Island Park - Could not believe what I saw!

[Jeff C]

Just got back from I.P and as most of you know, there was a kid killed in an avalanche last Saturday.....

We were up on the ridge south of where it happened. It happened on the peak to the left of windshield hill.

We were standing there about a mile away looking at what happened and we saw four sledders going up the avalanche debris from the bottom up about a quarter mile. Being so far away from them, we could do nothing but watch as they climbed about 2/3 the way up the debris.

I am sure they thought it was safe because it slid already, how could it be unsafe.......

Well, what they could not see, but what we could see, was that the entire right side of the chute had NOT yet let go. It was sitting there ripe to slide.

One of the brainiacs, left the debris near the top and made a cut into the stuff that had not yet let go.

Fortunately, it did not let go and they continued to play to the west of the slide area before leaving.

I sat there the whole time with my cell phone out ready to call 911, I was that sure it would slide.

Come on people, use your heads!


Island park is getting safer by the day, as there was no new snow, and it was warm out so there is a good chance of that bottom layer finally bonding to the rocks/brush/dirt.

By the way, that slide that killed that young kid, broke all the way down to the dirt. There was no way to get out of the way, that hill is like a funnel. You are screwed if you get caught there. It is the front side or Reas peak, down about 500' from the top.

For the record, it was just west of the left most point of windshield hill. I never liked that chute, never played in there, and never will allow any of my group to go in there. It is a death trap......

 

[exman04]

Yeah i heard about that. The 4 guys were my buddies, and if it was them (not using there heads) the 21 year old kid would still be 5 feet under the snow. Atleast they had enough balls to go and find the kid, and try to save him if his neck wouldnt have been broke, but atleast they tryed. Have you ever heard that you dont think straight when your in shock, atleast they had enough common courtesy to look for the guy. I think that you should give them a little respect for putting there lives at steak to help someone they didnt even know. If you were the one that was 5 feet under would you want to be found wether your alive or not, cause i know that i would want to be found for my funeral.

 

[logger155]

Dude if i ever see you get in a avalache i'll remember not to help you with your life. My best buddies were the ones who tried to save that kids life. Your totally in the wrong sayong that.

 

[Snorider]

someone is reading this wrong, and maybe its me, but I thought he was saying that there was people playing in the same spot where the kid got killed. Not during the attempted rescue.

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

yeah, pretty sure if you saw somebody die in an avalance on a hillside, i DOUBT you would be up there the next week pounding the unslide top of the chute, if so, good luck, hopefully natural selection only takes you.


it is really scary some of the stuff i have seen with marks on it. lucky we dont have much snow, and most is rock hard from all the warm, so were pretty safe, just sucks to ride on!!

 

[exman04]

someone is reading this wrong, and maybe its me, but I thought he was saying that there was people playing in the same spot where the kid got killed. Not during the attempted rescue.

They were not on the same hill that slid. They were on a different hill that no one has seen slid, or atleast hasn't talked about it sliding. But if i read it wrong i do appoligize. What i got from this is that you were there while it happened. Like i said if not i am sorry.

 

[logger155]

I hope to god i read it wrong

 

[Blu Du]

what i gather from it he didn't see the deadly avy just a different one

 

[Snorider]

"I am sure they thought it was safe because it slid already, how could it be unsafe.......

Well, what they could not see, but what we could see, was that the entire right side of the chute had NOT yet let go."

sounds llike to me that not all of it had cut loose yet.

whats the verdic Jeff?

 

[JesseJames]

You guys should read a little more carefully. He isn't talking about the party that was involved in the avalanche. It was an entirely different group.....Jesse.

 

[m_beeson]

What a helpless feeling knowing that those guys were in danger,and there was nothing that you could do about it, other than get ready to rescue them.

Normally you would think that it is safe after it slid, but we've seen it before, even this year when the group of 8 came in to save the group of 5. (I think I got that right). What a horrible set of circumstanses.

good for you jeff. ya they did read that wrong...

His reference was not to the slide, or the rescue, but to people playing on a chute that had a considerable of load in it still.

 

[Jeff C]

It was the next day after the guy was already recovered!

IT WAS NOT DURING THE SEARCH!


These people were not in any way a part of any search......


And yes it was on the same hill that slid, the west part of the hill already slid, but the eastern part of that same hill had not yet slid.......

I don't think I made myself clear on the first post, sorry about that...........

 

[Long Gone]

The fellow that was killed was a great friend of mine. He loved life. However, he failed to realize that the same chute claimed the life of another rider 2 years earlier. I am getting more and more convinced that it would be justified to install 10' wide stop signs in certain places in our riding areas. It is unreal how people will not pay attention to avy conditions. We will all miss Josh, I hope that people will learn from his costly mistake and stay out of those places.

 

[yardsale_oem]

kudos to you for watching out for someone who was unaware!!!!

 

[IDspud]

Wasn't the deadly slide on the opposite side of Jefferson from windshield?

 

[Long Gone]

Correct. The slide is on the "west" end of Jefferson.

Check out pictures of the slide here:
http://www.fremontrescue.org/jan_2009.htm

 

[Jeff C]

The fellow that was killed was a great friend of mine. He loved life. However, he failed to realize that the same chute claimed the life of another rider 2 years earlier. I am getting more and more convinced that it would be justified to install 10' wide stop signs in certain places in our riding areas. It is unreal how people will not pay attention to avy conditions. We will all miss Josh, I hope that people will learn from his costly mistake and stay out of those places.

LG:

I am sorry you lost your friend.

I hate that chute, it is one big trap with no where to run or hide.

 

[Scott]

I heard people who WERE in an Avy just 30 mins before this one (one dude was buried up to his waist) pulled up and saw the rescue effort...they sat with their sleds pointed up hill on the debris pile...ate some sammiches while they watch the CPR. Didn't offer to help and then began banging on a hill around the corner.

 

[MPS]

I heard people who WERE in an Avy just 30 mins before this one (one dude was buried up to his waist) pulled up and saw the rescue effort...they sat with their sleds pointed up hill on the debris pile...ate some sammiches while they watch the CPR. Didn't offer to help and then began banging on a hill around the corner.

Are you f*cking kidding me!? People never cease to amaze me!

Jeff that is simply amazing! Again idiots never cease to amaze me. I am quite aware of that slide...I was riding near by the day before. We stayed away from risky areas.

Jeff how long you gonna be here? We were supposed to ride a few years back remember? We are heading to Kilgore on Tues...you wanna come? Much better than IP and it isn't far from there.

 

[high time]

Both sides of Jefferson slid Sat.

It's kinda' weird that in hero snow there's a high avy. danger. In this hero snow it was hard for some to back off. Our sleds can climb like never before, but should we? Not if you've got anyone depending on you to live, and if you don't I feel sad for you.


Owen