Comments on: Caught! An Avalanche Story http://www.wildsnow.com/1441/caught-avalanche/ Backcountry Skiing Weblog Blog, FAQs, more, links and info about randonnee, telemark and backcountry ski mountaineering. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:43:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Lou http://www.wildsnow.com/1441/caught-avalanche/comment-page-1/#comment-34336 Lou Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:08:47 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1441#comment-34336 Miguel, thanks for sharing. Indeed, where you choose to stop to watch a run is critical to avy safety. Sometimes very tempting to stop in bad places when a few more minutes of skiing can result in 100% safe zone... Miguel, thanks for sharing. Indeed, where you choose to stop to watch a run is critical to avy safety. Sometimes very tempting to stop in bad places when a few more minutes of skiing can result in 100% safe zone…

]]> By: Miguel Soria http://www.wildsnow.com/1441/caught-avalanche/comment-page-1/#comment-34335 Miguel Soria Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:02:51 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1441#comment-34335 I was caught in some slough yesterday at Homewood at Tahoe. There has been some serious dumping out west, about 90 inches in four days. We were skiing an inbound hike on a steep section and I stopped in a BAD place midway down to watch, and my buddy cracked off some slough above me. At first some light snow dusted me and then a milisecond later it was like being hit with wet cement. It threw my downhill ripping both my skis off and poles and pushing me down into the snow. I ended up about 100 yards from where I was hit Poles lost but skis found after a 45 minute search. Pretty scary moments! Need Helmet, shovel, probes, and a transceiver even for inbound steep patrolled deep snow conditions. I felt overconfident because it was a patrolled area. Even with bombing and pit digging, a steep pitch loaded with snow can be very dangerous, and needs to be approached with respect. Very humbling experience for me and I was lucky to not be hurt. Be respectful out there but get some open turns for sure. BTW the top of the run was some of the best powder turns ever. I was caught in some slough yesterday at Homewood at Tahoe. There has been some serious dumping out west, about 90 inches in four days. We were skiing an inbound hike on a steep section and I stopped in a BAD place midway down to watch, and my buddy cracked off some slough above me. At first some light snow dusted me and then a milisecond later it was like being hit with wet cement. It threw my downhill ripping both my skis off and poles and pushing me down into the snow. I ended up about 100 yards from where I was hit Poles lost but skis found after a 45 minute search. Pretty scary moments! Need Helmet, shovel, probes, and a transceiver even for inbound steep patrolled deep snow conditions. I felt overconfident because it was a patrolled area. Even with bombing and pit digging, a steep pitch loaded with snow can be very dangerous, and needs to be approached with respect. Very humbling experience for me and I was lucky to not be hurt. Be respectful out there but get some open turns for sure. BTW the top of the run was some of the best powder turns ever.

]]> By: Chase http://www.wildsnow.com/1441/caught-avalanche/comment-page-1/#comment-11404 Chase Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:57:46 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1441#comment-11404 I totally agree with Jerimy. People should take more responsibility for there actions in the backcountry. I have gone for some short rides myself at Snowmass ski area. I wear a beacon and carry a shovel pack all the time wheather inbounds or not. You just don't know what the day will bring. I totally agree with Jerimy. People should take more responsibility
for there actions in the backcountry. I have gone for some short rides
myself at Snowmass ski area. I wear a beacon and carry a shovel pack
all the time wheather inbounds or not. You just don’t know what the day
will bring.

]]> By: jerimy http://www.wildsnow.com/1441/caught-avalanche/comment-page-1/#comment-11395 jerimy Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:16:48 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1441#comment-11395 I don't think that you have to have closed boundaries to reduce the injuries and deaths from backcountry gates at resorts. I think that the European policies are more in line with responsible skiing. They put the burden entirely where it belongs, on the person(s) choosing to ski uncontrolled terrain. In Europe, it is common place to purchase rescue insurance from an alpine club to cover the high cost of a potential rescue. In North America, I believe skiers rely on ski patrol from the resort coming to bail you out. I guarantee that less people would venture outside resort boundaries and the ones that do would be more prepared if they knew they would have to fund their own rescue. I don’t think that you have to have closed boundaries to reduce the injuries and deaths from backcountry gates at resorts. I think that the European policies are more in line with responsible skiing. They put the burden entirely where it belongs, on the person(s) choosing to ski uncontrolled terrain. In Europe, it is common place to purchase rescue insurance from an alpine club to cover the high cost of a potential rescue.

In North America, I believe skiers rely on ski patrol from the resort coming to bail you out. I guarantee that less people would venture outside resort boundaries and the ones that do would be more prepared if they knew they would have to fund their own rescue.

]]> By: Matt Kinney http://www.wildsnow.com/1441/caught-avalanche/comment-page-1/#comment-11394 Matt Kinney Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:17:44 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1441#comment-11394 Like I have said before, the best way to deal with the immediate rise in injuries and death by avalanches in North America is to close "Out of bounds" areas. Not going to happen, but obviously its a serious situation and gets worse every season around ski areas as they all want to open areas to "compete". They have no choice. They have to open it up. Seems we are following the "European Model" of daily death and injuries by avalanche by giving every skier a lift ride not to the top of contolleds slopes, but to deadly avalanche terrain. Go figure...go skiing. Like I have said before, the best way to deal with the immediate rise in injuries and death by avalanches in North America is to close “Out of bounds” areas. Not going to happen, but obviously its a serious situation and gets worse every season around ski areas as they all want to open areas to “compete”. They have no choice. They have to open it up. Seems we are following the “European Model” of daily death and injuries by avalanche by giving every skier a lift ride not to the top of contolleds slopes, but to deadly avalanche terrain. Go figure…go skiing.

]]>