I shudder to think what would have happened if this guy hadn't gone down in the exact same place as the snowboarder.
Always ski with a buddy and carry an avy pack.
Warning to all backcountry skiers and snowboarders
- Thread starter Lightcycle
- Start date
I shudder to think what would have happened if this guy hadn't gone down in the exact same place as the snowboarder.
Always ski with a buddy and carry an avy pack.
I hope he bought a lottery ticket because the odds of getting found are insane.
Maybe I should sell the avalanche beacon I have. Don’t think I’ll run into too many in Ontario.
Maybe I should sell the avalanche beacon I have. Don’t think I’ll run into too many in Ontario.
The thing is, he had a beacon and an avy pack. But due to the way he fell upside-down and encased in snow, he was pretty much immobilized. His buddies were further down the hill and Mt Baker is a huge hill. They would have waited either on the hill or at the bottom, then had to take the lift all the way back up and co-ordinate some kind of systemized search.
Odds are, he would have run out of air by then.
Also, if his snowboard was also buried, he woulda been fooked. So VERY lucky!
Not sure how often that happens but it seems like something that could be improved quite easily. A small pod fixed to top of board with a screamer that goes off if the board is inverted more more than xx seconds. Simple circuitry, shouldn't be too hard to make. Wont help in 100% of cases but I'll take whatever advantage I'm can get when I upside down and buried.
Lots of people bashing rider for being alone but he was with a group but last as lightcycle pointed out. Somebody has to be last. Lots going on on that hill, it's hard for those below to keep much of a watch on those above. Even if they saw, you could see how much work it was for the skier to get back 10'. A 200' climb would take a long time and exhaust you.
Lots of people bashing rider for being alone but he was with a group but last as lightcycle pointed out. Somebody has to be last. Lots going on on that hill, it's hard for those below to keep much of a watch on those above. Even if they saw, you could see how much work it was for the skier to get back 10'. A 200' climb would take a long time and exhaust you.
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sburns
Well-known member
Yeah this is a big problem for snowboarder's, especailly if they tip in head first. People use to talk about this out west when I skiied out there. The other was cornices collapsing. Thinking it's a ledge when it's not.
If they would have been closer to zero-friction, that would have been ice and they wouldnt have the current problem. I dont think running that hill on ice would be good for you though.
For kids, where else can they get that rush? Cruising at 50+ km/h is the fastest they have gone while being in control. At one point, I had a four year old over 70 which they didnt love at the time but it improved their decision making substantially.
Yes but I need a few little changes for this to be viable for me…swap the snow for sand, fir trees for palm trees and hot chocolate for margaritas. Oh and turn the heat up by 30 degrees or so.
Mikedezo44
Well-known member
Saw that when it first came out last week. Very lucky to have been found in time. One or two people usually die from this every winter in BC. (This year was especially bad for avalanche deaths as well)
I had quite the scare when I was out there in January. Skiing by myself deep deep in the trees at Whitewater ski resort. Thought I heard a whistle. Kept skiing. Then I heard some screaming. Tried to follow the sound, Heard the whistle again, was skiing as quiet as I could towards it, then more agonizing screaming...I'm racing towards it now. Then I see skis standing up in the snow that looked crashed, I'm yelling to the guy "I'm coming I'm coming" I race over there, and it was damn ski patrol doing a test (waiting for one of their other ski patrollers to come find them). Man, my heart rate was through the roof thinking I was possibly going to have to save someone or perform first aid on them. The ski patrollers said good job to me, we talked for a min, ...but wow it sure woke me up that morning.
I had quite the scare when I was out there in January. Skiing by myself deep deep in the trees at Whitewater ski resort. Thought I heard a whistle. Kept skiing. Then I heard some screaming. Tried to follow the sound, Heard the whistle again, was skiing as quiet as I could towards it, then more agonizing screaming...I'm racing towards it now. Then I see skis standing up in the snow that looked crashed, I'm yelling to the guy "I'm coming I'm coming" I race over there, and it was damn ski patrol doing a test (waiting for one of their other ski patrollers to come find them). Man, my heart rate was through the roof thinking I was possibly going to have to save someone or perform first aid on them. The ski patrollers said good job to me, we talked for a min, ...but wow it sure woke me up that morning.
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