Stowe 1-29-10

[JD]

.

 

[wa-loaf]

That's the kind of dude you hope gets a big bill when they need to be rescued.

 

[WJenness]

It wasn't billski, was it? ;-) (Just kidding, I know he knows better).

-w

 

[JD]

That's the kind of dude you hope gets a big bill when they need to be rescued.

Could be a recovery, not a rescue.

 

[campgottagopee]

Could be a recovery, not a rescue.

That's what I was thinking---hope he makes it out

 

[Harvey]

Went up to Mansfield again. Everything to the top was on wind hold. It was cold. The groomed chin clip thrusday night, and it was looking pretty nice. Flat cord with nice drifts down both sides. I abandon the chin mission and skiied it instead, it's so rare that it's flat with fresh snow on it, and I love that trail. I skinned up with one other guy. By the time I changed over to DH mode he was just getting to the top. We chatted, he mentioned he was heading for the chin. No pack, no extra gear, goggles totally fubared allready, no food, water, extra layers. the he said he really wasn't that familiar with the chin. I was thinking to myself this is a disaster waiting to happen. It was 12 below at the gondi house, probably 15-20 below at the summit with 20-40 MPH winds...this guy was heading up alone without really knowing where he was going. I drew him a quick map in the snow of how to get to profanity and taft and explained where to go from there. I asked him if someone knew where he was heading and he said yes. I mentioned a few times how cold it was, and he said that once you were moving it was warm, in fact he was sweating. I told him you have to be prepared for injury and ran thru everything I had in my pack, and told him I was heading for the chin but decided against it due to conditions and the fact that I was alone. Hopefully he reconsidered. Made me really nervous to think about someone alone and completely unprepared exploring the chin with the wind chill in the neg 30-40 range....I skiied chin clip and it was nice. snow depth was variable, but I stuck close to the edges and really enjoyed the "reserved" inbounds terrain in the bright sun with sparkling snow. I hope my new friend made some good descision and or had some good luck on his mission. The chin looked brutal today.

JD - That is a chilling account. It sounds like you did everything you could.

I might have been tempted to talk to patrol on my way down. Although what could they do really? Not sure how you are supposed to handle a borderline attempted suicide.

 

[JD]

JD - That is a chilling account. It sounds like you did everything you could.

I might have been tempted to talk to patrol on my way down. Although what could they do really? Not sure how you are supposed to handle a borderline attempted suicide.

Assuming he didn't get hurt, I think he could make it up and down off the chin. Visability was great today, but at 43 below wind chill, I think he will be lucky to make it out w/o at least some frost bite on his face. Particularly alone. At least when you're with someone they can tell you when your nose of cheeks are turning white. I don't even think he had a mask, or baliklava unless it was in his pocket. If he got hurt, or broke equipment and had to resort to post holeing, who knows. Didn't even have duct tape. I was more then hinting that I felt he was unprepared for the envornment up there....I feel like he got it...As far a telling patrol....tough one. A large part of the enjoyment of BC exploration is self reliance. We have to make our own decisions and I tend to be more cautios. My first winter up here I had to spend the night on the Chin with my dog. If there wasn't someone else up there with a shelter, I'm pretty sure my dog would have frozen to death. I learned an immediate respect for the little hills we call Mtns in VT. Maybe this will be his wake up call, and hopefully he escapes his flatlander adventure w.o consequence as I did.

 

[campgottagopee]

Why did you have to stay the night???? Storm roll in or something??

 

[JD]

Short version....hiked up to the chin for the first time ever on an afternoon on mid october to play in the first snow. (just moved to VT from South Carolina) My dog refused to downclimb either cliff trail or the north ridge, then at 3, the flurries turned into a total white out, my dog went hypothermic, sat down and refused to move. Fortunately for us, there was a couple from Washington state up there who were prepared. Visabilty was about 5 feet on the chin. I carried my 120 pound rotti mix back accross the chin from my second attempt to get him down the north ridge, now in 8-10 inches of fresh snow (it's a steep and exposed line that skirts 50+ foot cliffs and is 50+ degrees) and slept in the vestibule of their 2 person tent. Fortunately for me i was in some heavy Orvis Woolies and had one of the old school blue and black NF goretex shells. I put the dog on my day pack, unzipped my shell and wraped him in it, against my chest. After an hour he stopped shivering and we spent the rest of the night chatting and laughing at the stupidity of the situation. Turns out these folks were very experienced, had summited McKinnley and several other serious peaks out west in winter, and here they were shut down on the summit of mansfield. At first light we made our way all the way down the ridge, and off the Mtn. OK, not so short version. My old dog at 15 years, lies at my feet as I type this. I thought he was a gonner.

 

[campgottagopee]

Short version....hiked up to the chin for the first time ever on an afternoon on mid october to play in the first snow. (just moved to VT from South Carolina) My dog refused to downclimb either cliff trail or the north ridge, then at 3, the flurries turned into a total white out, my dog went hypothermic, sat down and refused to move. Fortunately for us, there was a couple from Washington state up there who were prepared. Visabilty was about 5 feet on the chin. I carried my 120 pound rotti mix back accross the chin from my second attempt to get him down the north ridge, now in 8-10 inches of fresh snow (it's a steep and exposed line that skirts 50+ foot cliffs and is 50+ degrees) and slept in the vestibule of their 2 person tent. Fortunately for me i was in some heavy Orvis Woolies and had one of the old school blue and black NF goretex shells. I put the dog on my day pack, unzipped my shell and wraped him in it, against my chest. After an hour he stopped shivering and we spent the rest of the night chatting and laughing at the stupidity of the situation. Turns out these folks were very experienced, had summited McKinnley and several other serious peaks out west in winter, and here they were shut down on the summit of mansfield. At first light we made our way all the way down the ridge, and off the Mtn. OK, not so short version. My old dog at 15 years, lies at my feet as I type this. I thought he was a gonner.

Yikes---that's some wicked scary crap. You must have been one happy camper to bump into those peeps...thank god they were up there.

Never had to stay the night, but we had a bud bust up his leg pretty bad skiing hourglass--hellsbrook. We had a boarder (off duty patrol from smuggs) who used his board as a sled and got our pal out (he used the guys skis)...........that was an intense 5 hours.

 

[JD]

Yikes---that's some wicked scary crap. You must have been one happy camper to bump into those peeps...thank god they were up there.

Never had to stay the night, but we had a bud bust up his leg pretty bad skiing hourglass--hellsbrook. We had a boarder (off duty patrol from smuggs) who used his board as a sled and got our pal out (he used the guys skis)...........that was an intense 5 hours.

Where did he get hurt? What was your route out?

 

[campgottagopee]

He got "bit" about 1/4 the way down the brook trail......he kinda layed/sat half on half off of the board as we took turns lowering him down, or helping him crawl around, slide down whatever drops we couldn't travers are way around. Seemed like, well it did take forever. One of the guys went ahead to get his snowmobile, bring it into the notch so we could get his ass to the doc's.......knee was gone, but he was back charging the next season.

 

[JD]

Worst possible place. Once you drop in there it'd be a PITA to try and get back up...It's that kind of situation where w/o extra layers today, you might not be in for a so happy ending. Nice and warm unitl you get hurt and have to lay in the snow or crawl around in it for a while. Souds like a good rescue though!

 

[campgottagopee]

Exactly, if it hapened up higher we could've made it back over to Stowe much easier. Guess that kinda crap never happens at a good time, kinda like running out of staples.

Honestly if it wasn't for the patroller (can't remeber his name, long time ago) it wouldn't have been as "easy" as he made it seem. Damn, wish I could remeber that guys name---he's from my neck of the woods down here too. He worked with Arch over at Smuggs ifin you know him----both of 'em crazier than the day is long.

 

[JD]

Probably still works there....been back to smuggs lately?

 

[campgottagopee]

He may, I know Arch still does----Last trip up was in late Feb 2001 with my wife and another couple. We stayed on the Stowe side (more crap for the wives to do when not skiing), but my buddy and I got a full day and a half at Smuggs due to some cold temps that kept the girls shopping. Don't get me wrong, Stowe is waaaayyyyyyy cool but my heart and soul belongs to Smuggs and those bowls. Must be due to all the red wine and green bud sandwiches we had on a very frozen Sterling pond all those years.

 

[JD]

How could you ever leave?

 

[campgottagopee]

Got hurt skiing FIS, total rupture of one of my lower vertebrate in my back, so was down and out for several months with PT, no work, no money, I mean flat ass broke, so was time to head back home and get better. 4 years out of college and decided it was time to start my “career”, I truly believe if I didn’t get injured I’d still be up there teaching peeps how to make turns. I loved it, everything and everyday was, well, simple. But it’s now darn near 20 years later and it all seems like a dream, a very good one but still a dream, and I wouldn’t change any of it----now or then. I’m very lucky to have met the woman I married, she puts up with my crap and lets me have my fun……I know a lot of people who don’t have that luxury, sux.

I no longer have the Notch but I have my Greek Peak right in my backyard so all is good,.

 

[JimG.]

JD - That is a chilling account. It sounds like you did everything you could.

I might have been tempted to talk to patrol on my way down. Although what could they do really? Not sure how you are supposed to handle a borderline attempted suicide.

Patrollers can get hurt or killed as well.

How are you Harvey? I have not been over at First Tracks in ages. Good to see you lurking at least.

Best to you and yours. You too JD, I am very cautious and remember 2 trips to Mansfield when it was bitter cold, once in the old days (I think I was 11) with 2 blankets on the old single chair, and once in college with my GF and a bunch of frat brothers. Same temps with wind chill, I told my GF not to wear earrings which froze in her lobe; a painful but cheap lesson. If we weren't in a group many of us would have had frostbitten faces.

 

[billski]

Jd, I'm suprised you found pow on the Gondi groomers. Winds never let up
over there all day. Glad you had fun
b