avalanche gear

[ferniesnow]

I am a meadow muffin in my later years. Got rid of my avy bag maybe 5 years ago. I dropped a few pounds to be easier on my body and I have noticed a pronounced improvement in my shoulders after a day of riding. Still heavy with the gear I pack but I still need emergency gear if I have to stay the night.
In the meadows of Hunters’ Range I am quite comfortable being there without the avy bag. Yes, I make choices where and where I don’t ride.

In the east Koots and particularly around Elkford it was a necessary piece of gear.

 

[tundra twin track]

My first mountain trip was to Valemount in 1986 with no avalanche gear at all.Late that same year my wife and I attended a 3 day Avalanche Symposium in Edmonton,over 400 attended 4 snowmobilers,12 climbers and the rest skiers.It was very well done with numerous workshops rotating over the 3 days with the most experienced people in the business from USA,CANADA and EUROPE.One fellow from the US that was the leading forecaster told a story when in route to do snowpack evaluation him and his partner were caught in a slide.The fellow speaking was completely buried,his partner located him with probe and dug him out.His partner was a big burly fellow that always packed a Grain Scoop on his back when in the back country.He pointed out a large scar on the bridge of his nose when that grain scoop went across his nose while being dug out.

We went shopping and bought dual frequency transceivers which was the only option then.There was 2 different frequencies around the globe 2.275 & .457 kHz,the later becoming the standard years later.We bought probes that had threaded inserts that was screwed together.Shovels were bought from hardware store and were made to be detached for storage.

Fast foreward several years with improved equipment,2005 started wearing ABS And saved me from being buried in 2008.As many have mentioned I don’t like wearing it but it’s something you do as a self rescue when a mistake is made.

 

[tmo1620]

I never even started wearing or bringing any avy gear until 2007 when I started mountain sledding. Before that I spent a lot of time in the backcountry snowboarding, from the late nineties until 2007. Used to pack a shovel with us for building huge jumps , never was a thought of avalanches


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