Edd
Well-known member
No, just located his car there.
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Tahoe Area Avalanche Claims Eight Lives; One Missing
- Thread starter thetrailboss
- Start date
Yeah, I was just about to fix that. Looks like they found his car was left afterhours and tracked it to him and determined that he was still up on the mountain.
I expect more tragedies this weekend. People are just too hungry for snow.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
Sadly this may wind up being the worst avalanche period / conditions in American history.
AdironRider
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Oh come the fuck on. Worst avalanche conditions of all time is pure hubris, you just haven't been around avalanches for more than 2 years and haven't seen it before. Armchair qbing a situation where you haven't even read the avi report (which by the way was not at the highest rating on the scale, which you would know if you read it) is amateur hour, notably when you are shitting on the deceased.
If you knew what you were talking about, you'd know not to talk about it in this instance, but that hasn't ever stopped you before.
If you knew what you were talking about, you'd know not to talk about it in this instance, but that hasn't ever stopped you before.
LuckyStrike
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Why does avalanche talk bring out all the hardos? It's the same on the Teton Gravity forum.
abc
Well-known member
At least there’s actual discussion mixed in on the TGR forum. More detail information too.
Can you provide a link? Curious about the details.
eatskisleep
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Avy near Castle Peak / Tahoe - Teton Gravity Research Forums
Man, this is horrific. (https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/02/17/tahoe-area-avalanche-buries-skiers/) Gonna reserve judgement, but damn. This storm cycle is huge, currently sitting at kirkwood and its dumping 1.5-2" an hour and will be for next several hours. This could be a mass casualty event...
forums.tetongravity.com
Former Sunday Rivah Rat
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Yet here you are.
takeahike46er
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Bruce Temper, a highly respected avalanche forecaster, shared his thoughts on the tragedy.
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abc
Well-known member
For comparison
(and also looking for opportunity to suggest alternatives, which I succeeded
)
eatskisleep
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His book is like the bible of Avalanche study. I’ve read it a few times. I should bust it out again.
kendo
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(2) of the survivors shared their experience in a NY Times article.
www.nytimes.com
‘Avalanche!’: Survivors Recount the Tragedy at Perry’s Peak
The story of how nine skiers were killed, and six survived, in the deadliest avalanche in modern California history.
kingslug
Well-known member
I've come to the conclusion..that after surviving 20 years doing stuff like this..I'm done.
I cant think of a worse way to die than suffocating under feet of snow.
I get the thrill of it..but you have to pull the plug at some point.
Guides are great..but the mountain..is greater.
I feel bad for all those that go through this.
I cant think of a worse way to die than suffocating under feet of snow.
I get the thrill of it..but you have to pull the plug at some point.
Guides are great..but the mountain..is greater.
I feel bad for all those that go through this.
kingslug
Well-known member
That's a good question..
I wear one for motorcycle racing..
500 bucks could save your life..
I wear one for motorcycle racing..
500 bucks could save your life..
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
another article. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/2026/03/californias-deadliest-avalanche-castle-peak/686227/
you can jump the atlantic paywall by pasting the link at archive.ph
"The people who live here, who love these mountains, know even small mistakes can be unforgiving. And they know why people take those risks anyway."
you can jump the atlantic paywall by pasting the link at archive.ph
"The people who live here, who love these mountains, know even small mistakes can be unforgiving. And they know why people take those risks anyway."
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takeahike46er
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Because they were on a multi-day hut trip where pack space/weight is at a premium.
Furthermore, an airbag would have done little in this scenario. They were all buried in a terrain trap at the base of the avalanche path. Airbags only work when there is enough time and distance for the person to rise to the top.
There seems to be two benefits to airbags. First is that it could help one float to the top or the so called "Brazilian nut effect". Second is that it could create an air pocket so that you don't asphyxiate:
theavalanchereview.org
"These results support the hypothesis that the air pocket created by active deflation created adequate conditions to maintain normal physiology for a 60-minute snow burial period. The data show that if an individual using an avalanche airbag is critically buried, the active deflation mechanism can create an air pocket beneath the snow that substantially increases the time before succumbing to asphyxia."
There certainly seems to be debate as to how effective airbags are although statistics state that they definitely increase survival.
I was just struck by the NYT article where the survivors dug out the second victim and she had already passed. It didn't sound like it took that long for them to reach that victim. That's when they decided that further efforts were futile.
To me it's analogous to wearing a helmet. Many if not most of us skied for years without a helmet, Now even with many/most helmets costing north of $200, I don't know how many of us would ski without one.
Avalanche Airbags: Latest Research - The Avalanche Review
An avalanche airbag is designed to propel the wearer to the snow surface. This research supports the hypothesis that airbags can help create an air pocket.
theavalanchereview.org
"These results support the hypothesis that the air pocket created by active deflation created adequate conditions to maintain normal physiology for a 60-minute snow burial period. The data show that if an individual using an avalanche airbag is critically buried, the active deflation mechanism can create an air pocket beneath the snow that substantially increases the time before succumbing to asphyxia."
There certainly seems to be debate as to how effective airbags are although statistics state that they definitely increase survival.
I was just struck by the NYT article where the survivors dug out the second victim and she had already passed. It didn't sound like it took that long for them to reach that victim. That's when they decided that further efforts were futile.
To me it's analogous to wearing a helmet. Many if not most of us skied for years without a helmet, Now even with many/most helmets costing north of $200, I don't know how many of us would ski without one.
raisingarizona
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The thing that really increases survival is not getting caught in an avalanche.
I’ve never skied with an airbag. Towards the end of my heavy B.C. ski career I just couldn’t justify the cost so I decided that if I had any doubt or concerns I’d turn back around.
I also do t wear a helmet when I tour. I like keeping my pack as light and simple as possible. Transitions with a helmet are a pia!
I’ve never skied with an airbag. Towards the end of my heavy B.C. ski career I just couldn’t justify the cost so I decided that if I had any doubt or concerns I’d turn back around.
I also do t wear a helmet when I tour. I like keeping my pack as light and simple as possible. Transitions with a helmet are a pia!