Marc_C
Active member
Breaking, but damned little info at the moment:
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=28128395&nid=148&s_cid=rss-extlink
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=28128395&nid=148&s_cid=rss-extlink
Alta In-bounds Avi - Collins Lift Closed
- Thread starter Marc_C
- Start date
Nice pic of Amy illustrating the avy zone.
I'm sure that this is part of Ski-Area Communications 101 (and I'm sure that Anna Olson from Jackson Hole has had a lot of practice over the years), but at what point in the investigation does someone in Connie's position officially disseminate news like this?Skidog":3v1j5zm9 said:
Tagging on this thread since I don't have anything worth starting a new thread for from my Alta day on 12/23. Snow was heavy, but everything was covered over. Wildcat was the only lift to open at 9:45ish. Took my never-ever powder skier GF (though she's a good skier in conditions she's used to) right into the heart of the Wildcat terrain...whoops. We got down it eventually, but trying to learn to ski powder on what amounted to sierra cement wasn't pleasant for her. Audibled onto the easier Wildcat terrain just under the lift from the top, back towards the angle station, to work on technique etc. When we got to the bottom Collins was running, so we took that up and skied skiers left of Fred's. Some really nice snow through there, and plenty of untracked lines. Headed up at the angle station as GF's confidence was building, and did a lower Sunspot, just off the low high T. Went back to the angle station again and went back up and headed out the real high T.
Got to the slide about 3-5 minutes I'd guess after it occurred. Totally surreal to just be traversing and then see 15-20 people already probing near the trees with their skis and poles. Patrol was not yet on scene, but we figured someone had called them, so we got out of our skis and into the debris to start probing. About 3 minutes later patrol arrived on scene (I think the official report was that they were there within 8 minutes). They did a beacon search but didn't locate anyone. Once a patroller with Recco got on scene with the dogs they kicked everyone without a probe out and told them to ski down Race Course only.
We skied down and went straight to the lodge. We both were in no mind to want to ski any more runs right then. On the couches in the GMD it so happened that the first girl on the scene (who unburied one 15 year old) sat down next to us to call her BF. After she chatted with him, we talked to her a little bit. She saw the slide happen as she was on the T, and was pretty certain that the people that were uncovered while we were at the debris were the only people that the slide took out. That definitely gave some peace of mind. I went out and took 1 more run in a tracked out Wildcat before calling it a day.
Definitely an eye opening experience. Scary and surreal are words that come to mind. I plan on buying my GF a beacon to ski with on powder days, and will get back into the habit of wearing mine when conditions dictate.
Got to the slide about 3-5 minutes I'd guess after it occurred. Totally surreal to just be traversing and then see 15-20 people already probing near the trees with their skis and poles. Patrol was not yet on scene, but we figured someone had called them, so we got out of our skis and into the debris to start probing. About 3 minutes later patrol arrived on scene (I think the official report was that they were there within 8 minutes). They did a beacon search but didn't locate anyone. Once a patroller with Recco got on scene with the dogs they kicked everyone without a probe out and told them to ski down Race Course only.
We skied down and went straight to the lodge. We both were in no mind to want to ski any more runs right then. On the couches in the GMD it so happened that the first girl on the scene (who unburied one 15 year old) sat down next to us to call her BF. After she chatted with him, we talked to her a little bit. She saw the slide happen as she was on the T, and was pretty certain that the people that were uncovered while we were at the debris were the only people that the slide took out. That definitely gave some peace of mind. I went out and took 1 more run in a tracked out Wildcat before calling it a day.
Definitely an eye opening experience. Scary and surreal are words that come to mind. I plan on buying my GF a beacon to ski with on powder days, and will get back into the habit of wearing mine when conditions dictate.
Marc_C
Active member
It's better to get into the habit of always wearing one - you want it to be a natural part of your ski gear, not a special occasion item. Also, an awful lot of slides occur on days that a skier might not consider a powder day. Finally, the expectation is that if you're wearing a beacon, you're also carrying a shovel and probe. What good is finding a beacon signal if you can't dig out a victim?jtran10":2kx7pn3h said:
Marc_C":3v9y1uer said:
I think carrying a beacon inbounds without shovel/probe vs. carrying a full pack while skiing inbounds is an ongoing discussion with two distinct viewpoints. Maybe it's selfish of me to not want to ski with a pack when I don't have to, and just have my beacon on as a personal security blanket so patrol can find me if necessary. But the way I see it there is no obligation for me within the resort boundaries to carry a full BC set up in the rare instance of an inbounds slide to act as a "partner" for others at the resort. Regardless, me having a beacon on and potentially locating a random buried skier inbounds is more helpful to that person than me (or anyone) not having a beacon to locate them in the first place. And then there's the issue of OTHER inbounds skiers skiing with beacons on. None of the 4 buried the other day were beeping. Long story short, if I was one of those 4 people I would be beeping than not, with or without the rest of my gear.
Marc_C
Active member
Remember that going out of bounds into seriously avi prone side and back country is trivially easy here. IOW, I never know when I might be going beyond the ropeline, I usually ski with a pack (snacks, liquids, either extra clothing or a place to put shedded layers without the need to go back to my stuff at the base) so adding the shovel and probe is trivial, and as I alluded to earlier, I just don't want to get out of the habit of carrying the gear. We've already had several incidents this season in the Alta and Brighton side-country (in addition to the Grizzly Gulch full burial a few weeks ago).
Besides, it's always good to get in some beacon practice. ASP buries a beacon (or several) each day somewhere on the hill - just go into the patrol shack at the top of Collins and ask where you should begin your search. (I tend to do this on days when I'm skiing alone so as to not hold up a group.)
Besides, it's always good to get in some beacon practice. ASP buries a beacon (or several) each day somewhere on the hill - just go into the patrol shack at the top of Collins and ask where you should begin your search. (I tend to do this on days when I'm skiing alone so as to not hold up a group.)
That's an interesting ethical conundrum. I can understand both sides of the argument, but remember that carrying a shovel and probe does not necessarily require a pack. You could always Patrol rig the shovel and strap the probe to the handle. I skied most of last winter with my shovel in that manner, and it weighs next to nothing.
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get_outside
New member
saw that graphic on UAC's site earlier today and certainly relevant. personally, i treat "considerable" not much differently than "high" days. either rating, you need to dial back, pick your terrain wisely and how you manage/approach it.
the discussion of wearing beacons and having gear is interesting. i wear a beacon several times a week so as marc indicated, no difference wearing it at resort on deeper or more avalanche prone days but i gotta tell you, its nice not carrying the pack. i seem to more so in the spring when throughout the day, the snow can vary more significantly but that's a shitty excuse and its a great habit to get into.
the discussion of wearing beacons and having gear is interesting. i wear a beacon several times a week so as marc indicated, no difference wearing it at resort on deeper or more avalanche prone days but i gotta tell you, its nice not carrying the pack. i seem to more so in the spring when throughout the day, the snow can vary more significantly but that's a shitty excuse and its a great habit to get into.
Hard to argue with that given a couple of presentations on Class 4 avalanches on "considerable" days that I saw at ISSW in 2010.get_outside":4rjefsnq said: