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Buried Snowmobiler
- Thread starter Martlee
- Start date
Bummer deal for sure.
But, one thing brings a question to my mind. The clip said that the avy started in the Flat Tops Wilderness area. Does that mean that these kids were riding in a Wilderness boundary, or the slide started in Wilderness and caught him on the other side. Just wondering. I hate seeing fellow sledders die but this could possibly be the second sledder death in a Wilderness area. The first being the man in Kremmling who died in Spring Creek and he and his friends were riding in Wilderness. If the young man died in Wilderness its a double tragedy. One, he lost his life. Two, this is just going to further give the "Green Movement" more solid ammo to shut sledding down. I just hope that some very hard lessons can be learned from this. Always ride prepared, have the proper gear, education and training and ALWAYS ride legally and within the proper boundary.
The company where I work preaches what they call "Consequence Thinking" and for a while I thought it to be cheesy and kind bullsh*t. But now I believe it to be a necessary tool, not only at work but at play also.
You see a pristine hill with no tracks and of course it is inviting. But are the consequences worth first tracks? Do some scouting, dig a pit and check out the layers. How far down is the weak layer? Are there weak layers under stronger and thicker layers? Don't just shoot up the hill without weighing in on waht could happen. And, IMO never never never ride extreme terrain with just two riders. Try as hard as you can to have a reliable and trustworthy group that won't lose composure at the first sign of upset conditions. One guy that starts to flip can bring an entire group to it's knees and then nobody is a help. It creates friction and tensions rise. I experienced that this last weekend and it really affected the composure of the entire group. It could have been real bad and I learned some really good lessons from that. I wish all of you a thrilling and safe remainder of the season.
But, one thing brings a question to my mind. The clip said that the avy started in the Flat Tops Wilderness area. Does that mean that these kids were riding in a Wilderness boundary, or the slide started in Wilderness and caught him on the other side. Just wondering. I hate seeing fellow sledders die but this could possibly be the second sledder death in a Wilderness area. The first being the man in Kremmling who died in Spring Creek and he and his friends were riding in Wilderness. If the young man died in Wilderness its a double tragedy. One, he lost his life. Two, this is just going to further give the "Green Movement" more solid ammo to shut sledding down. I just hope that some very hard lessons can be learned from this. Always ride prepared, have the proper gear, education and training and ALWAYS ride legally and within the proper boundary.
The company where I work preaches what they call "Consequence Thinking" and for a while I thought it to be cheesy and kind bullsh*t. But now I believe it to be a necessary tool, not only at work but at play also.
You see a pristine hill with no tracks and of course it is inviting. But are the consequences worth first tracks? Do some scouting, dig a pit and check out the layers. How far down is the weak layer? Are there weak layers under stronger and thicker layers? Don't just shoot up the hill without weighing in on waht could happen. And, IMO never never never ride extreme terrain with just two riders. Try as hard as you can to have a reliable and trustworthy group that won't lose composure at the first sign of upset conditions. One guy that starts to flip can bring an entire group to it's knees and then nobody is a help. It creates friction and tensions rise. I experienced that this last weekend and it really affected the composure of the entire group. It could have been real bad and I learned some really good lessons from that. I wish all of you a thrilling and safe remainder of the season.
click on the video....for the 'real' story...RIP sledder.
http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/116578108.html
link to video-->
http://ww2.nbc11news.com/global/vid...ageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=flv&rnd=58327349
http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/116578108.html
link to video-->
http://ww2.nbc11news.com/global/vid...ageAdTag=homepage&clipFormat=flv&rnd=58327349
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Tec
Well-known member
Under 15' of snow? Minutes to locate you maybe, to get to you and pull you out? HOURS! At best.
They may not of had the best gear, and mistakes were probably made. But don't sit here and judge. There is no way you could dig a buddy out 15' down and expect to find him alive. Have a little respect.
Hey, I'm just a sad as everyone else here! I'm also pissed because snowmobiler are still being ignorent and stupid. I know many 19 year old kids who's parents will not buy them a beacon, but they will buy them a $5000 -12,000 sled
Not to metion the avy conditions where high on that day.Yes your right, If your under 15' of snow your not coming out in minutes, but atleast his buddy and S&R would have had a good place to start. 60 people and a cadaver dog! ya. That's not a good start. I respect people that treat the back country like the back country, plane and simple.
RIP
Does anyone have the gps coords for this. I ride this area alot and have been planning a camping trip ,about a mile from sand peak, in about 10 days. I know sand peak slides, lost a Craig sledder there years back, but can't figure out where this could have happened if not on sand peak. We rode a few miles west of this on sunday and I felt avy danger was pretty low in the area. Really surprised by this if it wasn't on one of the peaks in the area.
Does anyone have the gps coords for this. I ride this area alot and have been planning a camping trip ,about a mile from sand peak, in about 10 days. I know sand peak slides, lost a Craig sledder there years back, but can't figure out where this could have happened if not on sand peak. We rode a few miles west of this on sunday and I felt avy danger was pretty low in the area. Really surprised by this if it wasn't on one of the peaks in the area.
Hey, I'm just a sad as everyone else here! I'm also pissed because snowmobiler are still being ignorent and stupid. I know many 19 year old kids who's parents will not buy them a beacon, but they will buy them a $5000 -12,000 sled
Yes your right, If your under 15' of snow your not coming out in minutes, but atleast his buddy and S&R would have had a good place to start. 60 people and a cadaver dog! ya. That's not a good start. I respect people that treat the back country like the back country, plane and simple.
I didn't mean to come off as an ***. As all of us know the Avy was the first mistake. I don't know anything about the young man, and I'm certainly not going to believe what the media prints about it. If someone here knew him, I'm all ears. Heck a gangbanger gets shot up by police for shooting at them, and they family sues the police for wrongful death. A guy snowmobiling gets buried and dies, and we are reckless and we need to be stopped.
Friends and family of the gangbanger rally around in support. They don't care what he/she did that ended up getting them killed. It's usually filled with some nonsense about he/she getting their life back on track.
Anyway, it's hard for me to read posts about carelessness and that somehow the young man deserved it. Not all of us are aware of the resources available to us. I guaranty that I was where I shouldn't have been, and doing what I wasn't supposed to do way more than once. And honestly had no idea I was in the wrong. The only difference is that I am still here, call it dumb luck. Or just luck in general.
We, as sledders need to rid ourselves of the "they should have known better" mantra, and just be supportive of those lost. Maybe they didn't know any better, maybe they did. If I wasn't there, I'm not going to assume the experience of the other. I have done everything right and the hill slid anyway. We don't have control over it, and certainly can't predict it, with every precaution taken. That is a risk we take, every time we head out.
That being said. This they "should of this", and they "should of that" needs to stop. We need to be advocates of snowmobiling, and I guaranty that the anti-snowmobile peeps read this forum. By bashing or even questioning the the preparedness of others only adds fuel to their agenda. Unless you think .gov should tell us where, and when we can ride. We are stepping on our own dick when things like this happen.
(this wasn't directed at you Tec, but the group as a whole)
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Tec
Well-known member
Way more then 1 or 2 mistakes here, sad!
I hope everyone takes the time to see where the hell they are riding, and actually check the snow pack, just because you "think" avy conditions are low
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SSWIM
Well-known member
Hey Mark. How goes it? Brian, Jeffros son helped with the recovery. It was North-west of Sand Peak. In a draw as the avy repo shows. Jeff was in AZ with His Mom when it happened. Jeff says the young man was a really good kid, and very competent rider. Like you said, very sad indeed. We have ridden that area quite a bit. Makes one look at it in a very different light.
Sam
That doesnt look to be a big hill to slide and put a guy 15ft down. man it is scary how a guy can underestimate the size of a hill and the amout of snow on it. ill say when we ride out west we bring our beacons avy packs and probes i dont think anything could have changed the outcome here other than just knowing better than to not be on the hill with your buddy. We have all taken avy classes also just for the sake of our friends we ride with to make it safer riding. Prayers are with the family and friends of these boys. i really feel for the kid that lived he will NEVER forget what happened and blame himself for it. May God be with him
Sad situation.Unrealistic but hope we don't hear more of this,this winter.
Be safe and live every day to the fullest.
S/P
Be safe and live every day to the fullest.
S/P
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dragon12
Well-known member
1 killed in avalanche near Snowmass
Ride smart out there.
http://www.9news.com/news/article/182927/188/1-killed-in-avalanche-near-Snowmass-
Ride smart out there.
http://www.9news.com/news/article/182927/188/1-killed-in-avalanche-near-Snowmass-
I was thinking the same thing Fireman. It's a huge reality check to see this pic and realize someone died in the avy. It doesn't look all that big. I saw a similar size avy yesterday at Vail Pass near Ptarmigan Pass.
I'm seeing people say it was 300yds X 400yds... where is that coming from?
Is my brain scale that off? It looks like 150 max to me.
Scary how dangerous terrain traps are.
Is my brain scale that off? It looks like 150 max to me.
Scary how dangerous terrain traps are.
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SSWIM
Well-known member
I can see where there would be a lot of snow at the bottom. Sounds like that is where he was found. When I saw pictures, I just expected some monster hill.
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Adobe-Al
Well-known member
Unless you can see a before and after pic. It is very hard to determine how big or deep the debris field is. Also it looks like the slide area might funnel the snow to one spot. Did I read that S&R had to blast for safety before doing the search? If so that might of added to the final depth. Sad day for the sledding folk! My thoughts go out to his family.
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