Bad Avy at Canyon Creek

[dirtrider]

Just came out from Kimmerly Basin and ran into the sheriff's dept. and search and rescue. Neither could agree on whether it was sledder's or skiers, but at least 6 buried. It happened some where near fiberglass hill. All I've heard so far was one person found and they were performing CPR, but far more to still find.

Hope this has a happy outcome.

 

[Mafesto]

It's getting to the point that every weekend you don't wonder if any will die
in an avalanche, it's how many & if any are from this site.

pisser

 

[sledmanhof]

deffinatly not a good year for avys its too bad when you can almost bet there will be a avy death. It breaks my heart to hear of this stuff though

 

[dirtrider]

Just got a call. Hear say, but I was told 6-7 people, 1 snowmobiler, rest skiers, no survivors.

I really hope this isn't true.

 

[RMKcowboy]

Ug, not another one of these threads I hope the hear say is false and that everyone makes it out okay.

 

[GrizTrack]

Just got a call. Hear say, but I was told 6-7 people, 1 snowmobiler, rest skiers, no survivors.

I really hope this isn't true.

I can see the news now if this was true...snowmobiler kills skiers (even if the sled had nothing to do with it)...not a good deal.

To those that lost thier life, rest in peace.

 

[Mafesto]

I can see the news now if this was true...snowmobiler kills skiers...not a good deal.

That would be horrible.
Especially if it were the case.

 

[markgyver]

Just left the canyon creek parking area,1 more was brought out. still a number buried.massive effort going on to bring them out.
was told all were skiers but i guess no one knows for sure.

 

[Woof]

OMG I don't even know what to say.....................

 

[graveler]

its safer In Iraq!!!!

 

[Rush44]

What is up with Fiberglass Hill? I don't see anything so special about it, yet week after week I hear about that hill coming down and always burying people. I really don't think it's all that steep either. Is it the 2nd half that always slides (above the high road) or always from below the road?

 

[oonighttrain]

thoughts and prayers go out to the fanily and friends....




btw, where is canyon creek?

 

[Rush44]

thoughts and prayers go out to the fanily and friends....




btw, where is canyon creek?

Backside of The Big Mountain in Whitefish, MT. Very popular touring and trail riding area. Some good backcountry if you go with the right people.

 

[CatWoman]

This area is known for avy's...bad idea to play around here.

We just got home from riding up there. Had to ride across the slide......MASSIVE!!! I've never seen one that big up there before. I have hundreds of pictures of avy's through there...never anything like this. It was eerie riding across the debris field, having to pick your way through, yet stay on a straight path. The thought of driving over someone's body gets to ya.

A skier started the slide. Hiked up the Fiberglass side. Whole hillside let loose. 1 survivor, 2 dead......so far. At least one more buried, possibly up to 4. No beacons.

Hard thing is that this thing let loose, and skiers/boarders come down the backside into the groomed trail area. Then they hike back up to where they can get back to a lift. Right now there are conflicting reports of other skiers who were hiking up, being caught. No one knows for sure yet. The slide came down the whole mountain, into the gully, and back up onto the other side.

The area is most likely going to be completely shut down for a few days. I will know that for positive when the FS Ranger gives me a call.

Sobering experience. We stayed low and played in the trees and pow today....were heading out from a great and safe day, and come across this. I'm praying I won't have nightmares from what I saw going through there.

 

[xrated]

This area is known for avy's...bad idea to play around here.

We just got home from riding up there. Had to ride across the slide......MASSIVE!!! I've never seen one that big up there before. I have hundreds of pictures of avy's through there...never anything like this. It was eerie riding across the debris field, having to pick your way through, yet stay on a straight path. The thought of driving over someone's body gets to ya.

A skier started the slide. Hiked up the Fiberglass side. Whole hillside let loose. 1 survivor, 2 dead......so far. At least one more buried, possibly up to 4. No beacons.

Hard thing is that this thing let loose, and skiers/boarder come down the backside into the groomed trail area. Then they hike back up to where they can get back to a lift. Right now there are conflicting reports of other skiers who were hiking up, being caught. No one knows for sure yet. The slide came down the whole mountain, into the gully, and back up onto the other side.

The area is most likely going to be completely shut down for a few days. I will know that for positive when the FS Ranger gives me a call.

Sobering experience. We stayed low and played in the trees and pow today....were heading out from a great and safe day, and come across this. I'm praying I won't have nightmares from what I saw going through there.

man what a bummer deal to hear about let alone come across.

 

[catnfool]

yeah, I have tugged a few skiers back up the hill thru there- they drop off an "out of bounds" hill and ski down to the trail. Quite a hike to get back to the ski lift; most are pretty good sports about grabbing a rope and holding on!!

This is too bad- nothing worse than searching for an un-beaconed person.

 

[dlingle61]

Just Heard On Scanner They Are Comming Out For The Nite And Will Return In The Moning For More Searching. Prays For All

 

[dirtrider]

What is up with Fiberglass Hill? I don't see anything so special about it, yet week after week I hear about that hill coming down and always burying people. I really don't think it's all that steep either. Is it the 2nd half that always slides (above the high road) or always from below the road?

The bottom third below the road isn't that steep, but the section above the road is a massive avalanche chute.

Not to say I haven't done it, but I've never felt comfortable playing on that hill.

I hope there were less people buried than they think.

 

[CatWoman]

Our families were all worried sick all day (my MIL was in tears). No way to reach us (cell phones off so they don't interfere with beacons), and we had no idea. According to the timing told to us by the Rangers (who were already up in the area trying to deal with the rogue moose), it had to have slid shortly after we went through.

That slide would have taken anything and anyone in it's path (it went across the groomed trail). Huge debris field, snow 40' deep in some areas where it slid.

 

[Vboost]

Wow thanks for the report Catwoman, thank god we went up to upper Whitefish and Red Meadow lake today..