Golden Avalanche Claims one life Feb 20 - Another Injured

[JMCX]

Looking at the pictures that's the way to East Quartz. That narrow creek at the end of the cut-block is the common way in. You need a good snow year or slides to fill the creek in enough to make it passable. I can't imagine anyone was climbing up the chute that slid, especially up to where the slide started. Too narrow and too many trees part way up. Perhaps they were messing around at the bottom and the noise triggered it?

 

[rain_e]

II'm getting an error when trying to open the pictures. Anyone else having the same problem?

 

[Giver800]

Looking at the pictures that's the way to East Quartz. That narrow creek at the end of the cut-block is the common way in. You need a good snow year or slides to fill the creek in enough to make it passable. I can't imagine anyone was climbing up the chute that slid, especially up to where the slide started. Too narrow and too many trees part way up. Perhaps they were messing around at the bottom and the noise triggered it?

Here is the story our instructor told us, who was on the scene for the recovery. There was a group of 4 in the area. There is a bench part way up in the treeline and that is where the group was hanging out. One of the group members starting to climb up the alpine part of the slope when it let go he managed to stay above the avalanche and follow it down after, while two of his group members on the bench got swept away all the way to the bottom of the run out. All involved in the avalanche had airbags but they were not deployed. One recovery was made by spotting a glove sticking out of the snow the other was a complete burial.

As for the very top section that let go our instructor told us that they had to drop two explosives to stabilize the area before landing so I am assuming that's why it appears to have propagated so high up. The first explosive didn't do anything but blow a giant hole and the second one they dropped closer to the rocks causing a second avalanche to come down.

I may not be 100% correct with all my info because I am just relaying what I was told and things can get lost in translation sometimes.

 

[Giver800]

II'm getting an error when trying to open the pictures. Anyone else having the same problem?

It worked for me. It may be your web browser is blocking it as it has to download the links. Check your settings to allow pop ups for Avalanche Canada website and hopefully that will help.

 

[slednek]

saw the pics and that's some crazy terrain.

 

[snopro]

Any names yet? Global said that info would be released sometime today?

 

[bobsledder]

well after looking at the pictures, I'm thinking that the run out thru the trees must occur often, as that's mother natures way of logging. If you want to roll the dice running that without having any clue what's hanging up top then your looking for trouble. Just my opinion

One look at that picture and you have to shake your head..........but they had avy packs.....news will say "experienced riders"

 

[JZ1]

Any names yet? Global said that info would be released sometime today?

Nick roberts. It's on the Calgary Sun main page

Fiancee of dead sledder praises rescue efforts | Calgary | News | Calgary Sun

 

[Merc63]

One look at that picture and you have to shake your head..........but they had avy packs.....news will say "experienced riders"

“(Nick) and his friends were experienced riders with extensive training in avalanche safety,” Roberts’ fiancee Meg said.

Very sad, rider took out his buddies. Hard to live with that after.