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Dynafit Binding Saves Skier’s Life

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This post by WildSnow.com blogger

Dispatch just in this morning from Andrew McLean:

“Hi Lou, I just got back from a great trip to the Wrangle St. Elias mountains up in Alaska. While we were there, Ben Ditto plunged through a snow bridge covering a deep, pitch black, wide, icy cavern of death crevasse. His heel pieces released and he was suspended by a SINGLE locked out Dynafit toepiece like a fruit bat hanging from the ceiling! There is a lot more to the story, but he hung there for about 20 minutes until we got up and hauled him free. Viva la Dynafit yet again, eh?”

Update, April 24:
Andrew sent this link to a video of the event’s thankfully okay aftermath.

Comments

7 Responses to “Dynafit Binding Saves Skier’s Life”

  1. steve April 21st, 2007 6:59 am

    Great story…and marketing material.

  2. thomas April 21st, 2007 12:43 pm

    ehhhr…not that exceptional, assuming your headed uphill with toe piece locked, that’s what they do…..even if they failed, skis are leashed for glacier travel to allow unclipping skis without dropping them into crevasse and to be able to use foot prussik.
    It’s a non story guys, give a TR instead:)

  3. thomas April 21st, 2007 12:44 pm

    oops just reread story, “heelpiece released” so headed downhill, was toe piece locked?

  4. grant April 22nd, 2007 6:39 am

    Lock out those toe pieces kids!!

  5. Lou April 22nd, 2007 5:09 pm

    Some guys just ski all the time with the toe locked. I personally don’t think that’s such a hot idea but each to his own…

  6. Mark April 22nd, 2007 8:15 pm

    Not that exceptional?? If he’d been on most any other binding, what might have happened? Thomas, do you eat nails for breakfast?

  7. Mark S. April 23rd, 2007 11:55 am

    On april 2, I got caught in a large avalanche in SW montana on Alex Lowe Peak. I was deep in the debris while it was moving, couldn’t breathe with snow packed down my throat, etc. I should be dead or really hurt, but my dynafit bindings released somewhere along the way and I ended up on top of the debris. I was skiing with the toepiece unlocked. I would have to echo…viva la dynafit!

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Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information opinion website and e magazine. Lou's passion for the past 45 years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about backcountry skiing and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the Fourteeners! Books and free back country news and information here, and tons of Randonnee rando telemark info.

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Backcountry skiing is a dangerous sport. You may be killed or severely injured if you do any form of randone, randonnee and randonnée skiing. The information and news on this website is intended only as general information. While the authors and editors of the information on this website make every effort to present useful information, due to human error the information, text and images contained within this website may be inaccurate, false, or out-of-date. By using, reading or viewing the information provided on this website, you agree to absolve the owners of Wild Snow as well as content contributors of any liability for injuries or losses incurred while using such information. Furthermore, you agree to use any of this website's information, maps, photos, or binding mounting instructions or templates at your own risk, and waive Wild Snow its owners and contributors of any liability for use of said items for backcountry skiing or any other use.