I feel the same way. I've given the bird to more than one person driving down the road talking on their cell phone. Dangerous! I'm going to start pulling them over and enlightening them.
Lessons I have learned from Avy in GL
- Thread starter Mrs Snowrider
- Start date
Truly sad - the older of two who died left behind a set of twins and a wife...
I've never found much fun from of high marking, I just never saw the point of doing it, nor have I ever owned a sled that would high mark anyone so what's the point, I prefer to tear up the meadows... I do have the avy gear thanks to Boondock making me aware of avy danger years ago, I don't always carry the beacon unless of course I'm with other riders that have them also...
Live to ride another powder day... Nothing compares to a 3 or 4 foot day at da Ears!!!
Edit:
Oh and by the way by the end of next week I'll be chomping at the bit to hit the Ears for first ride of the season, lets do a little boondockin'.....
I've never found much fun from of high marking, I just never saw the point of doing it, nor have I ever owned a sled that would high mark anyone so what's the point, I prefer to tear up the meadows... I do have the avy gear thanks to Boondock making me aware of avy danger years ago, I don't always carry the beacon unless of course I'm with other riders that have them also...
Live to ride another powder day... Nothing compares to a 3 or 4 foot day at da Ears!!!
Edit:
Oh and by the way by the end of next week I'll be chomping at the bit to hit the Ears for first ride of the season, lets do a little boondockin'.....
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Just because you have beacon doesn't make you invinsible. Beacons are good..... for finding the dead bodies quicker. Quit bashing S&R, they are no good unless they're at the bottom of the hill, just like everyone.
S&R has NOTHING to do with avalanche recue. They're not even part of the discussion. If you want to have a chance of living through an avy, educate your friends & don't even think of S&R as being part of the equation.
Buy & wear a beacon whether you plan on highmarking or not, you could be the one that makes a difference in finding someone. Also this year I have set off two slides WITHOUT EVEN TOUCHING the slope, just from being near the base of the slope so you may not even realize the danger you're in. Myself I like the fancy beacons but the tracker is the only one I would buy.
This year I spent nearly $1k on an abs pack, the only thing that might actually keep your friends from having to use the beacons to find you. I choose, in part because it's my back yard, to ride very high risk terrain. We modify our riding style & location depending on avy conditions, but still it's rather high risk so I want every chance I can get. Been in a lot of slides, some smaller, some big enough to break through a frozen lake, they're all scary.
99% survival rate with an abs pack. It doesn't make you invincible, but it sure increases your chances of survival & decreases your likelyhood of trauma injury.
Buy & wear a beacon whether you plan on highmarking or not, you could be the one that makes a difference in finding someone. Also this year I have set off two slides WITHOUT EVEN TOUCHING the slope, just from being near the base of the slope so you may not even realize the danger you're in. Myself I like the fancy beacons but the tracker is the only one I would buy.
This year I spent nearly $1k on an abs pack, the only thing that might actually keep your friends from having to use the beacons to find you. I choose, in part because it's my back yard, to ride very high risk terrain. We modify our riding style & location depending on avy conditions, but still it's rather high risk so I want every chance I can get. Been in a lot of slides, some smaller, some big enough to break through a frozen lake, they're all scary.
99% survival rate with an abs pack. It doesn't make you invincible, but it sure increases your chances of survival & decreases your likelyhood of trauma injury.
F
FCR112
ACCOUNT CLOSED
Again all thoughts and prayers to those who helped and the families/friends of those who passed on.
I can't let this slide man...you said it, "contrary and silly"
I don't know you and you are probaly a great person, but you should reassess your take on the Avy Equipment/riding with people who use it.
It's ORM buddy. Operational Risk Management, something tells me you have heard of that, but if you haven't I apologize. Please Google it.
If you and your wife had beacons on there would be a lot you could do, not only for each other, but for anyone else who was caught in a slide that you rode up on. If you were involved in a recovery you know first hand beacons are unquestionably irreplaceable when locating someone who is buried.
As far as you Loving to hill climb but not doing it until January without a beacon on you or your wife? How will that help your kids?
What kind of sense does that make...
Is the AVY DANGER somehow going to magically disappear 30 days from now making it safe to pull climbs without the appropriate gear?
How would this be good advise for ANYONE who rides in the Colorado mountains?
Do you not turn your GPWS on in that Lear because people who use it fly too close to the ground? Or the TCAS because people who use it fly too close to other aircraft with it on? Come on, it's like argueing wearing your seatbelt isn't safe because you take greater risks while wearing it?
End Rant...
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I'm going to stop wearing my seatbelt now.
I feel much safer.
I feel much safer.
F
FCR112
ACCOUNT CLOSED
Sweet,
So now that you have stopped wearing your seatbelt I will choose to ride in a car with you because you are less likely to take the risks that those drivers who have a sense of invulnerabilty because they drive around wearing their seatbelts.
Good Talk Backcountry
yep, glad we had that talk.
(cause you know next time you're in the truck with me I'll be WAYYYY safer than before!!)
(cause you know next time you're in the truck with me I'll be WAYYYY safer than before!!)
B
BackCountryBob
Well-known member
Many thanks go out to Nan (MrsSnowrider), MrSnowrider and MR SKIDOO for their quick thinking. They are members of the Mile Hi Snowmoble club and have had many years of training in avy safety, rescue, first aid and are expert backcountry riders.
Our club has had, as featured speakers, BAC reps demonstrate proper beacon/probe useage, multi-burial demos; CAIC demonstrations on snow pack stability, reading aspects, one rider on a hill at a time, etc; Colorado State Patrol on winter driving techniques; USGS map reading and GPS useage for communication. We published all the county sheriff's direct phone numbers so we can contact them direct without the confusion and time waste of dealing with the 911 operators as S & R is dispatched by the sheriff
I know when I ride with our members that safety is a primary concern. Our club extends its sympathies to all the family members of this tragic accident and we extend our hand to other sledders looking to find like minded riding partners. Our web site is now on www.coloradosledcity.com and we meet the first Wedsday of the month.
BCB
V.P Safety
Mile Hi Snowmobile Club
Lakewood, Co
Our club has had, as featured speakers, BAC reps demonstrate proper beacon/probe useage, multi-burial demos; CAIC demonstrations on snow pack stability, reading aspects, one rider on a hill at a time, etc; Colorado State Patrol on winter driving techniques; USGS map reading and GPS useage for communication. We published all the county sheriff's direct phone numbers so we can contact them direct without the confusion and time waste of dealing with the 911 operators as S & R is dispatched by the sheriff
I know when I ride with our members that safety is a primary concern. Our club extends its sympathies to all the family members of this tragic accident and we extend our hand to other sledders looking to find like minded riding partners. Our web site is now on www.coloradosledcity.com and we meet the first Wedsday of the month.
BCB
V.P Safety
Mile Hi Snowmobile Club
Lakewood, Co
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Excellent site for avalanche beacon information beaconreviews.com
This is a very unfortunate accident we can all stand in judgement but its still an accident as in all accidents there is things can prevent or lessen the out come we are all at fault one time or another one small fact 92% of all avy victems have had avy training we all make mistakes learn live & ride god bless
Mrs Powderfish here...............
Mrs Snowrider, God Bless you, Hubby, & your friends ! Atleast you all had the knowledge to try, to save their lives ! THANK YOU !!
My hubby was up at GL that day but left around noon. He likes to highmark too, but could see the conditions were dangerous. We have beacons,(trackers) probes & shovels. Some of our friends don't, but that doesn't keep us from wearing them.
I agree we all should have safety equipt, & be prepared, I don't personally feel safe without it, I am not a risk taker, but I still feel safer wearing it just incase.
However.........I still don't feel like people should bash these guys. I am sure they didn't wake up in the morning & say " come on guys, let's go set off an avalanche today & die". This is a sad sad time, regardless ! Remember we ALL make mistakes, and ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN !
A loss of life in any situation is SAD ! MY prayers & thoughts do go out to these families who lost a loved one on Sat. I am sure they were both wonderful guys !
I am hoping this will make people more aware of the dangers, and be educated.
Happy riding to you all ! Be safe !
Mrs Powderfish
Mrs Snowrider, God Bless you, Hubby, & your friends ! Atleast you all had the knowledge to try, to save their lives ! THANK YOU !!
My hubby was up at GL that day but left around noon. He likes to highmark too, but could see the conditions were dangerous. We have beacons,(trackers) probes & shovels. Some of our friends don't, but that doesn't keep us from wearing them.
I agree we all should have safety equipt, & be prepared, I don't personally feel safe without it, I am not a risk taker, but I still feel safer wearing it just incase.
However.........I still don't feel like people should bash these guys. I am sure they didn't wake up in the morning & say " come on guys, let's go set off an avalanche today & die". This is a sad sad time, regardless ! Remember we ALL make mistakes, and ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN !
A loss of life in any situation is SAD ! MY prayers & thoughts do go out to these families who lost a loved one on Sat. I am sure they were both wonderful guys !
I am hoping this will make people more aware of the dangers, and be educated.
Happy riding to you all ! Be safe !
Mrs Powderfish
You are right powderfish. We met this family 2 years ago. They live 2 minutes from our house. What are the odds. People need to remember we all make mistakes. Some are more costly than others. I only hope that the awareness has been increased with EVERYONE and we can't take ahything for granted. Safety always comes first!
This is a very sad event indeed and didn't have to happen.
As for those of you bashing S&R, that's entirely unfair. My boss, Greg Foley, is an incident commander for them, and he was on the rescue that day. He also owns Trailblazer Snowmobile Tours in Fraser. I see first hand how well trained and how dedicated this group of volunteers is. This particular group in Grand County is among the most well trained in the entire state, and for that matter, the entire country. They are good at what they do, and in fact have a very high success rate. They have saved far more lives than they have lost. Greg doesn't just see his position on S&R as a volunteer effort, but as a very important job and huge responsibility which he takes very seriously. I would describe his mood as devastated the day following this accident. I've had the opportunity to work very closely with Greg over the past two years and have learned a lot from him, so I take it personally when it is assumed S&R was inadequately trained and unprepared for this rescue.
All of this being said, S&R was on the scene as soon as they possibly could have been and started the rescue/recover effort right away. We all know time is a huge factor when it comes to avalanches, so the longer someone remains buried, the lower their chance for survival is. I believe the only way these men would have survived is if they had been wearing beacons that day, but sadly they weren't.
Even more sadly, this could have been prevented. If someone is stuck on a steep hill like Gravel, going up to help is not a good idea, especially with the way snow conditions have been. The chance for triggering a slide is insanely high. When I'm here at my parent's house, I get to look up at Gravel every morning when I wake up, and it is one of my favorite places to go sledding, one of my favorite places to high mark. With this kind of avalanche danger right now, it's just not a good idea, so I don't do it.
This is a very sad event, and my heart goes out to the families who have been devastated by it. I truly couldn't imagine losing a family member or a friend to something like this.
We all need to be careful when we're out there and live to ride another day.
As for those of you bashing S&R, that's entirely unfair. My boss, Greg Foley, is an incident commander for them, and he was on the rescue that day. He also owns Trailblazer Snowmobile Tours in Fraser. I see first hand how well trained and how dedicated this group of volunteers is. This particular group in Grand County is among the most well trained in the entire state, and for that matter, the entire country. They are good at what they do, and in fact have a very high success rate. They have saved far more lives than they have lost. Greg doesn't just see his position on S&R as a volunteer effort, but as a very important job and huge responsibility which he takes very seriously. I would describe his mood as devastated the day following this accident. I've had the opportunity to work very closely with Greg over the past two years and have learned a lot from him, so I take it personally when it is assumed S&R was inadequately trained and unprepared for this rescue.
All of this being said, S&R was on the scene as soon as they possibly could have been and started the rescue/recover effort right away. We all know time is a huge factor when it comes to avalanches, so the longer someone remains buried, the lower their chance for survival is. I believe the only way these men would have survived is if they had been wearing beacons that day, but sadly they weren't.
Even more sadly, this could have been prevented. If someone is stuck on a steep hill like Gravel, going up to help is not a good idea, especially with the way snow conditions have been. The chance for triggering a slide is insanely high. When I'm here at my parent's house, I get to look up at Gravel every morning when I wake up, and it is one of my favorite places to go sledding, one of my favorite places to high mark. With this kind of avalanche danger right now, it's just not a good idea, so I don't do it.
This is a very sad event, and my heart goes out to the families who have been devastated by it. I truly couldn't imagine losing a family member or a friend to something like this.
We all need to be careful when we're out there and live to ride another day.
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