Agree 1000%. I've had some of those "holy ****" moments and I'm sure if I was on camera, I could've been heard laughing and shouting "WOW!"
And thanks to all those posting tips and pointers. Keep them coming. You never know whose life you may save.
Rode out of Avalanche (Moved from Mountain/Powder)
- Thread starter dgoetz
- Start date
Agree 1000%. I've had some of those "holy ****" moments and I'm sure if I was on camera, I could've been heard laughing and shouting "WOW!"
And thanks to all those posting tips and pointers. Keep them coming. You never know whose life you may save.
J
Jammmin
Well-known member
MY $0.2
What did you learn?
How educated are the riders you ride with?
How well do they know their equipment?
How fast are they with the equipment?
-
I have trigger a couple my self - knock on wood >>>.
You were very lucky, glad to see you made it out, and thanks for posting.
What did you learn?
How educated are the riders you ride with?
How well do they know their equipment?
How fast are they with the equipment?
-
I have trigger a couple my self - knock on wood >>>.
You were very lucky, glad to see you made it out, and thanks for posting.
just remember there are more then 30 people that will never ever get to highmark a hill, climb a chute, or kiss their family. I 100% doubt anyone of them looked at the hills they were in and said "yep, looks like it could slide.......lets cut it up"
you might want to adapt a little snow science into your luck strategy or you too will be statistic.
G
girlpowder
Guest
I personally think he was lookin for a little excitement considering he had a helmet cam on and was recording.
Not sure excitement was the right word.
Not sure excitement was the right word.
I hear a bunch of poeple dogging the guy, yet don't know where he was riding. The avy danger in colorado is not anywhere near what BC has been seeing lately. The other thing is if people are constantly getting ridiculed, they will stop posting and none of us will get to learn from the experience.
S
SSWIM
Well-known member
[
ps, ski breeze, i disagree. People need to hear this message until they get it! UT, WY, ID, CO.... all unstable and all having the same base layer issues. the slides are bigger in BC but they are sliding EVERYWHERE at lower angles than usual this year. We had one in Utah at only 20 degrees pitch. People NEED to know this. this is NOT our normal year!!!!!![/QUOTE]
This is not a bash. Most of your post is spot on. Regarding the conditions though???? In Colorado the conditions are low in most areas now. I think this is what Skibreeze was alluding. Does this mean you must stay off the slopes??? Yes, this year has been different, that is for sure. But when conditions are posted low, and the danger of slides is not present, is it not acceptable to venture on the slopes???
Just curious as to your thoughts. Again, not a bash.
Sam
ps, ski breeze, i disagree. People need to hear this message until they get it! UT, WY, ID, CO.... all unstable and all having the same base layer issues. the slides are bigger in BC but they are sliding EVERYWHERE at lower angles than usual this year. We had one in Utah at only 20 degrees pitch. People NEED to know this. this is NOT our normal year!!!!!![/QUOTE]
This is not a bash. Most of your post is spot on. Regarding the conditions though???? In Colorado the conditions are low in most areas now. I think this is what Skibreeze was alluding. Does this mean you must stay off the slopes??? Yes, this year has been different, that is for sure. But when conditions are posted low, and the danger of slides is not present, is it not acceptable to venture on the slopes???
Just curious as to your thoughts. Again, not a bash.
Sam
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R
Rock Star
Well-known member
No, Sam, and thanks. We here in Utah are praying to hear the word LOW in our Avy Forecast. We get the report daily and we are only low at low elevation in certain exposures. We are still considerable for the most part here. If we had a low report we'd go for it too. NOTE. Temp and wind and sun can change conditions overnight or even throughout the day. Just be safe and smart. I am ALL about riding!!!!!
S
SSWIM
Well-known member
Thanks back at ya. BTW, I have left my Tapex at home most of the year just because of the slide danger. No reason to tempt myself.
Sam
M
MTdream
Well-known member
Sam,
the problem is that the avy report is only as good as the exact slope and time they do it...things are too different for us sledders...
one slope might be moderate, another we hit might be low, and the third one we hit might be extreme, and the slope angle is but only ONE factor...
We had a low report last year (thursday) and the next day when going in, we saw lots of signs, sloughing of trees, new drifts, and couple small slides...and we self reported it as being extreme, and were VERY cautious each talking and sharing our concerns throughout the day, and we were fortunate to get out, as someone died on the hill next to us the following day...
all while the report was moderate...
reports are ONLY as good as the time, date, and exact slope they are studied for... (that is NOT to take away from reports, I read and watch them fairly religiously)
man you are lucky, but more then one on that slope kinda pushing it,a guy really needs to know his snow conditions
I guess I just don't understand.
Evil Kanevial and every other freestyle motorcrosser these days does stunts where they cheat death, yet we fill the stands and cheer!!
NASCAR drivers and every other motorsport racer cheats death and yet again, we fill the stands and cheer!!
What about the NFL playoff game when the guy got pulled off on a stretcher after getting hit, we fill the stands and cheer!!
A snowmobiler does what he loves, cheats death and we burn him at the stake.
I dont get it. No one wants to see anyone die, but most of us snowmobile because it is an EXTREME sport and we love the adrenaline rush. Take precautions, enjoy the sport we all love and let people make their own decisions, they are the ones who have to take responsibility and own up to their mistakes.
Its no different than being a cop. They go out every day with the fact that they could be killed on duty, yet they continue to go to work because they love it. How about a soldier?? All of these people had a choice, and they chose to risk their life for something they love to do.
Anyways, I am sure I will be tied to the stake after this.
Evil Kanevial and every other freestyle motorcrosser these days does stunts where they cheat death, yet we fill the stands and cheer!!
NASCAR drivers and every other motorsport racer cheats death and yet again, we fill the stands and cheer!!
What about the NFL playoff game when the guy got pulled off on a stretcher after getting hit, we fill the stands and cheer!!
A snowmobiler does what he loves, cheats death and we burn him at the stake.
I dont get it. No one wants to see anyone die, but most of us snowmobile because it is an EXTREME sport and we love the adrenaline rush. Take precautions, enjoy the sport we all love and let people make their own decisions, they are the ones who have to take responsibility and own up to their mistakes.
Its no different than being a cop. They go out every day with the fact that they could be killed on duty, yet they continue to go to work because they love it. How about a soldier?? All of these people had a choice, and they chose to risk their life for something they love to do.
Anyways, I am sure I will be tied to the stake after this.
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Reason for post
I have read everyones comments so far. I have over 40 yrs of continous snowmobile experience, 35 in the N/W Wyo area. I have operated a snowmobile tour business teaching thousands of people to operate a snowmobile for 18 yrs. I have made two instructional snowmobile riding programs for TV. I have served as an expert witness in two snowmobile accident court cases one involving 2 deaths. For 10 yr period I averaged 7000 mi a yr on a snowmobile. I owned and operated a snowmobile dealership for 16 yrs. I have personnally been involed in 3 avalanches in the 35 yrs of riding in the mountains. I have had a close friend die in a avalanche.
With all that being said, I posted this thread to inform and make aware of the potential risk we all take when we go into the mountains. We did have survival gear with us. I have never observed a significant slide on that hill face in 20 yrs of riding it. That particular mountain face area is over a mi long and I didn't see any slides along the whole face and I saw plenty of s/m climbing tracks on the hill faces on way up to that spot. I knew that the avalanche forcast for this area that day was considerable and I made a bad choice in hind site but most of the time we ride in Jan and part of Feb the forcast is moderate to considerable.
I thought about editing out the comments and talk in the video, It was adrenaline and relief talking and nothing else. My wife (she was the buddy on the other s/m I was waiting for before I started my climb) and I take s/m riding safety very seriously. I didn't have to post this and I know I will take criticism from some of you but it needed to be posted. Maybe this will save somebodys life.
I have read everyones comments so far. I have over 40 yrs of continous snowmobile experience, 35 in the N/W Wyo area. I have operated a snowmobile tour business teaching thousands of people to operate a snowmobile for 18 yrs. I have made two instructional snowmobile riding programs for TV. I have served as an expert witness in two snowmobile accident court cases one involving 2 deaths. For 10 yr period I averaged 7000 mi a yr on a snowmobile. I owned and operated a snowmobile dealership for 16 yrs. I have personnally been involed in 3 avalanches in the 35 yrs of riding in the mountains. I have had a close friend die in a avalanche.
With all that being said, I posted this thread to inform and make aware of the potential risk we all take when we go into the mountains. We did have survival gear with us. I have never observed a significant slide on that hill face in 20 yrs of riding it. That particular mountain face area is over a mi long and I didn't see any slides along the whole face and I saw plenty of s/m climbing tracks on the hill faces on way up to that spot. I knew that the avalanche forcast for this area that day was considerable and I made a bad choice in hind site but most of the time we ride in Jan and part of Feb the forcast is moderate to considerable.
I thought about editing out the comments and talk in the video, It was adrenaline and relief talking and nothing else. My wife (she was the buddy on the other s/m I was waiting for before I started my climb) and I take s/m riding safety very seriously. I didn't have to post this and I know I will take criticism from some of you but it needed to be posted. Maybe this will save somebodys life.
If you know the people and if you were there...
Hey ya'll... speculation is easy - here is a perspective from someone who was there!
I am the 'first guy coming down the hill' - I am the guy's wife!
You can read about his years of experience in his reply... I know for a fact from riding with him the last 5 years that he never takes safety lightly. He is always very responsible and observant of the conditions that he takes people to ride in.
I really like some of the replies from ya'll that show you have some personal insight and allow for human-ness. IE: him 'laughing' at the end of the video... he knew instantly when he saw the fractures that he was in danger - he focused his knowledge and riding experience to manuveur himself to safety. Yes, he was lucky - but yes he also kept a level head and used his skills to help himself! There is a lot of adrenaline flowing when an experience like that happens... laughter is a common response once the immediate danger is passed.
Other things I know from experience about him - is how much he loves this sport, he enjoys sharing his knowledge of it with others, and he enjoys watching other people enjoy it too!
Personally, I think it is a good idea to learn from others riders' experience...
What are we going to do? Stay home and knit?! There is a risk if you go out -period! We learn from others and our own experience, we stay as informed of the conditions as we can, and we go out and ride!!!
Hey ya'll... speculation is easy - here is a perspective from someone who was there!
I am the 'first guy coming down the hill' - I am the guy's wife!
You can read about his years of experience in his reply... I know for a fact from riding with him the last 5 years that he never takes safety lightly. He is always very responsible and observant of the conditions that he takes people to ride in.
I really like some of the replies from ya'll that show you have some personal insight and allow for human-ness. IE: him 'laughing' at the end of the video... he knew instantly when he saw the fractures that he was in danger - he focused his knowledge and riding experience to manuveur himself to safety. Yes, he was lucky - but yes he also kept a level head and used his skills to help himself! There is a lot of adrenaline flowing when an experience like that happens... laughter is a common response once the immediate danger is passed.
Other things I know from experience about him - is how much he loves this sport, he enjoys sharing his knowledge of it with others, and he enjoys watching other people enjoy it too!
Personally, I think it is a good idea to learn from others riders' experience...
What are we going to do? Stay home and knit?! There is a risk if you go out -period! We learn from others and our own experience, we stay as informed of the conditions as we can, and we go out and ride!!!
S
SSWIM
Well-known member
Agreed. That is why we are cautious and look for instability and\or signs of slides. I am also cautious in the fact I wear an ABS bag even on days of green\low danger. Hope I don't get "branded" stupid for that. JK.
Great information on the threads. Hope it saves lives. Like posted above, be safe to ride another day.
Sam
Thanks for posting it and a class act response. I know many people have learned a bit because of it.
R
RamrodAK1
Member
Hey dgoetz. I've seen my little brother and a friend of mine do the same thing you did up here in Alaska. Both rode out of the avy. I could tell you werent to freaked out by the way you hit that wave. Most people hammer the throttle and hit that wave to fast and end up losing the sled. I think you were very smart for that. Also the control coming down the face there, you also didnt pin it out of there. Seen people hold it wide open then they come down and lose control also. So i think your control of the sled on the way down saved you. My 2 cents. Thanks for the post. Very fortunate and happy you made it bud!
G
girlpowder
Guest
ccpowder, good post and good points.
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