Baker Waterfall Incident

[CoyoteGirl]

I'm not going to devulge information here, until I get permission. But if you were up there yesterday and ended up with extra items to include backpack, cell phone, camera please let me know. I'll put you in touch with the owners or come get the stuff and deliver it to them.

PS, good job everyone!

Thank you.
B

 

[4cefed]

We were there to watch the heli come in and pick her up. Not a good day!

 

[winter brew]

Havn't I seen orange netting/barrier strung above the waterfall in the past? Can it be made semi-permanent....moved as the snow gets deeper?? It seems to claim more victims every year.

 

[Midwest_Cat]

i agree with your thought process. but imo it would be a finger pointing issue.

should the FS put up and maintain the snow fence...should the NWGC, who also groom the trails, or should the general snowmobiling community do this. THEN when it falls down, and someone goes over the ege, they're going to look to that group as liable. not to mention in the spring/summer, whos going to bring the snow fence back down before it falls into the river and gets washed down stream...our luck the hikers will consider that "snowmobile trash" and point the finger at us for littering...even though our intention of sledder safety is overlooked (by them).

 

[SNOBI-WAN-KENOBI]

I'm not going to devulge information here, until I get permission. But if you were up there yesterday and ended up with extra items to include backpack, cell phone, camera please let me know. I'll put you in touch with the owners or come get the stuff and deliver it to them.

PS, good job everyone!

Thank you.
B

I put Orange tape up there about 50 feet before the waterfall about 3 weeks ago. May have to put some stakes up there next time.NOT a good place to go off of. hope she' ok

 

[KMMAC]

poles

What about some long crossed fiberglass poles set across the face?

 

[deschutes]

http://kgmi.com/Snowmobiler-Falls-Into-Crevasse-On-Mt--Baker/10097425

 

[2Thetopp]

I saw somebody go off the waterfall the first time I went to Baker, I wish that I would have planted some trees there as a warning. Hell they'd probably be forty feet tall by now, stretch some tape between them. OK maybe this summer I'll do that, save somebodies life in the future(2025) if we can still ride there.

 

[rhino]

couple of crossed bamboo poles with wrapped w/orange tape like the ski resorts. environmentally friendly so the climbers won't be bothered and easy to transport. Even a couple of climbing wands with the little flags crossed would work.
I've seen tracks off of that a couple different times.

 

[CoyoteGirl]

http://kgmi.com/Snowmobiler-Falls-Into-Crevasse-On-Mt--Baker/10097425

Can't get much shorter than that... lol

Here's my write up on the event. Clicky

 

[tudizzle]

Are there any pics of this area..not of the event but the spot in general?

Its hard to imagine why it would be difficult to avoid dropping off a waterfall.

I am thinking this is more of a hole near a face that the water cuts into the snow..creating a sinkhole of sorts?

 

[modsledr]

Are there any pics of this area..not of the event but the spot in general?

Its hard to imagine why it would be difficult to avoid dropping off a waterfall.

I am thinking this is more of a hole near a face that the water cuts into the snow..creating a sinkhole of sorts?

From the bottom it's very visible and obvious...but from the top it just looks like another gently rolling hill, 50 ft from top to bottom. it only becomes apparent after it's too late. Pretty sure the water flow comes from under a couple of huge boulders, so the snow above overhangs enough to hide the opening until it's too late.

 

[Midwest_Cat]

Are there any pics of this area..not of the event but the spot in general?

these were pics of the waterfall from two weeks ago.

 

[SledheadBKM]

my 15 y/o son almost went off that cliff his 1st time to baker in march.
heres a pic of him where he stopped

 

[rmk2112]

I'm thinking a 10' section of that plastic, orange construction fencing attached to 2 tall bamboo poles.

Once everyone sees it and what it's for, hopefully people will adjust it and move it up as the snow falls. There's enough people on here that go up regularly that could keep moving it up as well.

My partner Mike almost went off it a few weeks ago too.

My .02 cts

 

[deepdiver]

In Cooke City they have long Bamboo poles in certain locations..they can be used as AVY probes for vollunteers if needed also. Cheap and Easy. I think the construction fence might work in the Spring for sure but at other times would become a Drift fence and would be burried.

 

[winter brew]

In Cooke City they have long Bamboo poles in certain locations..they can be used as AVY probes for vollunteers if needed also. Cheap and Easy. I think the construction fence might work in the Spring for sure but at other times would become a Drift fence and would be burried.

True...maybe just a few orange poles/flags that can be reset as necessary.
Not much work to take up early season and take down near the end. I would volunteer, but I don't get up there much.

 

[modsledr]

We're communicating with the USFS about what we would be allowed to do.

It's not as simple as just throwing up some poles and moving them once in a while...if it's going to happen, there will need to be a comprehensive plan as to who will install, who will maintain, who will remove, etc...otherwise they will get removed by the USFS.

There is also a liability factor. If just one weekend they are not there for some reason, after being there for a period of time, and somebody goes off the waterfall, it opens things up for a lawsuit.

Not trying to be a buzzkill on the ideas, keep them coming...just wanted everyone to realize that there is more involved (part of why it has not been done before).

 

[winter brew]

We're communicating with the USFS about what we would be allowed to do.

It's not as simple as just throwing up some poles and moving them once in a while...if it's going to happen, there will need to be a comprehensive plan as to who will install, who will maintain, who will remove, etc...otherwise they will get removed by the USFS.

There is also a liability factor. If just one weekend they are not there for some reason, after being there for a period of time, and somebody goes off the waterfall, it opens things up for a lawsuit.

Not trying to be a buzzkill on the ideas, keep them coming...just wanted everyone to realize that there is more involved (part of why it has not been done before).

I hear what you're saying.....One could also take the view that it NOT being marked, being in a designated National Recreation Area and having a history of accidents is opening a bigger window for lawyers.
We all know we ride at our own risk, I'm sure there are planty of laws concerning this.....but taking simple and reasonable measures to warn of known dangers should not be against the law. JMO-
Let us know if you hear back from the FS, thanks for helping!

 

[rhino]

thats why one day the poles should just "magically" appear. If they then someday disappear, hopefully it saved somebody from having a bad day.
no one takes credit for the poles no one to blaim.