ALPINE WY 12/19/13

[wfieldin]

Don't think this can't happen to you. Typical scenario, other riders had done this slope many times before with no issues. I was third one across, went a little higher than first two and whomph here we go. Looks like waves in an ocean coming at you, the whole hillside moving. I got pushed face first down the hill and was able to swim (porpoise) and stay relatively close to the top and get myself out when it stopped. Good news other riders behind me were fully prepared with all gear necessary and ready to rescue if need be, . I could not reach my avy handle with the force that was pushing me down the hill. Can't imagine what a bigger slide would be like, certainly a wake up call....

BE SAFE OUT THERE...TAKE A COURSE.

Bill



<a href="http://s40.photobucket.com/user/wfieldin/media/photo1_zps86e0ae1f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e247/wfieldin/photo1_zps86e0ae1f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo photo1_zps86e0ae1f.jpg"/></a>

 

[kevinm7]

Thank you for sharing your experience along with the pictures. This shows that avalanches can happen ANYWHERE. While this wasn't a huge slide, it's still just as dangerous. Thanks again.

 

[Pro-8250]

Thanks for the heads up. We will be there in two weeks.

 

[jbozdragon800]

Thanks...

This is why I try to get our groups to stay together. It's easy to get complacent, and veer off from the pack, (obviously not what happened here), and end up in a very bad scenario. If a person was to get buried face down, in only a couple feet of snow and couldn't move....nobody knows you're there, the outcome could be tragic. I have refused to ride with others who insist on going their own way, without anyone knowing where they've gone. We ended up looking for them from tracks, and found them stuck in ditches, etc.... Not smart....

We all love sledding, and the feelings it gives us, but it's not worth losing a life over, ours, or a riding partners'.....

It can happen anytime, anywhere, nobody is immune.....

Just my .02
Jbo

 

[03RMK800]

Glad to hear of the good outcome. It would have surprised me to be in your situation, what with the apparently small area, grade, camber, etc. of the area that ran.

Any estimates things such as degree of slope, snow depth, fracture face height, width, length of run? Depth/size of deposit?

Thanks!

 

[wfieldin]

Really did not spend much time analyzing the area. As you can see pretty minimal snowpack, a couple of trigger points up top, definitely not expected, on the low side of slope angle guessing right at round the min 25 degrees. Fracture face height in the 16 to 18" range.

 

[Kzoo]

way to be prepared. ride safe

 

[Matte Murder]

So this just shows "you never know", right? I got a chance to see the spot where this slide happened a few days after(I was riding with someone who was with wfieldin at the time of the slide). That spot could not be less "avy". The pics show this but in person it looked like one of a thousand spots I would have hit with little to no concern especially after an experienced local had just rode through the same spot. BTW, you show a ton of class on how you have reported what happened, glad you are OK.

 

[Pro-8250]

This is why I try to get our groups to stay together. It's easy to get complacent, and veer off from the pack, (obviously not what happened here), and end up in a very bad scenario. If a person was to get buried face down, in only a couple feet of snow and couldn't move....nobody knows you're there, the outcome could be tragic. I have refused to ride with others who insist on going their own way, without anyone knowing where they've gone. We ended up looking for them from tracks, and found them stuck in ditches, etc.... Not smart....

We all love sledding, and the feelings it gives us, but it's not worth losing a life over, ours, or a riding partners'.....

It can happen anytime, anywhere, nobody is immune.....

Just my .02
Jbo

You bring up an excellent point. And on another note, I like to ride with a group of 3 to 5 sledders to keep the confusion at a minimum.