Avalanche

[Calgary ski chick]

There was a small avalanche at Castle Mountain, a few hours south of Calgary. It was inbounds, on a black run.

https://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleN...129/alta_avalanche_080129/20080129?hub=Canada

No one was hurt, but I'm a little freaked out - I'm going to Castle for the weekend!

Apparently my boots are somehow Recco-related - I'd look but they're at the bootfitter right now.

How important is it to have avalanche gear for myself - I'm a skier who skis inbounds, blacks then blues. This inbound avi is pretty unusual right?

I though about getting an avi shovel then realized it would do me no good - I better be skiing with a partner that has one!

Any thoughts?

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I read the story, also many of the related stories via your link. Having a good snow year has its decidedly bad aspects :( This particular slide wasn't that big (60 m x 60 m, max depth 3m). Really glad to read that no one was on the run and hurt or killed.

Obviously, biggest danger is backcountry (UT divas, BE CAREFUL!). This made news because it's pretty rare. If I were you, I'd defer to and have faith in Ski Patrol -- everyone's avi aware on Patrol, especially this year. I think if a slope's in doubt, they'll shut it.

I remember reading about a larger one in-bounds at Alta one year that came all the way to the base (and a lodge) -- A-Basin had a pretty big one a couple of years ago, on a black run (no one hurt). They make news because they're rare in-bounds.

Go enjoy yourself and leave the worrying to the paid pros! But be aware/ski with care

 

[SkiNurse]

Actually, the avalanche @ A basin two springs ago on the Paliviccini run did kill a local Denver man.

Freak thing. Avalanche control was done. I ski in off piste conditions inbounds all the time. My favorite type of skiing. Do I wear avalanche stuff? No. But I also try tobe aware of the pitch of the un and the conditions. I also trust patrol to do avalanche control inbounds and hopefully this is enough. But, you can't always predict snow.

I'm more afraid of tree wells! Especially if Im skiing alone.

 

[Jilly]

Castle is not the only one, Big White had one inbounds too. Inbound aval's are rare as work is done each morning to prevent them. But as SkiNurse says, its been a great snow year. All I can say is trust that patrol is doing their job and go skiing.

 

[tradygirl]

Realistically, if you are truly worried about in-bounds avalanches, the only gear I would ever recommend wearing is a beacon. Having a shovel and probe is only useful if everyone in your party has shovels, probes, and beacons and are trained to use them. Wearing a beacon OTOH could save your life, since all patrollers wear tranceivers and it could be used to locate you very quickly. Recco is NOT the same thing as wearing an avalanche beacon. The Recco systems are big and bulky, and are not carried around by patrol on a regular basis. Recco is a body-recovery device, not a life-saving device.

To stay safe, just remember to use your "avalanche eyeballs" even when you're inbounds. Don't just jump on steep, wind-loaded slopes, even if they are open. Assess the situation every time you're in dangerous terrain. Ski one at a time, use ski cuts, watch for cracking and sluffing. Even better, TAKE AN AVALANCHE AWARENESS COURSE. All off-piste skiers could benefit from a simple avalanche awareness seminar (they have them for free at REI all the time). Check your local avalanche center's website for schedules, or this link:

https://www.avalanche.org/~education/

 

[Jilly]

All off-piste skiers could benefit from a simple avalanche awareness seminar (they have them for free at REI all the time). Check your local avalanche center's website for schedules,

Check with MEC in Calgary, or the Canadian avalanche website. But I think you're over thinking this.

 

[SnowHot]

Realistically, if you are truly worried about in-bounds avalanches, the only gear I would ever recommend wearing is a beacon. Having a shovel and probe is only useful if everyone in your party has shovels, probes, and beacons and are trained to use them. Wearing a beacon OTOH could save your life, since all patrollers wear tranceivers and it could be used to locate you very quickly. Recco is NOT the same thing as wearing an avalanche beacon. The Recco systems are big and bulky, and are not carried around by patrol on a regular basis. Recco is a body-recovery device, not a life-saving device.

https://www.avalanche.org/~education/

Due to the amount of avalanches being reported this year, I looked into this. What Tradygirl says is the best advice I've found.
I saw no real danger where I skied and had a guide for two days. This was a phenomenal experience.
Be Prepared, not afraid.

 

[Sheena]

Speaking of avalanches, I just saw on the news this morning a second slide onto the highway in Washington state. Apparently it was HUGE.

 

[jaydog]

Speaking of avalanches, I just saw on the news this morning a second slide onto the highway in Washington state. Apparently it was HUGE.

According to one of the local news reports, "170,000 dump truck loads worth," and larger than all previous natural slides in the area combined. It was interesting how one of the local news stations was trying to get the DOT to admit they made a bad call in reopening the pass. The second avalanche actually was a landslide of rocks/mud underneath the snow, not the snow itself releasing. But the bottom line is, my home ski area is closed until further notice:(

Two cars were caught, but all passengers were rescued safely. Here's a news story:

https://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_013108WXB_avalanche_snoqualmie_LJ.7728aace.html

 

[SkiNurse]

There are two passes in southern Colorado, Wolf Creek Pass and Red Mountain Pass, that are highly prone to avalanches and are closed often because of the slide danger.

To put this in perspective, there was an article in one of the local newspapers a few weeks ago that inteviewed locals and commuters that have to drive over those passes often.

These people actually wear have avalanche beacons on them whenthey are driving over these passes. A couple even said they wear the Aqualung also when driving.

That's crazy!

 

[jaydog]

These people actually wear have avalanche beacons on them whenthey are driving over these passes. A couple even said they wear the Aqualung also when driving.

That's crazy!

I did see some footage of DOT/Patrol out on the highway with avalanche probes and search dogs. Pretty wild.

 

[mollmeister]

I remember driving alone from Calgary to Sunshine Village to ski, and a big avalanche releasing on, oh, what's that cool mountain you drive straight toward on the TransCanada as you're approaching Banff & Norquay?

I was right there, and the avy was coming straight at the road and I just thought, "gulp, there's nothing I can do." It stopped short of the road, thank goodness, but it was terrifying.

In this year of many slides, I have been thinking about that a lot. I have considered getting a beacon-- even though I am generally inbounds, I like to ski the steeper, off-piste stuff, sometimes along. . . and it gives me the heebie jeebies a bit this year.

 

[smpayne]

Living hear in Southern California, we normally don't get enough snow to even worry about avalanches. Ususally we are just worried if the weather is cold enough overnight to make snow to replace the meltage. This last weekend, we got about 6 feet over about 4 days. There were 6 avalanches and 3 people died. They were off duty ski patrolers all skiing together out of bounds (which is illegal in our area) immediately after a large dump. They had shovels, becons and such, but the trees didn't want to move out of thier way. It was kind a creepy being able to see thier tracks leading up to the fall zone from the lift.

I believe most mountains will close "in bound" areas that are in danger of an avalanche, we had an entire hill close due to the possibility (and no one around here know how to handle them). I'm more paranoid about tree wells, but that's mostly because I'm still learning how to ski the trees.

 

[jnmcarroll]

Mollmeister, that must have been terrifying. We drove past the site of the Frank slide on the way home from Banff. Really eerie.

There was so much wet, heavy snow at Fernie last weekend it seemed like perfect conditions for an avalanche. I am glad that no one seemed to have been hurt at Castle Mountain.

 

[mollmeister]

Mollmeister, that must have been terrifying. We drove past the site of the Frank slide on the way home from Banff. Really eerie.

There was so much wet, heavy snow at Fernie last weekend it seemed like perfect conditions for an avalanche. I am glad that no one seemed to have been hurt at Castle Mountain.

Oh, the Frank Slide is creepy as all get out. First time we drove past, we stopped and read all the info and it was just eerie.

I always wondered at Fernie, re: avalanches. Don't know what their history is on this, but conditions can be SO variable there, you'd have to think there could be some danger.

Also glad to hear that Castle Mountain seemed to have turned out OK. That's a steep, funky place. Always kind of liked it.

 

[Calgary ski chick]

Yeah, I'll definitely be signing up for an avalanche course. Even learned a bit from my friend - like cutting across a bowl before shooting down. It's really logical stuff but I've never really thought about it before.

By the way, now I get the tree well stuff. I was at Sunshine last weekend, in the trees, deep powder, somehow ended up upside down with my skis hooked between two trees. Hard to explain, but I couldn't really move and was really glad my friend was there.

Gotta go - Lost Season 4 starting!!

 

[atlantiqueen]

I took my AST Level 1 Avi training 3 years ago - even though I live in the east, I am wilderness professional and that training was worth evey minute for backcountry trips.

Calgary Ski Chick - check out Canadian Avalanche Association https://www.avalanche.ca

or Peak Freak Expeditions https://www.peakfreaks.com

 

[alaski]

Heck yeah, I wear a beacon inbounds. Inbounds avys are more common than people realize. Beacons are simple to wear so why not? If you're with a party, your beacon, shovel, and probe can save someone else's life - that's why you carry them. I definitely will never ski backcountry with people who don't carry - and know how to use - all that gear.

CSC - I got stuck in a tree well recently too. Now I stay well clear of trees.

 

[alaski]

Check with MEC in Calgary, or the Canadian avalanche website. But I think you're over thinking this.

Ehhh? I think she's spot on with her advice. No overthinking there - ALL off-piste skiers SHOULD have avalanche education, and I think an awareness class doesn't cut it. It's bare-bones minimum for anyone who plays with snow and gravity.