Amazing Vid of Rando Race Avalanche
Talk about getting more than one person at a time on an avalanche slope, this takes the cake!!! Looks like some folks were buried and hurting somewhat, last I heard no one was killed.
http://multimedia.repubblica.it/home/149568
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6 Responses to “Amazing Vid of Rando Race Avalanche”
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Yikes! Amazing to see such a conflagration during a race. Was anyone actually digging with shovels?
Mark
Exactly… what I really do not understand is why beacons, probes and shovels are not mandatory when going backcountry. Also incredible are those short “racing” shovels and probes that make no sense…
Last week in Livigno Italy two telemarks skiers have ignited an avalanche. One was able to stay on the surface while the other was submerged for 2.30 hours before being found in desperate conditions due to the long burial.
They were not using the beacons and carrying shovels and probes. This accident that could have been solved in an easy way turned to be another tragedy of stupidity.
In this case just two skiers were rescued with minor injuries. As tyou can see from the video older skiers are often more prone to go on dangerous terrain unequipped…
Shovels? Those only slow you down when you are trying to beat 36 people down a loaded slope in order to win a free latte! Think man, think.
I just got back from Verbier. They’ve got shallow bases and folks taking crazy lines – for example, just below the closed Mt. Gele tram – there were 2 medium sized slides in narrow couloirs on the same face. A third couloir running parrallel to the other 2, on the same aspect had not slid, but had 4 or 5 tracks in it. We did a great tour off the back of Mt. Fort and saw 4 groups skiing, only 2 of them had packs – not sure how many had beacons. It appears to me that with all the lift access to fantastic off-piste, there’s a comfort in numbers (i.e. seeing other tracks). There’s also an uncomfortable number of folks potentially triggering slides above you etc… I noticed several coats with the RECCO tag on them – perhaps giving folks more false safety? When you have a shallow snow pack, and lift access to phenominal, dangerous terrain, you are going to have lots of deaths. It made me appreciate the lift serviced backcountry via gates of the US – still lots of numbskulls heading out without any equipment or clue, but I feel that the numbers are less.
Officials and others along the course should have rescue gear. It looked like people were digging with their hands to rescue those buried. If I’m just a course volunteer, maybe I should be trained in avy rescue. If nothing else, give me a shovel!
Mark
One last comment…
I can not understand why as a scuba diver I am obliged by the government to take a full scuba diving course and carry all the needed equipment.
In backcountry and free riding there is no need for any formal education or required equipment.
I hope one day things will change and you will be obliged to take a course and carry all is needed. In Italy you can take a course on backcountry safety by symbolic cost from CAI (Club Alpino Italiano).