Having Avalanche equipment does NOT reduce your responsiblity in the mtns....

[Scott]

Even though I'm not hitting the slopes with these current snow conditions...Having AVY gear does not exonerate me from making smart decisions and AVY gear is NOT going to prevent a slide...The only way to prevent a slide is to stay in the meadows...or stay home. I HAVE to make the right decisions. NO equipment will prevent me getting caught in a slide.

BUT with that being said...I told my wife tonight I wanted an ABS pack. I want one.
She is concerned it may cause me to takes chances that I wasn't already taking. Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!. That's not why I want one. If I was going to want to ride where I'd be in more jeopardy, I would have already ridden there.

HAVING MORE OR NEWER AVY GEAR WILL NOT CHANGE THE WAY I RIDE!!!

What about YOU????

 

[Cyle]

It hasen't changed how I ride, i'm to ****ty of rider to try any steep climbs, I like to stay far away from them and play in the flat stuff!.....ermm I mean i'm staying away from the hills because of the danger

 

[Spud]

there is one catching word in your phrase Scott, that word being "decisions!"

 

[T-BO]

I'm planning on picking up a snowpulse after the latest tragedy. I like to think that I will be equally cautious with or without a pack. But it will make me feel more comfortable around sketchy slopes......maby too comfortable???

 

[Scott]

I know Spud buddy...that was deliberate.

I'm planning on picking up a snowpulse after the latest tragedy. I like to think that I will be equally cautious with or without a pack. But it will make me feel more comfortable around sketchy slopes......maby too comfortable???

And see that's the thing...don't let THAT happen.

 

[RMKcowboy]

Couldn't agree more Scott. It seems like most of the lives lost in the back country are those who consider themselves "avy aware"- they have the gear and the knowledge, yet they still head into dangerous spots with avy ripe conditions and end up paying the ultimate price. I love to ride, climb, and play in the pow, but it's not worth losing your life over.

 

[sledhead ut]

Right on Scott,
The tools and equipment we carry are for saving lives in the case of an accident not preventing Avy's from occurring.


I started the season by saying stay off the hills, but now I say:
Stay away from the hills

 

[KFD070]

I think the boys from Sparwood would be elated to see how many attitude changes their tragedy has brought about.
Their deaths were not in vain.

 

[Bull]

i always carry a probe, beacon, shovels, spot, cellie, gps. not a huge hillclimb guy anyway....bores me after a while. but i ride like i forgot all of that in the truck. keeps me from using any of that as a justification for taking chances. there are surely some avy deaths that are just total freak deals, but i think that 95% (if you look at them with cold honesty, and in hindsight) are clear cases of bad decisions. if you are not in a slide path, you can never be caught in one.....that is an irrefutable fact.

 

[rmk_racer]

Just ordered 2 abs escapes, for myself and fiance. These will be looked upon as a back-up plan, unforseen emergency safety measure. They are NOT a free pass to ride wherever and in whatever conditions. We will be riding smarter and safer than ever before. Live to ride another day.

 

[X-it]

Getting buried while putting your beacon in the receive mode looking for your buried buddies.....something to think about.... ABS bags.

 

[sledheadd]

Getting buried while putting your beacon in the receive mode looking for your buried buddies.....something to think about.... ABS bags.

Very scary thought. Good point X-it.
I too am going to get an ABS bag.

 

[MPS]

Good thread Scott...I think people do take more risk because they have the gear. I am terrified of avies and am always cognizant of them. I was riding with my 9 year old yesterday and I sidehilled a 30 degree slope (which slide just as much if not more than a 60 degree slope) and I didn't like the way it felt and then I stopped and checked the snow out....very top heavy. I got the hell off it and took my boy to an area with lots of trees and meadows....pics of him are on the father son thread.

Does anyone have a good link to buy ABS bags?

http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1117908#post1117908

 

[Adrenaline Revolution]

Getting buried while putting your beacon in the receive mode looking for your buried buddies.....something to think about.... ABS bags.

I know my beacon switches back to send when left in the search mode for over 5 to 8 minutes I think.
It's for this reason exactly.
I think most, if not all do this.
Check yours and see how long it takes to switch back on it's own.

EDIT...I just checked mine and it resets back to transmit at 3 Minutes.

 

[MARCUSO]

NO equipment will prevent me getting caught in a slide.

Scott, there is one thing though. your brain. That is one piece of equipment that can help prevent this and it is the most valuable equipment you have.
I know the Fernie/Sparwood avy is a touchy subject, but some things have to be discussed about safe practice. (I am not saying that any of these were not practiced in this situation, but from what I read it appears like a couple of things might not have been.)

Here is a general description of safe practice in my mind not in any order. Feel free to add or comment on my list.
-read the avy reports daily before you head out (this is a general outlook. conditions do vary from one place to another)
-test the snowpack in the places you are going to ride
-assess terrain traps
-spot the imminent dangers
-if the group has to cross a sketchy spot, one at a time
-where to park while watching
-find an escape route before you need one
-make sure your sled is ready to go in the right direction in a split second's notice
-one at a time on any hill
-let the guy dig himself out ALONE on the hillside
-keep your backpack on your body when in any danger zone
-keep all avalanche equipment and radios on your person, not your sled
-learn how to use all this equipment PROPERLY and EFFICIENTLY!

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE AVY REPORTS AND DIGGING A PIT

You will never keep people out of the backcountry, no matter what you tell them or how dangerous the conditions may be.
I myself am a good example. If the conditions are favorable for an avy, I may still go out, but I stick to simpler terrain.I know of some sweet spots that may seem boring to some, but they are safe.
The best defence tool for preventing (in the backcountry) tragedies is your brain. Experience is a great thing, but the self taught stuff is just not enough.
Is there a chance that I may be exposing myself to a high risk situation? YES.
Can I minimize the risk? YES
Can I avoid all risk? YES---only if you stay out of the mountains.

 

[V-Man]

Getting buried while putting your beacon in the receive mode looking for your buried buddies.....something to think about.... ABS bags.

Really? Do you think you'd float to the top in that situation? To me they only seem helpful if your're riding it down. If you're sitting at the bottom and get over taken in the deposition zone would they provide any benefit?

I'm no expert, but them seem most effective in soft snow slides. The freak slides on "unsuspecting" slopes that result in refrigerator sized chunks of snow and ice seem inescapable. It doesn't seem like anything would spare you from the trama involved in thick slabs slides like many of the ones we have seen already this year.

Backcountry skiiers have to be on the hill to have fun. Snowmobilers do not. Many guys will take these risks with or without one. I think they may change a snowmobiler's behavior slightly for the worse. The reality is they do greatly increase your odds of surviving a slide. If you love risking your life and climbing in deep fresh snow they seem like a must have.

 

[Clarke673]

We all pitched in and bought two packs so we can share them through the group.

You can't live in fear all year long. Right now its not going to happen but when we get a better base and some of us want to go carve a sick line up a avy prone hill, at least we will be a lot more safe and have a lot better chances then say...last year.

JUST because we have the pack i doubt we will really hit any thin harder. The fact remains we did it with out packs before so no reason to stop now especially if you have a pack and are choosing good hills and good lines, and picking your lines before you climb. Thinking about where you would go if you felt it slide at all. E.T.C.

I plan on buying my own pack in a few weeks if i can swing it because sharing it doesn't seem worth it to me.

Another thing people need t start doing is hit a hill 2-3 times you do NOT let the group get comfortable at the bottom of a slide zone. Before you know it some one will have they’re sled tore apart cause he is running to rich or something stupid, rider up above causes a avy but gets out of the path and the whole group is killed.

Also, last year i got several hills right above roads to slide and one of them would have taken some one out if they were on the road and pushed them right into thick forest. IT was also in spring when no one expects avy’s, and i side-hilled out of it about 20 feet before it would have pushed me off the bank which would have probably killed me. Also, because it was on the trail I was way ahead of everyone going faster and it took them 20 min before they caught up because some one hit a tree and got stuck. Riding in the meadows and watching the big boys play can still be dangerous.

If you can’t live with the risks, move to South Dakota and worry about hitting rocks at 80 mph and wires that will cut your head off. Also, just think about all the driving you do just to get to where you are going, often in poor road conditions, and realize you have a better chance of dieing while doing that anyways.

Our sport is inherently dangerous no matter where you are, who you are, and how you are doing it. Simply some take more risks than others and some pay for it.

 

[X-it]

Early in the year, powder stuffed down your lungs, later in the year house size crushers. If your in the mountains there is a good chance your going to die. Don't blame anybody its your own fault your dead. If your in the mountains you already have made a mistake...no exceptions

 

[Dogmeat]

The entire point of the Avy class Mike Duffy teaches is that if you have to use your avalanche gear you've already made too many mistakes.

Words to live by.

 

[Cyle]

Early in the year, powder stuffed down your lungs, later in the year house size crushers. If your in the mountains there is a good chance your going to die. Don't blame anybody its your own fault your dead.

This is one of the dumbest posts ever i've seen