avalanche

[shiftycliffy]

Im sitting here ready all this valuable info and I very much mean that!! But how many of you have being in some type of a slide? I was in one 4 years ago and lucky for me and 2 others it ended up for the better. Not only did it scare the SH_T out of me it really opend my eyes . It was my first time to the mountains and one of the young guys in our group got in a really bad situation and need some help.So I voluntered to go up the hill doubled on a turbo yamaha:My good god that was an experience in it self not to say the least.After ripping the guys suite off him pretty well I bailed off and continued my treck by foot. The idea of this venture was to bring a rope up to the fellow in trouble so he could tie it to a tree in case it got away on him while shoveling.Mean while not knowing another fellow went around to see if he could get to him from the top and thats what set the slide off.Ive never felt so helpless in my life.It was like rolling down a hill when you were a little kid only a lot more rougher.I was very luck to say the least,but I also learned alot from this as well.Now when I look at a hill these things go threw my head.Direction of the runout if there is one,If Im watching sleds climb I try to be in a safe place. If the snow conditions are questionable I ll stay in the tree s or flats. This is my two cents and im not a pro but I very much love the sport.

 

[MANSON]

Involved in a few myself over the yrs.Just have to keep our heads in the game and not get carried away.Organized and ready is the best deffence.

 

[rknight111]

Shiftycliffy, I was involved in a fatal avalanche last year, we were on a mid slope playing on the rolling hills and the entire mountain came down from 3 sides around us. We wern't even near where the avy started cracking from but we were right in its path. That was one year ago on March 21, now. And since then I could tell you I ride very cautiously, and will stay away from alot of areas now. I always am planning my easiest way out. I have picked my safe places to ride as well. Any one who I ride with now respects my decisions and follows them, they will always get home alive. If theres a direction one of the group wants to go and I dont feel 100% on it i'll flat out refuse now. Im hoping my riding buddies all get there AST1 soon, maybe they'll see more what im thinking then. I'll be going for the AST2 next season as well.

 

[bobsledder]

I grew up in the mountains and witnessed my first slide fatality when I was nine years old. We saw the slide from the chairlift and when the victim was brought out it was the father of my friend I was on the lift with, never forgot that day. Over the next 42 years of my life on skis in the South Rockies and Kootenays I have been around many slides. We either ski cut em loose or used explosives and have dug a few people out, we were trying to set them off to make it safe for the paying public and some times we had incidents within our team. Am I scared of them? Very much so. I have been caught in some minor ones and was able to ski out to the side of them. Four years ago got in to this sledding stuff. Haven't seen a slide since I have been sledding and I try to keep it that way.

 

[moyiesledhead]

This one tried to eat me about 9 years ago. Notice my track across the middle of it, and the lack of snow every where but where it slid. Don't let it fool ya. Snow can wind load in the strangest places! About 4 feet deep where it sheared. No more than 6 inches everywhere else. Only reason I was on it in the first place was to try to go around the pile of rocks and no snow at the bottom of it. It chucked me off to the side with cracked ribs and a lot more respect for "harmless" looking slopes!

 

[shiftycliffy]

WOW, That is some scary sh-t!!! You know guys were gonna beat this thing called the big white dragon! And I think a one of the most importain things is this web site! More and more people are signing up and with true incounters like these it might make peope think twice. Another thing if you see some one playing in a unsafe area maybe get his attention and tell them, they might tell you were to go but on the other hand you might save a life. Probably the most important this is education. However you look at it we gotta look out for one another.

 

[POWSHREDDER69]

here is a picture of one my buddy got caught in, fernie just over a week ago

 

[POWSHREDDER69]

guess that didn't work. i love computers

 

[rknight111]

Heres some great info from last year:

The first Avalanche (Image I ) is the one I was in, and I hope it scares the crap out of you just looking at the pic. We were at the mid area of the slope where it almost levels out playing staying away from the large slope, but Not good enough. So don't even think your safe there, stay away. And please don't forget to support Candles to remember please. RIP Albert.

http://avalancheinfo.net/Media/2008-09/200903 Avalanche Incident Photo Analysis.pdf

 

[whitegold]

I got caught in a slide 1 year ago.... I was climbing on a hill that had been climbed 4 times prior to me going up.... I figured if it was ok for them then it should be ok... WRONG!!!! I went above the highest mark, but when i was on my way back down i went over where the other cuts were into the hill and the whole thing let loose. I was coming down with the snow.... what a weird feeling!!! My first reaction was to hit the brakes.... that only caused the sled to start to go snakey so then i just punched the throttle and took off running over top of the snow.... i was getting bounced all over the place, and in front of me was just a white wall of snow mist and the front of the slide was boiling.... I knew i had a good run out so i just hung on for dear life and hoped for the best. I poped out in front of the snow and ran it down the hill..... I don't think i have ever been so scard in my life!!! I shock for a good 20 minutes after that!!! Don't ever want to do that again!!!!

 

[shiftycliffy]

That is sick man, after reading that it makes me wanna stay on the couch and watch Oprah.....OK NOT.....

 

[Brockster1000]

That was pretty scary hey bud, there's a picture of the carnage on my avatar of the wrecked sled but that is minor to what could've happened, learned a few lessons that day.

 

[shiftycliffy]

Live and learn they say, I think every one there got there eye s opened.