Rode Silent Pass last weekend and yesterday. Absolutely mind boggling how guys can ride the chutes and hills they are. Seeing sleds stuck in places they just shouldn't be anywhere near and highmarks on hills primed for sliding.
Hero snow out there, you can go as high and as far as you want - and guys are doing it! We reminded everyone we talked to of the dangers and if they are aware etc - some were, some weren't. Seems like alot of ignorance out there when it comes to avy safety. Lots of 'yeah, we know-we're gonna play safe' - followed by massive climb up a slide chute with your buddy close behind...?? There is a lack of knowledge in what being 'prepared' or 'equipped' is as well as what 'safe riding' is.
Ran into a few groups of guys from out of town. A mix of experienced riders, with first timers to Silent, and some first timers in the mountains. We scope out the gear - some guys were equipped but overall little avy gear was seen -water bottles where the shovel and probe should go?? - and a couple avy packs. Looks like alot of faith is put in those avy packs. Must give you superpowers or something...
It's annoying, frustrating and a bit disheartening to find so many people (certainly not everyone!) riding the mountains we live in with complete disrespect for the terrain they are in. It's tough on locals to have people dying in thier back yards that could've been avoided with education, common sense and the willpower to stay in safe areas. Part of riding the mountains and being a mountain rider is knowing when and where to go and being prepared when you do! You have to adjust your riding to accomodate the conditions, some days you just have to stay low and play in the trees -whether you want to or not. Although accidents can happen, it is very possbile to ride safe in the mountains and limit the deaths to just the 'accidents'.
Yeah, I can definitely relate to all the things that you wrote here. There are so many people out there that just don't have a clue!! I don't know if most of this unsafe riding behavior comes from inexperience or from the "it won't ever happen to me" attitude. We see things out there all the time that just totally boggle the mind. A couple examples of this irresponsible riding behavior:
1. A sledder gets stuck on a slope. Instead of waiting so that their buddy can get himself unstuck and clear the slope, they chose to highmark over and above him putting themselves and the guy that's stuck in real danger of being buried. Part of this I think comes from the day is only so long, so why wait??
2. Multiple sledders taking off up a slope at the same time....as if in a drag race....don't laugh!! I see it all the time!!
3. Arriving in a bowl to find various backpacks with avy gear left behind to lighten the load and no sledders to be found....only to hear them playing off into the next untracked bowl. Who's going to dig their sorry asses out if a slide happens??
4. Sledders that take their new sledding buddies to the mountains on machines that have no business being in the mountains (you know what I'm talking about here...the 340's that need to be drug up every hill). No avalanche gear to be found, and even if they did they would have no clue in how to use it!!
5. Sledders that consume vast amounts of alcohol and leave their beer cans, etc in the mountains and on the trails.
I could go on and on, but us experienced mountain sledders that have been going to the mountains for 15 + years can see how our sport has evolved. It is no longer just an "elite few" heading to the mountains but everyone with a little bit of disposable income that suddenly thinks that it's a cool thing to do.
In light of what's happened this season It's going to be difficult to try to convince joe public that *most* of us are responsible in the backcountry. I won't be surprised if more and more areas get shut down next season. Sledding as we know it and the freedoms we have enjoyed over the years will change.
In order to be stronger as a group we need to band together. Join your local club!! It's the only way that we can have a voice.....it blows me away how many people out there just don't realize how important joining your local club is. Don't think for one minute that those treehugging groups aren't looking at our numbers. They can shut down areas simply by looking at our membership.
