I see another post of a life ended too soon. Followed by many heartfelt notes of sorrow and condolenses. Yes, it is a very tragic and sad situation for the wives, girlfriends, children, parents and friends. But why do these people have to die????
There are always side notes that these people died doing what they love. But why does this passion have to be put ahead of the feellings of so many loved ones? It is simply a selfish act when people decide to ignore the avy warnings and massive media attention surrounding the conditions this year and choose to put themselves in a known risky situation and die! It's easy to be dead! By proving how great their sled is and chasing their adrenaline rush they hurt so many for so long. And countless others are brought into these situations as well.
Quote from Snow and Mud:
Re: Clemina claims another.
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Is there some sort of contest to see how many snowmobilers can die this year?
As the search and rescue manager for the McBride & Valemount areas I can tell all of you that it's getting harder and harder to find trained professionals that are willing to bring out your dead.
The snowmobiling community has to address the number of deaths caused by this sport.
Dale Mason
Search and Rescue Manager
Robson Valley Search and Rescue
McBride & Valemount
Beyond the loss of life, a year like this may end up affecting our sport as a whole. Having only been a sledder for 3 yrs after over 20 yrs of skiing I know that we aren't a popular sport with the general public. We are seen as a polluting, noisy, and reckless group (rightfully so this year, we look like a bunch of lemmings walking off a cliff because we see one track heading there)! These things will all make land closures and extra regulation more appealing to politicians and environmental groups.
So before you head out for your next ride, think beyond your own personal rush. What does sledding mean to you? Lining up at the bottom of a big hill, taping your throttle to the bars and standing there till your ground speed falls enough to force a turn out; then hoping the hill holds in place? Can you not enjoy your day playing in small rolling hills, creekbeds, or meadows, while finding new areas and enjoying a bluebird day with your buddies?
Does it really upset you that much to come home from a weekend of sledding to have to tell your 3 yr old son that daddy had a bad weekend because all he did was ride endless powder with his buds but didn't get to highmark Suicide hill??? I know little Timmy would probably kick you in the junk, and run out of the room shouting "you pansy, your not my daddy anymore"!
So for the rest of this season and through the off season quit thinking about yourselves. Think who your decisions are affecting, what your life means to others, and what you really enjoy about sledding. If you cannot possibly see yourself sledding without hammering the hills, either quit this sport; or go out piss of all friends and relatives so much that they won't miss you when your gone. Then you can go hammer the hills with a clean conscience!
Our sport can be relatively safe with proper training and educated decisions based on what the pros say and what your training tells you about the conditions that you encounter.
There are always side notes that these people died doing what they love. But why does this passion have to be put ahead of the feellings of so many loved ones? It is simply a selfish act when people decide to ignore the avy warnings and massive media attention surrounding the conditions this year and choose to put themselves in a known risky situation and die! It's easy to be dead! By proving how great their sled is and chasing their adrenaline rush they hurt so many for so long. And countless others are brought into these situations as well.
Quote from Snow and Mud:
Re: Clemina claims another.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is there some sort of contest to see how many snowmobilers can die this year?
As the search and rescue manager for the McBride & Valemount areas I can tell all of you that it's getting harder and harder to find trained professionals that are willing to bring out your dead.
The snowmobiling community has to address the number of deaths caused by this sport.
Dale Mason
Search and Rescue Manager
Robson Valley Search and Rescue
McBride & Valemount
Beyond the loss of life, a year like this may end up affecting our sport as a whole. Having only been a sledder for 3 yrs after over 20 yrs of skiing I know that we aren't a popular sport with the general public. We are seen as a polluting, noisy, and reckless group (rightfully so this year, we look like a bunch of lemmings walking off a cliff because we see one track heading there)! These things will all make land closures and extra regulation more appealing to politicians and environmental groups.
So before you head out for your next ride, think beyond your own personal rush. What does sledding mean to you? Lining up at the bottom of a big hill, taping your throttle to the bars and standing there till your ground speed falls enough to force a turn out; then hoping the hill holds in place? Can you not enjoy your day playing in small rolling hills, creekbeds, or meadows, while finding new areas and enjoying a bluebird day with your buddies?
Does it really upset you that much to come home from a weekend of sledding to have to tell your 3 yr old son that daddy had a bad weekend because all he did was ride endless powder with his buds but didn't get to highmark Suicide hill??? I know little Timmy would probably kick you in the junk, and run out of the room shouting "you pansy, your not my daddy anymore"!
So for the rest of this season and through the off season quit thinking about yourselves. Think who your decisions are affecting, what your life means to others, and what you really enjoy about sledding. If you cannot possibly see yourself sledding without hammering the hills, either quit this sport; or go out piss of all friends and relatives so much that they won't miss you when your gone. Then you can go hammer the hills with a clean conscience!
Our sport can be relatively safe with proper training and educated decisions based on what the pros say and what your training tells you about the conditions that you encounter.
cheered him on to do a huge jump and he crashed,breaking his back in several places. I would think someone like Blair Morgan would go back and do things differently if he had the chance. Life is far too short to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair, or to miss out on years of fun without the pain. I really do feel for those who have died in avy's, but I feel far more for the ones left behind to grieve. They are the ones who have to go on hurting. I hope no one is offended by this because that is certainly not my intent. I simply HATE to see the pain left behind when a loved one dies unnecessarily, just for the sake of fun. RIP to all who have died.
