I've been given a second lease on life! BE CAREFUL GUYS! If I had a camera I would have taken pics to show you, but I didnt have a camera.
I was caught in a 300 yard slide that I set off while sidehilling in an area where YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT IT!!! I wound up 150 yards down the hill on under only 4' of snow on top of a huge boulder. Because of the height of the boulder I was under only 4 feet of snow and was lucky enough to have dug myself out. My riding buddy was 150 yrds up the hill looking for me by my sled. By the grace of God I wound up on that boulder and was able to work myself out only because I was on top of that big rock. All the snow that slid around it was 8-15' deep.
I've been riding for 21 years (got my 1st sled when I was 11) and I have never been involved in a slide and thought it could not happen to me because I was a "safe rider" who thought I knew the mountain and snow. The reason why I'm posting this is for you guys to contemplate some things.
1. Because of my ignorance and over confidence I was not wearing a beacon. I ordered one first thing Monday. If you were like me, order yours. My riding partner (my brother) was an absolute basket case after I got out. Don't do that to your family, suck it up and spend $300 on a good beacon!
2. Don't assume that because it doesnt look that steep, it won't slide. I've ridden over this same snow for years without a problem and last Sat. must have been just right.
3. Just be careful guys. It sounds noble to "die doing something you love" but if I had kicked it this weekend, nothing would have been noble about it. Get a dang beacon and make sure the guys you ride with have one!
I was caught in a 300 yard slide that I set off while sidehilling in an area where YOU WOULD NOT EXPECT IT!!! I wound up 150 yards down the hill on under only 4' of snow on top of a huge boulder. Because of the height of the boulder I was under only 4 feet of snow and was lucky enough to have dug myself out. My riding buddy was 150 yrds up the hill looking for me by my sled. By the grace of God I wound up on that boulder and was able to work myself out only because I was on top of that big rock. All the snow that slid around it was 8-15' deep.
I've been riding for 21 years (got my 1st sled when I was 11) and I have never been involved in a slide and thought it could not happen to me because I was a "safe rider" who thought I knew the mountain and snow. The reason why I'm posting this is for you guys to contemplate some things.
1. Because of my ignorance and over confidence I was not wearing a beacon. I ordered one first thing Monday. If you were like me, order yours. My riding partner (my brother) was an absolute basket case after I got out. Don't do that to your family, suck it up and spend $300 on a good beacon!
2. Don't assume that because it doesnt look that steep, it won't slide. I've ridden over this same snow for years without a problem and last Sat. must have been just right.
3. Just be careful guys. It sounds noble to "die doing something you love" but if I had kicked it this weekend, nothing would have been noble about it. Get a dang beacon and make sure the guys you ride with have one!
