Friends PRO took him a little too Hi!!

[turboless terry]

Bummer on the avalanche and awesome that he is OK. I was in a big one in 2004 and it is not fun. I wear an Avalung which I think has more value and costs less than the avalanche airbag systems. It will work even if you are stopped at the bottom of a hill and get buried. The airbag won't do you a damn bit of good in that situation. I also am not sure that I want to be hauling *** down a tree covered mountain with the airbag holding me way up on top. If you hit a tree it is going to hurt!

If the trees are on the top and your hitting them you would be hitting them under the snow. I would rather be on top than under the snow. If you were buried deep enough the weight of the snow could crush you. My vote is for the top. The avalung is probably a good product if you get it in your mouth. Anything to increase your chances is a plus. These guys got air to this guy in a few seconds because they had a visual. Not going to get out that quick if your five feet under.

 

[j2thec]

MtnClimber- The sled was ok and burried around 4' down. Just a ski loop above the snow. Lost one side panel and the windshield. After a while of probing around we found the windshield and the mount for it. As for the side panel its a goner. The left running board was also bent up a little but a few kicks put it almost back close to normal.

 

[IceCap]

Previously I rode with a avalung....... The only way it is any good is if you ride with the mouth piece in your mouth all the time.

There is no way in h3ll that your going to have time.... or the ability to get that thing into your mouth while you are in a avi.

I now ride with a ABS pack and the handle is always accessible.

What type of avi bag has a handle you can zip away?? Seems pointless?

 

[j2thec]

BCA

 

[snopro_ac]

i think that BCA zips their handle because they have a mechanical pull system rather than a firing system. zip it away in the pickup or storage and no chance of pulling it. i have an ABS but that's my take on it from reading reviews.

 

[F-Bomb]

phew...that could have really been horrible. Glad your buddy came out alright. NO psych damage? You say he'll be back this weekend. Wow

To this day I ride with fear and I do not climb even a basic hill without thinking about it and planning my out. Buried Animal and lived the sadness of the aftermath for everybody who knew him. That was years ago (over 9,000 ridden mtn miles) and it feels like yesterday. Been partially buried twice on sleds (pretty much just rolled in a minor slide) and one pretty damn good roller back when I skied and just ended up on top (over and over at least four times then daylight and it was over...people on the chair were freaking out) Weirdest was that was actually at sun valley right under the chairlift way way back in the day. Made a million runs total hike in backcountry without incedent. Anyway...I can't imagine going right back at it after having to be "recovered and cleared".

Suffered a death and a resusitation back when I was an extreme white water raft guy. Game over done..must just be a puss or have an unusaully developed abdula!

Your buddy has stones!

 

[crf118r]

i think that BCA zips their handle because they have a mechanical pull system rather than a firing system. zip it away in the pickup or storage and no chance of pulling it. i have an ABS but that's my take on it from reading reviews.

That is correct. It zips away for transport or days your will not be in any avalanche prone areas. I like the feature personally. Refilling the canister seems like a pain if it's for a false activation.

 

[mtproride]

This should be an eye opening for everybody, avalanche danger is the worst its been everywhere and will continue to be, everybody needs to make sure there smart and have the correct gear, one hint is not to go light weight on the shovel, make sure you get one that exstends out with a long handle, makes all the difference in the world. I just lost my best friend last Sat. Jan. 8 2011, we were both in the avalanche but I got out. Here is the website www.glacieravalanche.org

 

[RZRNUT]

Im sorry for your loss. Were you wearing an AVI backpack? Im thinking of getting one.

 

[snopro_ac]

This should be an eye opening for everybody, avalanche danger is the worst its been everywhere and will continue to be, everybody needs to make sure there smart and have the correct gear, one hint is not to go light weight on the shovel, make sure you get one that exstends out with a long handle, makes all the difference in the world. I just lost my best friend last Sat. Jan. 8 2011, we were both in the avalanche but I got out. Here is the website www.glacieravalanche.org

sorry for you loss

 

[longgold]

Makes me sick to the stomach to hear about that....man, I hope you're ok...

 

[longgold]

This should be an eye opening for everybody, avalanche danger is the worst its been everywhere and will continue to be, everybody needs to make sure there smart and have the correct gear, one hint is not to go light weight on the shovel, make sure you get one that exstends out with a long handle, makes all the difference in the world. I just lost my best friend last Sat. Jan. 8 2011, we were both in the avalanche but I got out. Here is the website www.glacieravalanche.org

Mtproride;
I know it's very hard to talk after something so catastrophic, and I know that there is a "Snow Safety" forum......but for the sake of reaching out to more people, can you please explain a little more in regard to your "light weight shovel" comment, and maybe what other instruments might have helped out in your situation.

 

[mtproride]

no I wasnt wearing an AVI pack, might have helped my friend though

 

[snopro_ac]

no I wasnt wearing an AVI pack, might have helped my friend though

i bought an avi pack, after i had my sled modded and the graphics package on it and the lightweight parts. dumb now should have been the first thing i bought but it worked out to get one as well this year very dumb on my part for choosing mods first. lightweight shovel, if the plastic shovel part breaks it's useless, buy metal.

amazing you looked at the right time to see it coming, thank god you were ok in the end. again amazing you had the good head on you to try and warn your friend, good thing for the beacon and the guy who knew how to use it, smart idea sending the guy who could ride to help on the sled of the guy who couldn't after the other sled wouldn't start, and you had enough people to have someone go call for help as well. you had probes with you and used them right. i know it ended badly and your friend is riding in endless powder now, but you guys did a lot of stuff right, and kept a lot of sense with you and did exactly what needed to be done with what you had, i'd be glad to ride with such capable people.

 

[ridgeclimber]

Caught in an avalanche

This freaks me out just reading it. We just lost a friend in a slide. He had an ABS back pack. He did deploy it. We had all the right gear and he still didn't make it. It is a hard lesson to learn. Be careful out there. Take a close look at all your gear(beacons,shovel, probe, radios, spot tracker, first aid kits, avi back pack, avi lung). Keep in mind you can have all the protective gear but it still doesn't mean you are safe. Do not have absolute faith that all the gear in the world will keep you safe. Avoid the dangers out there now that the avalanche danger is the worst it has been in 30 years. I still have not gone for a ride yet after the slid. I can honestly say I am still a little uneasy about going.

 

[mtproride]

One thing, my best friend, the greatest guy in the world, he fought for snowmobiling, dirtbiking, anything back country, the right to be out there enjoying what is ours, I can tell you right now that I feel a lot more safe out there snowmobiling than driving to town and I know he would not want me to stop, he would want me to just question myself every morning about the conditions, not just that morning but before that, what led up to that day, temps, snowfall, whatever, just dont get into my position and loose your best friend, a guy you talk to every day, hunt, fish, and of course snowmobile with. Its never going to be the same without him.

 

[IQRIDR]

Sorry for your loss..have lost a few the same way the past few years and it is constantly on the mind when riding or planning.

 

[turboless terry]

This freaks me out just reading it. We just lost a friend in a slide. He had an ABS back pack. He did deploy it. We had all the right gear and he still didn't make it. It is a hard lesson to learn. Be careful out there. Take a close look at all your gear(beacons,shovel, probe, radios, spot tracker, first aid kits, avi back pack, avi lung). Keep in mind you can have all the protective gear but it still doesn't mean you are safe. Do not have absolute faith that all the gear in the world will keep you safe. Avoid the dangers out there now that the avalanche danger is the worst it has been in 30 years. I still have not gone for a ride yet after the slid. I can honestly say I am still a little uneasy about going.

Sorry this happened. If you don't mind talking about it, I am just curious what the scenario was? Was he buried or at the top? Did the abs bag bring them to the top?

 

[longgold]

Sorry this happened. If you don't mind talking about it, I am just curious what the scenario was? Was he buried or at the top? Did the abs bag bring them to the top?

Terry and ALL, MTPRORIDE was kind enough to post a link to the advisory website....here is a more direct link;

http://www.glacieravalanche.org/incidentsdetail.cfm?RECNUM=61

 

[turboless terry]

I assume that they were two different avalanches. Ridgeclimber is from Canada. Just curious to know whether the airbag kept them on top since he said it was deployed.