Living on the edge triggered avalanche in the Notch today!!

[rmksledder]

That scares the crap out of me just imagining being in one. thats why we stay to where we know for sure the contitions are good.

come on common sense!

 

[Mtn-guy]

i went and talk to one guy after the slide and he had nothing to say, the sad thing is they stayed under the rest of the mountain, they didn't even leave the area.

Now that is beyond stupid

 

[Snowguy123]

Now that is beyond stupid

I would never risk my own life for someone who has no respect for their own life. If they play in a dangerous area. Let them die without putting others at risk. It is very simple.

 

[Haggis]

Greg Johnson an avalance forecaster told us last night during his presentation at the Canadian Avalanche Center fundraiser that we will be seeing this type of deep slab avies for the rest of the season everywhere now. A few wks. ago the cold spell everyone had sucked the moisture out of a layer of snow and now with the snowfalls we have recieved the snow pack is unstable. He made reference to the conditons of 2005.

That makes me think twice about riding this year in the mountains!

 

[Modman]

Thanks Dobir! Good to see pics of it and maybe wake some people up that it is sliding right to the bottom layer right now, all the way to ground is a lot of snow.

It is very unfortunate to say but I will say it anyway in the hopes that someone reads it and gets a clue - Unless there is a drastic change in peoples attitudes from what I have seen on the hills in the last three years, there will be more deaths this year, and it will be a very "black eye" year for sledding. Maybe this last round of avys in Chetwynd and Sicamous on the weekend will be the exception that proves me wrong. God I hope so.

Too many people with high HP sleds, level 1 training, air bags, beacons and shovels thinking they are invincible. Your brain is your first line of defence from an avy, your gear is your last. Your gear is there as body recovery. One guy I know had all the gear and was only buried 6" deep. They found him and dug him out in record time, but had a broken neck and was still dead.

Golden and Revy are both prime for a disaster as well IMO. Tons of novice riders in Revy every weekend and Golden has already slide twice in Quartz down to the shale. This year we all need to expect the unexpected. Make no mistake about it folks, avys this year pose a very serious threat.

Here are the CAC's comments on the avy activity for late last week (confirmed by Dobir's pictures):
On Wednesday and Thursday this week there was a widespread natural avalanche cycle. Avalanches were reported to size 4, which is big enough to destroy several buildings or a large stand of timber. That is exactly what happened with one reported slide, which took out 2-3 hectares of mature forest, running into an area where no one has seen a slide run in living memory.

Be respectful of mother nature or she will humble you with all her power.

RIP to all those we have lost to the White Ghost.

Ride safe always my friends.

 

[chadwik74]

Too many people with high HP sleds, level 1 training, air bags, beacons and shovels thinking they are invincible. Your brain is your first line of defence from an avy, your gear is your last. Your gear is there as body recovery.

This is the smartest thing I've heard yet about mountian riding. Very good statement!!

 

[JoHNI_T]

man some people just dont get it

thanks for the post Dobir because I believe I have riden that slope before not this year or with theese conditions but it sure wakes a guy up even more,


be safe people and as Powder Puff said a Avy expert has stated with the cold snap that all of AB an BC have got in Dec has given us some very unstable conditions,,,

ride safe.

 

[Dobir]

Modman..very weel put and JohnI_t..yes you and I know the slope..we have rode many times in that area..we always shoot around in the trees between there and the pipeline. you and i have both blasted to the top of that slope and you know what ..I think I am done. I was doing a turbo next year and I think i will just buy a new 1000 and leave it at that. I am nervous about revy in January and will be watching my group very carefully..it was a very sobering experience! I was really upset after telling a group last night that the snow pack will take others if we dont get wise..minutes later I saw a report on the two sunday avalanches....I can not imagine a winter without sledding but I am really beginning to wonder..

 

[CR500R]

Awesome pictures!!! That should be a wake up call to all involved in any back country activity. I've been telling everyone this season that the hazards are extreme, even on our last trip one of the group had checked the avy forecast and said to me the risk is at considerate, I told him not to go by that becasue from what I've seen it's extreme and that's how it will be all year. Our group is avoiding the big hills this season and sticking to the meadows alot more just because of this. More than once have I said if you trigger a slide this season it's gonna be huge, right to the ground as it's all sugar on them hills. Thanks for posting the pictures of proof.
Forgot to add about the comment of "had that caught them guys guess who would've been digging them out", well I wouldn't if I was there, with that amount of overhang, all I would've done is headed out for help and let the experts and god decide on their fate. Don't need a repeat of the holidays.

 

[milton]

Awesome pictures!!! That should be a wake up call to all involved in any back country activity. I've been telling everyone this season that the hazards are extreme, even on our last trip one of the group had checked the avy forecast and said to me the risk is at considerate, I told him not to go by that becasue from what I've seen it's extreme and that's how it will be all year. Our group is avoiding the big hills this season and sticking to the meadows alot more just because of this. More than once have I said if you trigger a slide this season it's gonna be huge, right to the ground as it's all sugar on them hills. Thanks for posting the pictures of proof.
Forgot to add about the comment of "had that caught them guys guess who would've been digging them out", well I wouldn't if I was there, with that amount of overhang, all I would've done is headed out for help and let the experts and god decide on their fate. Don't need a repeat of the holidays.

I'm on your side, i was with Dobir and with what was still hangin up there i think that it would have been a 911 call on my spot for those brainless riders, and pray for a recovery alive.

 

[Haggis]

I am not heading to the mountains until this clears up - too dangerous when I have 2 little boys at home. Will work on my project sleds and do a little tuning on the trails in Alberta - this is crazy!

 

[Shibby!]

Wow..

That came right to the ground... Shows this year will be bad for a long time yet.

I was at Lake Louise that day and at the top of Larch where people usually hike and board down let loose.

Near the end of the day while resting and enjoying the view we saw an avy come down on the east side of Lake Louise Lake. The plume of snow went probably 1/2 a km' into the trees on the OTHER side of the lake.

Be safe out there guys. I know saying it is one thing, but we really need to stay off and away from those hills.

 

[Waxy]

Wow, that is nuts. I have been thinking about not heading to the mountains this year, just because to the avy conditions.

Me too, I desperately want to get out and try out my new PowerClaw, but not at the expense of my life.

That avy is wild, right down to the ground basically, on what *should* be a pretty safe hill in most years. If stuff like that is a potential killer, then you really have to think twice about travel anywhere IMHO.

Maybe I'll go ride the ditches somewhere, like in SK lol...

Waxy