Deep thoughts on the recent B.C. Avy Tragedy?

[Summitstef]

First off I want to say that my thoughts and prayers are with each and every family member and friend related to this awful situation
Second I just wasnt to see if anyone else has been going through the same dilemma that I am experiencing right now?
I have been riding sleds as long as I can remeber. I have been riding in the mountains for four years. I have two young children and a third one due any day now. I love the whole mountain riding experience and I thank God for keeping me safe every time I get back to the parking lot. I wear a becon and have my Avy equipment on me at ALL times. The part that is eating me is that some of these fellow riders who were buried had young children and families. I can't even begin to think what it would be like for my wife and three kids to not have me around. These recent events in B.C really have me thinking if I even want to go to the Alpine ever again. It just seems that no matter how prepared a guy and his crew of riders are, sometimes mother nature still wins and the familes of the lost are the undeserving of the terrible cosequences. Am I alone on this one here Lads?

 

[skibreeze]

It is a terrible loss and you're right, sometimes it's is just fate. They way I see it, is that if you are riding smart, you probably have the same chances of being killed in a car wreck. There is no way that I would give up riding and stay "holed up" just to increase my chances of staying alive. What happened to this group of guys is a tragedy and sometimes bad things happen no matter what you do. Just my opinion.

 

[Rprecision]

There's a big differance between riding like you have nothing to lose and taking calculated risks. Sometimes, there are just accidents.

The more overarching point you bring up, well I dont have a good answer to. It seems to me that if you can no longer do what you love, to an extent you are allready dead.

You bring up some valid concerns

 

[Mafesto]

The only manner in which I will allow it to affect me is......
In the past, I would really try to persuade friends to join us on our trips.
I am not so eager to do that now.
I don't want to be the one who talked "Joe" into going along & then something bad happen to him.
That would suck balls.

 

[Sturgis Sledder]

This event shows that no matter how prepared or how eqipped you are a terrible accident may occur. I have come to terms over the years that no matter what you do "when your time is up, it's game over". This tragic event also shows us that even tho we are all mortal, living life to the fullest is just as important as "living in fear". I remember the story of a young man from our community, in peak physical condition and he and his friends were hiking in the mountains and a wicked storm approached, they took cover and he was struck by lightning. His friends were able to revive him, but he succumbed when he was struck yet a second time. As you go sledding, driving, walking down the street remember to always be as safe and prepared as you possibly can. Thoughts and prayers to all those families suffering from this tragic event.

 

[maxdlx]

You make a good point, and it always hits harder when it is closer to home. There is still the big picture to look at. I had a guy I used to work with killed last week on his way home from work. A truck coming at him lost a wheel barrel off of the top, and it went through his windshield and killed him. I can't stop driving home from work and walk just because of it. I believe when your number is up, it is up. Maxdlx

 

[togwotee9]

I agree it is a terrible loss, but loss is part of life. My brother was killed in a car accident 1/17/00. We were coming home from the Snowies after a weekend sledding trip. Hit some ice, Excursion rolled, killed him on the spot. I was in the passenger seat and only got a cut on my head. Freak accident. But his death has not kept me from driving again, when I left the hospital I had to get in a car and drive home. I still snowmobile, It did take me a while to want to drive to the mountains, flew for a couple of years. But I over came that. We can't live, or at least I can't live in a cage and not take a risk in life, that's not me. After my brothers death I needed something to take my mind off it, so I learned to fly. Again I feel for any one that has to make that phone call to inform a loved one of a accident, I'll never forget seeing my parents at the hospital when the DR told them my brother was gone. But I know my brother would not want to stop all the fun things we did together, and hide in my house in fear that I might die doing something I love. Don't get me wrong, I have 3 kids & a great wife, and I don't want to leave them at this point in my life, but I a better chance get killed in a trip to the market then a avy.

I think a lot of guys on here need to calm down, get a book or two on avys, take a avy course, and use a little common sense. In 15 years of riding Wyoming I've seen 1 avy in person, come a cross a few after the fact, but thats just me and my personal experience, I prefer to play in the trees and meadow.

Again my heart goes out to those families involved.

 

[RottenScummyTroll]

I think about this a lot. Here's my perspective:

You're right about the families of the lost being undeserving of the consequences (of a loved one dying doing what they love), but there's more than one way to lose someone - to depression or the bottle, or any other escape from a mundane existence.

Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow, no matter how safe a lifestyle they choose. You could give up riding the mountains today, and die falling down stairs tomorrow.

I had a near death experience a couple years ago, which included a bit of time to think about what I wished I'd done with my life. My regrets? Mostly, not doing the things that I'd always wanted to do, and never done because they were "too dangerous".

I'd never piloted an airplane...gone surfing...ridden my snowboard in the backcountry...rode a motorcycle to Alaska...told my friends that I loved them...and so on.

If you think about it, the most regrettable deaths are the young...why? Because of how little of life they've gotten to experience. Don't impoverish your life for nothing more than the possible delay of death - it's experiences like riding in the mountains that make life worth living.

If you're a parent, live life the way you want your children to live it. I want my kids to live life to the fullest, and I intend to lead by example.

That's not to say that we should all take risks that can be mitigated - by all means, ride with the best avy gear you can buy, and know how to use it. If the slide risk is high, leave that hill for another day. Spend the paltry $1000 on an ABS pack, and buy that boost kit later.

At the end of the day, I'd rather die trying to live than live trying not to die.

 

[Ridgerat]

Good Topic!

#1)Make sure you have proper training and equipment.
#2)Make sure your insurance is paid up in full and enough to take care of your family.
#3)Make sure your friends and family KNOW you love them every time you leave.
#4)Make sure you know where you stand with your savior.

Then........live life to the fullest with confidence knowing you are as prepared as you could be. We all gotta die of something someday. I for one want to make sure I live as much as possible while I'm alive!

 

[Ridgerat]

Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow, no matter how safe a lifestyle they choose. You could give up riding the mountains today, and die falling down stairs tomorrow.

Don't impoverish your life for nothing more than the possible delay of death - it's experiences like riding in the mountains that make life worth living.

At the end of the day, I'd rather die trying to live than live trying not to die.

Wow Scummy, I like all of those quotes man!

 

[revthred]

I agree with Ridgerat!

#1)Make sure you know where you stand with your savior.
#2)Make sure your friends and family KNOW you love them every time you leave.
#3)Make sure you have proper training and equipment.
#4) Make sure your insurance is paid up in full and enough to take care of your family.

 

[H2SNOW]

I agree with Ridgerat!

#1)Make sure you know where you stand with your savior.
#2)Make sure your friends and family KNOW you love them every time you leave.
#3)Make sure you have proper training and equipment.
#4) Make sure your insurance is paid up in full and enough to take care of your family.

Ta Da !!!!!

 

[Summitstef]

Well guys you are right in a lot of insight you all have provided here. It is just that when so many people are involved in a major event like this it really hits home hard. I always ride cautiously and have escape routes when playing in questionable areas. Mafesto, you really brought up a good point when it come to bringing first timers up. It not that I am going to stop living, but this will make me think a little harder when I am in the alpine. And yes I am ordering a ABS pack. Thanks for the feedback guys. Happy New Year.

 

[NoSecondChances]

You will never be able to protect yourself from everything. maxdlx brought up a good point that RottenScummyTroll hits home. You can stop doing something like driving and start walking everywhere, and you could get run over at the first crosswalk.

Yes what we do is considered dangerous at times. Yes sometimes you inadvertently put yourself in harms ways (on purpose or by accident). Yes accidents do happen.

All the training in the world cannot prep you for being in an avy, even though training is worth taking, nothing can replace using good sound judgement. Get the training and get the information, but use your head.

I have thought a lot in the past years about something that Mafesto touched on, but its more in regards to picking riding partners, not bringing newbies along. I have introduced a couple of newbie riders to the hills and they love it, but I have always tried to teach them the proper way of doing things from the first time. They love the mountains and ride with me lots now.

I have ridden with others in the past who were "experienced" mountain sledders and over-confident in their abilities to determine avy potential just from visual observations of the surface, etc. I avoid riding with people who have the knowledge, but do not apply it. Sometimes this is more dangerous than the newbie rider. We avoid avy terrain and avy conditions, but when you sled in the mountains, there is a risk involved. I am a cautious person in regards to avy's, having lost a good friend to one in the late 90's.

If there is a silver lining to any of this, and not saying that it could never happen but I hope it never does to myself or anyone, but if I should die in an avy, I hope that my friends and family would have some burden of sadness lifted by knowing that I was taken from them doing something I loved and enjoying my life to the fullest. I have driven race cars on oval tracks and told my wife that very thing - if I die, you can know that I died happy and doing something that I loved.

RIP to all our brothers lost to the white ghost. We miss you all. In our hearts and memories forever.
NSC

 

[m_beeson]

you're not alone on the nervousness of the conditions

First off I want to say that my thoughts and prayers are with each and every family member and friend related to this awful situation
Second I just wasnt to see if anyone else has been going through the same dilemma that I am experiencing right now?
I have been riding sleds as long as I can remeber. I have been riding in the mountains for four years. I have two young children and a third one due any day now. I love the whole mountain riding experience and I thank God for keeping me safe every time I get back to the parking lot. I wear a becon and have my Avy equipment on me at ALL times. The part that is eating me is that some of these fellow riders who were buried had young children and families. I can't even begin to think what it would be like for my wife and three kids to not have me around. These recent events in B.C really have me thinking if I even want to go to the Alpine ever again. It just seems that no matter how prepared a guy and his crew of riders are, sometimes mother nature still wins and the familes of the lost are the undeserving of the terrible cosequences. Am I alone on this one here Lads?

I have been looking forward to sledding all summer. The conditions won't stop me, but the part that eats me up is that I won't let myself go where I would alwayse like to go.

you just have to keep everything within its limits. If your buddies want to go places that arent safe then you should find another group who rides like you...

I try to be aware of the conditions around me; alwayse looking for
wind loads on hills steeper than 30 degrees.
Temps; If it gets warm then the snow loosens up and the propensity for a slide is greater.
Known slide zones, and chutes.
Run-out zones; If you are below a big hill and it slides, then it will come down on you.
and just knowing the current conditions. (this year its high to extreme)

I guess the most important thing Other than equipment, is being aware of your group and their location; If a slide hits then you want to know where everyone is, and when playing on a hill you want to preemptively keep most of the people clear of slide danger in case you have to search.

one on the hill at a time. (that is a tough one to enforce, and it hardly ever happens so I try to spread out from the others.)

 

[m_beeson]

I know where your comming from

The only manner in which I will allow it to affect me is......
In the past, I would really try to persuade friends to join us on our trips.
I am not so eager to do that now.
I don't want to be the one who talked "Joe" into going along & then something bad happen to him.
That would suck balls.

I know where your comming from but it's better he go with you than someone who is irresponsible, and will get him into trouble; (ie killed).

 

[Zachcreek]

My family wonders why I am still alive today. Motorcycle accidents, Whitewater rafting accidents, Mtn climbing, skiing etc.

I tell them that I am not afraid of dying, I'm afraid of not living.

I could stay home, eat chips and watch the games on tv, but then I would probably die of a heart attack, or in a car accident on the way to the store for more chips. (mmm, send girlfriend)

You can go out and have fun without pushing the envelope. I have slowed down, now that AARP has accepted me, and I still have fun. The beauty of the mtns cannot be experienced from afar. Its as safe as you want it to be.

 

[cobbycat]

the most dangerous thing that most of us do all winter is driving on the highway!!!

with that said, be careful in the mountains boys and girls!! live to come home to your loved ones and ride another day. avalanches are like unknown dogs, we know they are there but if you disrespect them they will bite you!! you wouldn't walk into a yard with a growling pit bull looking at you, so why would you ride into an avalanche zone with mother nature growling at you?!!

RIDE SMART, DON'T LET THE ADDRENALINE MONSTER GET YOU!!

 

[Mafesto]

We can all agree that our sport carries dangers with it.

I would guess that most of us agree that if these dangers were not there, the attraction would not be there.

Law of nature=The greater the risk, the greter the reward.

The challenge is to control what you can to mitigate those risks.

The wisdom is that control is an illusion.

 

[Ridgerat]

After recently dealing with a family member going through lung cancer, I can't understand why people aren't more affraid of smoking than flying, heights, water, speed and all that fun stuff that will just kill ya fast.
Lung cancer is a long drawn out, painful and scary as heck way to die. I'd prefer an abrupt stop at the end of a fast ride myself!