I got lucky (Avy)

Lookn 4 the Deep Stuff · Jan 10, 2008

I have thought about posting/not posting this for a couple of days now, and think that maybe someone else can learn form this as well as I did. While out riding last week I got caught in a avalanche and was buried, now grant it, this was not the biggest and baldest slide but it was enough for me to learn a few things. I along with most of my riding group had just taken a avalanche safety class in Dec. witch was very useful. We had just drop in to a little play area and we having a good time just playing around , as I climb back up the ridge about 200 yards for where we drop in I went to turn out and the whole sled slide out from under me at the time I did not know the hill was sliding . I tried to catch the sled as it was rolling down the hill in front of me but I could not catch it as the snow was now coming over my back, I was trying to keep kicking my legs and moving my arms as much as I could as I was going down and did not even think of pulling the cord on my new abs pack until it was to late. I was coming to a stop and thought everything was good but I could not move at all with about 2ft. of snow on top of me. I was able to make room in front of my helmet to breath but as I did that I opened up a new problem. The sled was still running at about 5000rpm and all that exaust was filling up my only fresh air. Thankfully the riders I was with were watching the whole thing and were there to get me out. Thanks to everyone that help get me out.

1.The thing I learned from this is everyone should take some kind of avy class.
2. Pulling the rip cord on a abs pack must be a instinct and not a thought.
3. Having a tether switch on your sled could be a life saver (I know that I will have one on before I ride again)
Sorry if this was a little long and I know there are a lot of things missing ,if you have any other questions I will be happy to answer them.
thanks

Chubbydog · Jan 10, 2008

Glad you made it out ok, that's a scary feeling just thinking about that.

heinracing · Jan 10, 2008

glad you made it out ok

CatWoman · Jan 10, 2008

My most sincere thanks for you posting this story! :rose:

I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision, but things like this do help others to learn.

Thankfully you are still here to tell the story!! :heart:

skibreeze · Jan 10, 2008

Glad to hear that your ok, how big was the slope you were on? What was the slope angle? Did you realize how bad the avy conditions were before the slide?

Macattack · Jan 10, 2008

I'm happy you made it out too. Thanks for posting.

I haven't taken an avy class yet (don't black ball me), but I have a question. Wouldn't you want to stay as far as you can away from your sled? With all the rolling and caios going on, there's a good chance the sled could hurt you more. Comments?

Kevco · Jan 10, 2008

Good 4 you. Im glad it went well. Great post.

Richey · Jan 10, 2008

Glad you made it out. Some good reminders in there. Were you wearing a beacon to, or did you just have the ABS backpack? Thanks for sharing.

sledjunkies · Jan 10, 2008

Don't be sorry. Thank you for the post. We need more awareness and stories like this to make people understand that it is a reality. I was involved in the rescue on X-Mas Eve in 100 Mile House, BC that took the lives of two of my friends. It's not pleasant doing CPR on someone you know, especially when it wasn't successful.

We are now organizing an Avalanche Skills course in our area in March of this year.

Glad to hear that you, and everyone else, are OK!!

CatWoman · Jan 10, 2008

Macattack said:
I'm happy you made it out too. Thanks for posting.

I haven't taken an avy class yet (don't black ball me), but I have a question. Wouldn't you want to stay as far as you can away from your sled? With all the rolling and caios going on, there's a good chance the sled could hurt you more. Comments?

There's mixed feelings on this, with no cut and dry answer from the avy folks I've chatted with. On the one hand, if you are able to stay with your sled and not be banged around by it, then it might be helpful. If at all it starts to be where you risk being beat up, then get the heck away from it if you can. It's just a judgment call one has to make when they are in that situation, and not one that you have a lot of time to make.

Mountain West Motorsports · Jan 10, 2008

Glad your okay. I have never been in an avy but I am sure it is scary as he##. I just took an avy class this last Saturday here in Helena, it was just a basic class but it had a lot of good information. I just wish the guys I rode with were there too. It doesn't do me any good if I am the guy buried and they don't know what to do.

Again...glad that your okay.

WCTHEMI · Jan 10, 2008

Glad you are okay and thanks for sharing what you learned.

stripe · Jan 10, 2008

Glad you made it out

SnowBigDeal · Jan 10, 2008

Thanks for posting. Glad you made it out okay!

snow_knight · Jan 10, 2008

Glad you made it out ok.. to bad you wont have gotten to pull the cord though.. I really would like to her some true life stories survival stories on these packs..

Wade · Jan 10, 2008

PCDOC · Jan 10, 2008

Thanks for posting and happy to hear good outcome. You must be the group that Mike was talking about. He just taught an avy class in Fargo and said a group of his students had to use their skills to get a buddy out shortly after taking his class.

My buddies and I are signed up for his class in Bismarck this sunday.

Lookn 4 the Deep Stuff · Jan 10, 2008

Ski the slope we were on was not all that big maybe 150ft to the top, I guess i dont really know the angle but it was fairly steep and we were awear of the conditions just seemed like everything was pretty well set up. I had been back there befor and have not seen that slide where we were.
Mac. at first when I was trying to get the sled I was not awear that the slide was going on it all happend so fast. I was just trying to stop the sled form hitting the trees about half way back down.
and yes we were the ones Mike was talking about

snoboy · Jan 10, 2008

Look'n This is one of the best shared threads in a good while. Thanks for sharing. I assume you want the tether to kill the engine so as to avoid the sleds exhaust into/and consumption of your breathing air, is that correct? That's an education in an of itself.

snoboy

Lookn 4 the Deep Stuff · Jan 10, 2008

sno yes that is why I want a tether. Making it through the slide only to have your air filled with exaust was not fun or recomended

I got lucky (Avy)

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