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Scare at 14000 feet

I did my last day on the sled a couple of weeks ago. The following week was cold, and from Denver I could see there was still a lot of snow on Mount Evans. So I took my snowboard up there for some late season runs.

There was almost foot of new snow that had fallen earlier in the week. The weather was cloudy but warm. The first run was ok, but a little tracked out. Seems too many people are in the backcountry now. We headed back up to the top to take a less popular line.

This line was a very steep, semi technical line. There is about 150 vertical of a straight shot, followed by a cliffy, rocky area. Below that, there is nice steep bowl area. There is a way around the rocky area. It involves a couple of turns in the open area, then cutting accross, above the rocks. That leaves you above the bowl.

So, I got to the top of the run first. My buddy arrived and I strapped on my board and took off. My plan was to make three turns in the open area, then cut accross to access the bowl. I made the first two turns and went for the third, a heel edge turn, and the snow started sluffing. Only the new snow, but it was heavy and wet. I have been in small sluffs like this before and have always gotten out of them easily. This time that was not the case. The snow above me also started to move. The sluff knocked me to me butt. I was not worried yet. The snow was moving super slow. I thought I was going to still be able to escape by just riding out.

I couldn't even stand up. I was trapped on a slushy, slow moving slide. Luckily, the snow wet enough so it kept me on top of it. The problem was that I was going over the rocky area, like it or not. Over I went, through the rocks. Fortunately I wasn't above the cliffs. I went over the rocks and down about 600 vertical into the bowl. I had managed to remain right side up during my trip, so I just had some bruises and a damaged board.

I had not bothered to even wait for my buddy to clip in. He didn't even see what had happened. I had assumed that since it was June, there was little avalanche danger. I had done the line in previous years, so I wasn't afraid of it. Next time I should probably excerise a little more caution.

I wish I had a picture to share with ya.
 
Spring slides

Here is a spring ava west of Whistler. Would not want to be around when this let loose! I think that this was 2-3 days old when we got there. We were not able to get around this.

IMG_4298.jpg IMG_4293.jpg
 
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On the saterday before memorial day me and a buddy went out for an afternoon ride, it was a nice sunny day, about 75 degrees or so. Once we got to the area we wanted to ride my buddy flew right to the top and i wasn't sure if i could do it. It had snowed about a foot the week before and it did not seem like it had any potental to slide anymore for the year. so i go up that same hill he had no trouble going up and about 2/3 of the way up i knew i couldn't make the last pull so i cut to the left and back to the right and sidehilled out across this pretty steep face and went down to a little bench and stopped. I looked back once i stopped and saw that everything from my sidehill down just crumbled and slide about half way down the hill. it was just the top layer of the previous snow fall but it still was kinda spooky. It sure made me think about it for awhile!

Jayson
 
SmokenJay..........very glad to hear you are still with us to enjoy the backcountry.

Hope the healing is quick!

Ride another day.
 
Sounds like a Wild Ride to say the least. Did you toss the $hitty boxers or take em home for a souvenier? :o Happy to see you're still around to share the story :beer;
 
Sounds like you were out there too late in the day. In the spring/summer you have to go early in the morning. By noon the snow has warmed up and the wet slides start happening. I have done those snowboard runs on Mt Evans too. We were kindo of pushing the timing while we were there. Definatley saw some sluffage. I remember when a guy died at A-basin at the end of May from a wet slide. Spring is dangerous when temps are above freezing at night ecspecially
 
You guys ever see or hear about the slide that killed a person or two at Arapahoe Basin ski are in late May or July a few years ago?
The whole hill gave way, the one that was packed everyday for the entire season. It didn't have any new sno on it at all.

Once temps get to hot all that water seeps down and starts melting the very first base layer and here she comes.

http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20050521/NEWS/105210018
 
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