledge has boosted the safety factor quite a bit but it will never be a perfect science. Slight change in aspect angle can dramatically change the stability of the pack so even checking at one location doesn't guarantee safety.

 

[dlague]

Apparently, you 2 have not pushed it to the limit. I can tell you, skiing something super steep that you think, "holy crap" while ripping it, is o e hell of adrenaline rush. Don't get me wrong, I love skiing powder as well on a reasonably pitched slope and that is a rush too, but nothing like after ripping McConky's or Big Couloir or similar. I get why the best want to keep pushing it. Avalanche knowledge has boosted the safety factor quite a bit but it will never be a perfect science. Slight change in aspect angle can dramatically change the stability of the pack so even checking at one location doesn't guarantee safety.

I most on this board push our selves at some time. And there are many that probably content with ripping blue trails. But to discount someones opinion is making assumptions that may not be accurate.

In this case, she was part of a film crew skiing extreme line and lines that probably no one on here would ski. Did they have to push it that far? Same happened with the crew that JP Auclair was on. I enjoy watching ski movie that involve good lines from hel skiing but it does not have to be so extreme that lives are lost due to it.

I get what you are saying. I ski things these days I thought I would never ever ski. I actually do push it to the limit, my limit, and it is quite the rush. But there are some things that (well today anyways) I say I'll never ski, because I want to live.....

UHK - you are right about limits, we each have our own. The stuff that is being skied in sake of a ski movie is stuff that very few here would even attempt if any. Avalanche danger scares the shit out of me and as a result, I probably would not consider slopes that have high risk. and there are plenty of others in my camp.

 

[JimG.]

Apparently, you 2 have not pushed it to the limit. I can tell you, skiing something super steep that you think, "holy crap" while ripping it, is o e hell of adrenaline rush. Don't get me wrong, I love skiing powder as well on a reasonably pitched slope and that is a rush too, but nothing like after ripping McConky's or Big Couloir or similar. I get why the best want to keep pushing it. Avalanche knowledge has boosted the safety factor quite a bit but it will never be a perfect science. Slight change in aspect angle can dramatically change the stability of the pack so even checking at one location doesn't guarantee safety.

Like I said, someone was going to give out a rash of shit.

Look, I've skied my share of terrifyingly steep and tight terrain. I've also suffered my share of ski injuries and still ski just as hard. I get it.

Do I regularly ski terrain that could kill me? No. If you do, I bow to your superior coolness.

 

[machski]

Like I said, someone was going to give out a rash of shit.

Look, I've skied my share of terrifyingly steep and tight terrain. I've also suffered my share of ski injuries and still ski just as hard. I get it.

Do I regularly ski terrain that could kill me? No. If you do, I bow to your superior coolness.

No, as we don't have ease of access to such out East. West I do ski stuff that could kill me (not that I am skiing it high speed for a ski flick image). But at the end of the day, does Lindsay or Bode need to push the speed like they do/did on the downhill and raise the standard there? Sport is always about the next level, and extreme skiing isn't called that because there are no risks. Sure they were filming, but comps in that discipline are also stepping it up each year.

 

[catskills]

Its obvious nobody and I mean nobody on this thread understand the dangers of being buried alive. This is NOT about skiing steep dangerous slopes with cliffs. This is about being buried under snow too long. It can happen to any of us that ski in deep powder in bounds or outside the boundaries. If your buried upside down with your head 6 feet below you better hope your buddies are extremely well trained on how to dig snow efficiently. Chances are even then you won't live because the avalanche compressed your chest and kept it compressed. You got 5 frig-in minutes to find you and dig you out. You got it 5 minutes. tick tick tick.

 

[JimG.]

Which is why I don't do stuff like that regularly. Because it can happen to anyone, first timers included.

 

[abc]

Which is why I don't do stuff like that regularly. Because it can happen to anyone, first timers included.

I would ski it, regularly!

Avalanches CAN happen on ANY slope over 30 degrees! I don't know how "mellow" a slope you're skiing "regularly". But I bet it's a whole lot steeper than that!

As catskills puts in, we don't have that kind of snow condition here in the east. So it's easy for many here to say "I would never ski that kind of...".

Granted, you don't want to be skiing those slopes when avi level is high. But avi forecast isn't an exact science. There're far more of those borderline days than clear cut days. I bet Matilda Rapaport felt it's safe before she drop in on it. Sadly, she was wrong.

The other point you're missing is, adrenaline is produced when there's perceived danger. So yeah, the danger is what make it FUN!

 

[steamboat1]

I get adrenaline rushes & have fun skiing without scaring the crap out of myself. There must be something wrong with me.

 

[abc]

I get adrenaline rushes & have fun skiing without scaring the crap out of myself. There must be something wrong with me.

Not that there's anything wrong with YOU. It's just other people are DIFFERENT.

I don't give in to the temptation of danger & adrenaline. But I also don't fight the temptation of powder either.

 

[JimG.]

I would ski it, regularly!

Avalanches CAN happen on ANY slope over 30 degrees! I don't know how "mellow" a slope you're skiing "regularly". But I bet it's a whole lot steeper than that!

As catskills puts in, we don't have that kind of snow condition here in the east. So it's easy for many here to say "I would never ski that kind of...".

Granted, you don't want to be skiing those slopes when avi level is high. But avi forecast isn't an exact science. There're far more of those borderline days than clear cut days. I bet Matilda Rapaport felt it's safe before she drop in on it. Sadly, she was wrong.

The other point you're missing is, adrenaline is produced when there's perceived danger. So yeah, the danger is what make it FUN!

My only point was that the dangers are present and the more you ski very steep and deep pitches the greater your personal risk is.

And I totally understand that even if I limit my potential for risk I can still be buried.

I mentioned in one of my earliest responses to this thread that avi danger is present on anything greater than 30 degrees. When I'm at Snowbird and patrol says that avalanche danger is high on anything over __ degrees, stay in these areas then I'm good with that. Run away today, live to fight another day.

That's my personal choice. I think it sucks when skiers die. I'm going to guess that even those chasing their personal limits feel it sucks.

Not criticizing or preaching, just my feeling.

 

[abc]

And I totally understand that even if I limit my potential for risk I can still be buried.

When I'm at Snowbird and patrol says that avalanche danger is high on anything over __ degrees, stay in these areas then I'm good with that. Run away today, live to fight another day.

Precisely.

Here in the east, we don't have this kind of terrain, nor this kind of snow. So 90% of our skiing days are zero avi risk days. it's a much more deliberate decision each time when it has ANY avi risk at all. Unless you ski out west more than you ski the east, you're never going to ski avi-risk terrain "regularly" after all.

If you live out west, and want to ski the powder in side country, you're in this kind of terrain every so often. It can't get much more "regular" than that!

With the pros, they're in this kind of terrain ALL THE TIME! Even if they don't purposely choose the steepest slope, they would have still be in avi-risk terrain nearly 100% of their on snow time. I just don't see it help much by skipping the steepest lines. That's not to mention, what you'd consider "insane" lines, they may just think it's ...well, just "regular" steep.

 

[Not Sure]

Different type of dangers in the east ....biting a tree at 40 mph ,icy steeps on a double fall line . Getting off into the woods and skiing over an undermined stream bed. I would be curious if there are east vs west mortality stats? Avi vs collision deaths ?

Still fun and exciting skiing up to the Tucks lip and not being able to see the bottom before the headwall , getting older sure tempers the chance taking part of me but I still like to push my limits gradually. I don't hesitate following younger skiers there talent level is much greater now than when I was younger.

 

[deadheadskier]

If there is an aspect to the sport I'd expect to hear more mortalities from (and this applies to all skiing locations) it's in the park and pipe. The participation rates are high and the amplitude and technical execution of the airs pushes the limit out further and further. I know there have been a few high profile tragedies like Sarah Burke, but the fact we don't see more given the crashes from 20+ feet up, inverted and at high rates of speed surprises me.

I tend to push things a bit still, but my own mortality became very real with a crash at 18 that resulted in a fractured C7 vertebrae, dislocated shoulder, nerve damage and concussion. More than that, becoming a father has really mitigated the risks I'm willing to take.

 

[abc]

I'm afraid I don't get these "I wouldn't take that risk" declaration. It's your personal choice. Fine if you don't want to take the risk. But does that have anything to do with the risk these professionals take? Or for that matter, anybody else's risk tolerance?

Unless, of course, those declaration is to imply the risk these professionals are taking is unacceptable. It coming after a death, I suspect that's the implication. And I think that's unacceptably harsh judgement.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'm afraid I don't get these "I wouldn't take that risk" declaration. It's your personal choice. Fine if you don't want to take the risk. But does that have anything to do with the risk these professionals take? Or for that matter, anybody else's risk tolerance?

Unless, of course, those declaration is to imply the risk these professionals are taking is unacceptable. It coming after a death, I suspect that's the implication. And I think that's unacceptably harsh judgement.

What's so wrong/harsh with making a comment, "That's nuts. I wouldn't do that and I'm not surpised something bad happened?"

Extreme sports athletes are free to live their life and do whatever they want. I don't think it's harsh "judgement" to make a comment that what they're doing could potentially kill them. It's just stating reality.

 

[steamboat1]

Go for it if that's what turns you on. Who cares what you do, I know I don't.

 

[JimG.]

What's so wrong/harsh with making a comment, "That's nuts. I wouldn't do that and I'm not surpised something bad happened?"

Extreme sports athletes are free to live their life and do whatever they want. I don't think it's harsh "judgement" to make a comment that what they're doing could potentially kill them. It's just stating reality.

This.

And my main point was that it sucks she is dead.

 

[jack97]

I feel bad for her loves ones. Just hope it was quick and she didn't know what hit her.