This is avalanche terrain!

[SouthRockiesAvalancheTeam]

Sledding in avalanche terrain is awesome!...but avalanche gear is not optional! Would you drive the highway with no seatbelt? Props to all the super educated, well equipped riders we see most days in the mountains!

 

[scotts]

I cringed a little today while watching some guy who was being interviewed about riding in Mcbride, showing off his transciever, he was wearing an SOS F1-nd and using a borrowed pack!
jeez the technology on becons has changed so much in the last decade I can't imagine people still using those single antenna units anymore????
I agree it's great to see all the equipment out there, I just wished there was the training and knowledge to go along with it!

 

[Bogger]

I still have an old F1nd and I won't even give it away....I used it up until 2 seasons ago and was lucky I never needed it.

I cringed a little today while watching some guy who was being interviewed about riding in Mcbride, showing off his transciever, he was wearing an SOS F1-nd and using a borrowed pack!
jeez the technology on becons has changed so much in the last decade I can't imagine people still using those single antenna units anymore????
I agree it's great to see all the equipment out there, I just wished there was the training and knowledge to go along with it!

 

[Summitric]

Kept one of the old ones, just to practice finding it, using the new beacons....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Barker]

Sledding in avalanche terrain is awesome!...but avalanche gear is not optional! Would you drive the highway with no seatbelt? Props to all the super educated, well equipped riders we see most days in the mountains!

I 100% agree with the a avalaunche gear. This good equipment is to save your partners if heaven forbid you had to. I have the gear and know how to use it. But to be honest with you I don't usually wear a seat belt. This is my choice and pesonaly I don't think it should be a law, it only protects your self, it harms no one at all if you don't wear it. It's like a Avy pack. I don't care if peeps I ride with have one, if I'm buried it helps me none. I want my guys to have and know how to use transiever, shovel, probe, and how to manage terrain.

 

[Pinner]

I don't think it should be a law, it only protects your self, it harms no one at all if you don't wear it.

Sorry for the derail but I wanted to address this because it's just wrong.

I Witnessed an accident where a guy lost control on an icy 4 lane divided intercity road with a really wide median, his 2 dr BMW bounced over the curb and leisurely drove across the median into the path of a car full of kids. The car T-Boned the BMW, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the BMW driver shoot right out of the small backseat window,hit the road in front of me and slid to the side of my lane. The car with the kids all had seat belts on and were OK. The guy in the BMW had his cheek ripped open, I could see a lot of his teeth through the side of his face. I left when the ambulance showed up so I don't know what else was busted.

Moral of the story, it doesn't take much of a bump to lose care and control of your vehicle, you really need to be in the drivers seat.


P.S. If you don't want to wear you're seat belt, should we have to pay for your injuries ? Might cost the us a million bucks because you don't feel like wearing your seat belt.

 

[CUSO]

Amidst all the media on Friday's tragedy, there was only one report on that the people involved knew how to use their equipment.

Most media reports said that they had avalanche equipment. That's it.

What is important, is to know how to properly use these items.

I am betting that 50% or more riders out there, have never done a practice search with their equipment.

It's sad.

Bogger:

When you took your AST-1, did they test your range on your SOS analogue beacon? Almost all of those that had theirs tested, had lousy signal distance because of the corroding antennas.

 

[scotts]

Amidst all the media on Friday's tragedy, there was only one report on that the people involved knew how to use their equipment.

Most media reports said that they had avalanche equipment. That's it.

What is important, is to know how to properly use these items.

I am betting that 50% or more riders out there, have never done a practice search with their equipment.

It's sad.

Bogger:

When you took your AST-1, did they test your range on your SOS analogue beacon? Almost all of those that had theirs tested, had lousy signal distance because of the corroding antennas.

I be willing to bet 90% of the people still using those old analog transceivers couldn't find **** behind a goose using one of those things.!!

 

[Barker]

Sorry for the derail but I wanted to address this because it's just wrong.

I Witnessed an accident where a guy lost control on an icy 4 lane divided intercity road with a really wide median, his 2 dr BMW bounced over the curb and leisurely drove across the median into the path of a car full of kids. The car T-Boned the BMW, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the BMW driver shoot right out of the small backseat window,hit the road in front of me and slid to the side of my lane. The car with the kids all had seat belts on and were OK. The guy in the BMW had his cheek ripped open, I could see a lot of his teeth through the side of his face. I left when the ambulance showed up so I don't know what else was busted.

Moral of the story, it doesn't take much of a bump to lose care and control of your vehicle, you really need to be in the drivers seat.


P.S. If you don't want to wear you're seat belt, should we have to pay for your injuries ? Might cost the us a million bucks because you don't feel like wearing your seat belt.

I'm also sorry for derail as well maybe we should start another thread, Who's to say if that guy was wearing his seat belt he wouldn't of bin injured more trapped or even died. He's paying taxes too no different then smokers and what nots that end up in the hospitals spending millions on them should it be a law they can't smoke?? Why should we have to pay for that?? Don't see a difference in my mind. If your going to use that analogy, then it should be a law that you can't be fat and eat at mc Donald's all the millions we spend on treating fat people....
Back on track sooty guys will save this for another thread.
My condolence goes to all these peoples familly and I don't want to ofend anyone, but would like to talk about what happened. What's your thoughts on this whole situation? In the news they stated it appears they had done everything right?? I wasn't there and I don't claim to never make mistakes. But to have 17 people involved in a Avalanche. It's appears they couldn't of done everything right. Something to this magnitude of a tragedy, there had to be a chain of events and mistakes leading up to this. We should discuss these events if someone knows them, so we can maybe just remind are self to not get complacent out there. Learn from this try to stop these multiple burials. Terrain management, your rescue skills really do no good when 17 people are involved in a slide, your odds of getting them out in time are now deffinetaly not in your favor. Minimize your risk we all take risks out there, some more then others but, maximize your chance of rescue.

 

[scotts]

I'm also sorry for derail as well maybe we should start another thread, Who's to say if that guy was wearing his seat belt he wouldn't of bin injured more trapped or even died. He's paying taxes too no different then smokers and what nots that end up in the hospitals spending millions on them should it be a law they can't smoke?? Why should we have to pay for that?? Don't see a difference in my mind. If your going to use that analogy, then it should be a law that you can't be fat and eat at mc Donald's all the millions we spend on treating fat people....
Back on track sooty guys will save this for another thread.
My condolence goes to all these peoples familly and I don't want to ofend anyone, but would like to talk about what happened. What's your thoughts on this whole situation? In the news they stated it appears they had done everything right?? I wasn't there and I don't claim to never make mistakes. But to have 17 people involved in a Avalanche. It's appears they couldn't of done everything right. Something to this magnitude of a tragedy, there had to be a chain of events and mistakes leading up to this. We should discuss these events if someone knows them, so we can maybe just remind are self to not get complacent out there. Learn from this try to stop these multiple burials. Terrain management, your rescue skills really do no good when 17 people are involved in a slide, your odds of getting them out in time are now deffinetaly not in your favor. Minimize your risk we all take risks out there, some more then others but, maximize your chance of rescue.

I honestly would love to get into this as well but I think it would be prudent to wait for the official results to be released before we all try to dissect a bunch of speculation and rumour!

 

[Bogger]

I had already upgraded to my Tracker 3 when I took the AST1 but Curtis had a F1nd that he demo'd and it was scary, that is why I will not give mine away, not willing to give someone a false sense of security. Unfortunately guys on kijiji are still asking $100 or more for the F1ind. My tracker 3 will find the SOS no issues but not the other way around.

Amidst all the media on Friday's tragedy, there was only one report on that the people involved knew how to use their equipment.

Most media reports said that they had avalanche equipment. That's it.

What is important, is to know how to properly use these items.

I am betting that 50% or more riders out there, have never done a practice search with their equipment.

It's sad.

Bogger:

When you took your AST-1, did they test your range on your SOS analogue beacon? Almost all of those that had theirs tested, had lousy signal distance because of the corroding antennas.

 

[bbtoys]

I'm also sorry for derail as well maybe we should start another thread, Who's to say if that guy was wearing his seat belt he wouldn't of bin injured more trapped or even died. He's paying taxes too no different then smokers and what nots that end up in the hospitals spending millions on them should it be a law they can't smoke?? Why should we have to pay for that?? Don't see a difference in my mind. If your going to use that analogy, then it should be a law that you can't be fat and eat at mc Donald's all the millions we spend on treating fat people....
Back on track sooty guys will save this for another thread.
My condolence goes to all these peoples familly and I don't want to ofend anyone, but would like to talk about what happened. What's your thoughts on this whole situation? In the news they stated it appears they had done everything right?? I wasn't there and I don't claim to never make mistakes. But to have 17 people involved in a Avalanche. It's appears they couldn't of done everything right. Something to this magnitude of a tragedy, there had to be a chain of events and mistakes leading up to this. We should discuss these events if someone knows them, so we can maybe just remind are self to not get complacent out there. Learn from this try to stop these multiple burials. Terrain management, your rescue skills really do no good when 17 people are involved in a slide, your odds of getting them out in time are now deffinetaly not in your favor. Minimize your risk we all take risks out there, some more then others but, maximize your chance of rescue.

alot of peeps did alot of things right on friday after the avy. if they hadn't the count would have been alot higher than 5, so they had the training or knowledge to do it right and recover as many as they did. the incident happened at a pinch point, only trail into and out of one of our fav riding areas. two ways to this spot but both put you into that spot, one on this day ended up being a luge run from top to bottom and other a bit of a rocky climb out, add a stuck sled, groups wanting to turn around and get the hell out of there then a wall of moving snow so wide you had no chance to get out of the way and we have the recipe to a big disaster. now that you have a bit of the picture don't be questioning why, what or speculating that they didn't do something right before you know facts. this has been a very difficult time, alot of us knew almost all of the people involved, and on a personal note to all those families involved all I can say is I am so sorry for your loss. BARRY

 

[tex78]

I just did a avy companion refresh course with the sled club and Wes Gano

Surprised how much u forget, the steps at start and how older beacons take that much more time, cool head ect to get the job done

 

[Barker]

alot of peeps did alot of things right on friday after the avy. if they hadn't the count would have been alot higher than 5, so they had the training or knowledge to do it right and recover as many as they did. the incident happened at a pinch point, only trail into and out of one of our fav riding areas. two ways to this spot but both put you into that spot, one on this day ended up being a luge run from top to bottom and other a bit of a rocky climb out, add a stuck sled, groups wanting to turn around and get the hell out of there then a wall of moving snow so wide you had no chance to get out of the way and we have the recipe to a big disaster. now that you have a bit of the picture don't be questioning why, what or speculating that they didn't do something right before you know facts. this has been a very difficult time, alot of us knew almost all of the people involved, and on a personal note to all those families involved all I can say is I am so sorry for your loss. BARRY

Thank you Barry, I'm not speculating. I want to know what happened,and the facts. I know it's hard and Iam very sorry about everyone's Loss. "alot of peeps did alot of things right on friday after the avy."
i want to talk about events leading to this. I know it's hard to hear that you made mistakes. I have been there and made some big mistakes in the past, and have learned from them. I know people that have been in Avalanches that have survived and some that didn't. I had a good friend phone me when he heard this happened, he was very upset, he was in disbelief. We discussed that yes more and more people have Avalanche rescue training, and call it Avy training. When really it only teaches rescue, not terrain travel and management. Unless you are in the higher up courses and most don't pursue because they stop at the first one. Please be open to this so we can learn.

https://vimeo.com/79814896

 

[millmonkey84]

i was up at clemina back at the begining of january. my buddies and i spent about 2 hours in the becon training area at the cabin just for fun. i think it is a great thing to do just to keep the skills fresh if you ever have to use it. my heart goes out to all those who lost someone in that slide.

 

[NORDIC]

Thanks for posting Barker was a great video!

 

[Barker]

i was up at clemina back at the begining of january. my buddies and i spent about 2 hours in the becon training area at the cabin just for fun. i think it is a great thing to do just to keep the skills fresh if you ever have to use it. my heart goes out to all those who lost someone in that slide.

This is awesome! I'm glad to hear people are touching up there rescue skills, but people need to get out and learn how to manage and travel this terrain safely with minimum exposer. So that you hopefully never have to use your rescue skills. I shouldn't say minimum exposer because some peoples risk levels are different then others, but you should be able to do this with only exposing the least amount of people possible, which in a perfect world would be one. So that if something happens your chance of rescue is greater. What I'm kind of trying to learn, are people's Avalanche rescue skill sets, being beacon,shovel,probe. Are they giving them a false sense of confidence when out in the mountains? Do they feel since they have taken this ast 1 or 1.5 that there good to go? Do they realize the danger they are hanging out in at times? Or do they think there safe in some situations there not? It's not only these terrain skills, it's what is all done up to the time you get to that spot. What have you done up to that time to deem that slope safe or unsafe? What's the weather bin doing? I hear a lot about the Avy reports being vag? There is a lot of info in these you can use to make your own assessment, there not telling you go or no go.

 

[palerider57]

Managing terrain and choices is key. I put this rant on another location on the website, but here goes again.
I was riding Allen Creek December 28 with my two adult kids. We are AST trained. Went down to Avalanche Alley and staged for one-at-a-time. Groups of 4 to 6 riders would roll right on by us ignoring our place in line and ride nose-to-tail through the slot, coming from both directions. Many of the crazy's had no backpacks or equipment of any sort, and they were not all rental sleds either. We watched for 15 minutes and refused to get caught in the foolishness. I tried to stop and educate one group but I was ignored. A second group of obviously AST trained riders came along and staged. They got one rider through until another group jumped the queue and blew past them. We said screw it and turned around. To be truthful my testosterone wanted to go ahead,but my Dad instincts and AST ruled that day.