Sad avalanche news.

[marzNC]

For those who ski in the west most often, do you wear a beacon inbounds? With this most recent grouping of inbound slides, I’m seeing this suggestion more and more on forum discussions. I only usually ski in the west once per season, and usually don’t think about that since it’s not really a consideration in the east. However, I do have a beacon since I’m starting to get into AT, and I’m wondering if it’s something to start bringing west for trips such as diva west in Jackson Hole this season. Is this overkill, or are people moving in this direction for big snow days?

My ski instructor at Alta is wearing his beacon all the time these days. Have no idea when he started. He's been teaching at Alta for at least 15 years. Pretty sure the instructor at Bridger was also wearing his beacon. He is a Ridge guide so would need it for that terrain in any case.

My ski buddy, Bill, got a beacon a few years ago. Last season was the first time he actually wore it. Bridger has a testing station at the start of the trail that goes out to the lift that goes up the far side of the Ridge. So he tested it there since he had it on.

 

[MissySki]

My ski instructor at Alta is wearing his beacon all the time these days. Have no idea when he started. He's been teaching at Alta for at least 15 years. Pretty sure the instructor at Bridger was also wearing his beacon. He is a Ridge guide so would need it for that terrain in any case.

My ski buddy, Bill, got a beacon a few years ago. Last season was the first time he actually wore it. Bridger has a testing station at the start of the trail that goes out to the lift that goes up the far side of the Ridge. So he tested it there since he had it on.

Do you guys ski the Kachina area when you’re in Taos? Wondering if Bill wears it there as well, especially after what happened there last season.

 

[Christy]

It's a good point that family members may be reading, and that we don't always have all the facts, and that accidents can happen to the most prepared person.

As someone that has worked for a large federal land management agency for a long time and has heard every kind of accident/death/SAR report imaginable, my own feeling is that it is really important to know what happened and to learn from it. I think discussion is okay. Sometimes that discussion might not qualify as having the utmost respect, because we're probably going to talk about what that person could have done differently. I'm sure I could be kinder, but I do still hope people are willing to talk about these things.

 

[marzNC]

Do you guys ski the Kachina area when you’re in Taos? Wondering if Bill wears it there as well, especially after what happened there last season.

Now that you mention Taos, my instructor last Jan said he wears his beacon all the time. He had it on during the morning lessons for that group, which was black, not double-black. In fact, we spent most of the time on blue terrain.

Kachina hasn't been open the last few trips to Taos. Only skied the main open slope the first trip in Feb 2017. It was a good snow year but my impression was that the snowpack was fairly stable. Bill didn't have a beacon yet. Last Feb my group did an in-bounds hike towards the end of the week to ski deep fresh powder in steep trees. No one was talking about a beacon or avy training.

Alta had an in-bounds slide a few years ago. Didn't seem to change behavior around Alta that much. News about small incidents seems to spread much faster now, even compared to 4-5 years ago. Or maybe I'm just paying more attention.

 

[WaterGirl]

@MissySki As @Analisa said big storm days for sure and always when dropping out of bounds. Also many on mountain searches are often assisted by volunteer probe lines ... if you have the equipment why would you not carry it on big storm days ?

 

[MissySki]

@MissySki As @Analisa said big storm days for sure and always when dropping out of bounds. Also many on mountain searches are often assisted by volunteer probe lines ... if you have the equipment why would you not carry it on big storm days ?

I’ve just never brought my beacon west with me. I don’t go out of bounds and therefore never thought it was a thing to wear inbounds. After the recent stuff I’ve been reading though, I may start at least bringing it out on trips with me and then I’ll have it in the case of a large snowfall etc.

 

[MissySki]

https://snowbrains.com/inbounds-avalanche-copper-open-terrain/

Yeah, the more I keep seeing, the more I think I’ll be bringing my beacon west as a precaution.

 

[SierraLuLu]

I don’t have a beacon and I have never skied backcountry, but I’ve started doing a lot of trees in resort. I’ve been thinking about doing Mammoth’s backcountry school at some point this year either so I can try it, or to learn some hands on avalanche safety. I’ve never thought about bringing avy equipment to a resort, but it’s worth considering after hearing how many other people do.

 

[marzNC]

Early winter in the Wasatch is avy season. Early season snow, followed by a period without new snow, followed by dumps of heavy wet snow makes for a tricky backcountry. Consider putting heavy slurry on a bed of broken up potato chips and then walking on it.

The temptation to hunt for powder, especially right off the chair lifts, is great. Unfortunately, it often does not end well.

https://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche/48826

For those interested, the accident investigation report of the Park City fatality on Dec. 15 is online. Scroll down for a video summary, as well as a written summary and other relevant photos. The man who died had been on the slopes with his wife and son before he chose to go thru the gate alone. Below are the Comments from the end of the report.

https://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche/48937

 

[SierraLuLu]

More on the Copper Mountain avalanche including witness statements:

Inbounds Avalanche at Copper Mountain, CO Occurred After Patrol ‘Dropped a Rope’ and Opened the Terrain https://snowbrains.com/inbounds-avalanche-copper-open-terrain/


“Copper spokeswoman Taylor Prather said on Sunday that an avalanche occurred in a closed area of the resort and that they had camera footage of a skier entering the closed area. Following further investigation, Copper ski patrol says there were two avalanches: one on open terrain and one on permanently closed terrain.”

 

[Analisa]

It seems that there needs to be a push on the logic that closed terrain is essentially backcountry terrain.

 

[marzNC]

It seems that there needs to be a push on the logic that closed terrain is essentially backcountry terrain.

Here's an article from 2014 that makes exactly that point. However, given that it was published on a website geared towards people who are interested in backcountry skiing, fair to say that few resort skiers would have read it.

Jan 2014, Backcountry dot com
Out of Bounds, Sidecountry, Slackcountry: It’s All Backcountry
"Riding out of bounds, “sidecountry,” and “slackcountry” have all become more popular in recent years, and some skiers and riders make the mistake of thinking these areas are safer than the backcountry. They aren’t.
. . ."

 

[AltaEgo]

i have one I use inbounds out west, or in Europe.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I just want to throw out the idea that for those of you traveling to Europe, the aforementioned concepts of out of bounds versus in bounds do not exist the way they do in the US. In most european resorts there is no in bounds as many parts between runs are not controlled for avalanches or technically "closed", but the mere fact that they are not groomed (in some areas) makes them potentially hazardous in a way that is foreign to US skier where any area not specifically marked "closed" but within the ski area boundary is considered safe based on the day's avalanche mitigation work. American ski racers have died, tempted by what they thought was in bounds, between runs, powder fields in europe, where they did not have to duck any ropes.

For those traveling to Japan, know the area, as ducking ropes seems to be what most foreigners and occasional locals do regularly. While it appears OK at some areas, it is definitely not at other areas. 20 minutes after we had an amazingly rich conversation with a fellow frenchman, also on his 50th birthday trip to Japan this past spring, he was dead. He and his buddies ducked a rope, and were slid and he was killed.

Local knowledge is key, do not assume in bounds in Europe means avalanche risk free, and while not optional in the backcountry, I believe that it is up to each person's choice when and where to wear a transceiver in bounds. I do sometimes. After all, many of us ski in terrain that could slide after mitigation work, with a moderate earthquake (WY, CA, NZ, Japan)

 

[newboots]

Thanks for the informative Public Service Announcement, @snoWYmonkey ! How frightening that people can go in with faulty assumptions!

 

[MissySki]

Another inbounds..

https://unofficialnetworks.com/2020/01/08/skiers-killed-avalanche/

 

[RachelV]

Yikes, what terrible news. Pretty scary.

 

[MissySki]

Yikes, what terrible news. Pretty scary.

Very! So I always thought inbound avalanches, and especially deadly ones were quite rare given the controls employed. Certainly this isn’t full proof, but it’s been in the news more than I usually remember seeing. Not sure if it’s just that I’m seeing it all over social media more based on what and who I follow now, or if it’s actually ticked up a lot this season?

 

[elemmac]

For those interested, the accident investigation report of the Park City fatality on Dec. 15 is online. Scroll down for a video summary, as well as a written summary and other relevant photos. The man who died had been on the slopes with his wife and son before he chose to go thru the gate alone. Below are the Comments from the end of the report.

Does Park City close backcountry gates when the avalanche danger is too high? Do they post the local bulletin anywhere so skiers/riders can review it prior to making the decision to leave the resort?

I don't want this to sounds like I'm placing blame on Park City...more just trying to understand what the resources are and why people make the decisions they do. I think it's something we all can learn from to help keep ourselves safer.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I can't speak for PC, but know that in Jackson Hole the gates are never closed by the forest service as that would falsely make people think it is safe when they are open. That is too much of a liability. There are very clear signs I forming people of the risks and the skills needed to minimize the risk.

I always remind students that patrol is doing avalanche risk mitigation, not elimination, in bounds. Elimination is not possible, especially in earthquake country or during bit windy daytime storms.

My heart aches. Also a tree fatality at Eldora.