Turnagain Pass
- Thread starter AkHockey10
- Start date
today flat light, good snow, trail over top is good
How is the snow in the low areas? Suitable for women and kids or will it be a stuckfest?
hows the avy danger looking see any???
Didn't see any avalanches on the front side today. Light was bad before lunch, but got a little better after. A lot of people up there today.
Yeah I saw a paramedic truck, fire chief truck, big fire engine, and a rescue type truck pulling some snowmachines. This was between Turnagain and Girdwood heading towards Turnagain. Didn't look like a small deal
Yeah I saw a paramedic truck, fire chief truck, big fire engine, and a rescue type truck pulling some snowmachines. This was between Turnagain and Girdwood heading towards Turnagain. Didn't look like a small deal
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A
AkSummit
Member
On our way back from Lost Lake we seen all that. We pulled through to see what was up, all you could see from the road was flashing lights. It was a Fire Truck, Ambulance, Rescue and a State Trooper or two. Unfortunatly there was a yellow bag in the back of the ambulance and it was zipped up. I dont want to speculate because I DONT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED but I do know we were right behind a Girdwood ambulance that drove past girdwood and went into Anchorage. There were no emergency lights either. I hope that someone else has some information, and I damn sure dont want to be the bringer of bad news but it didnt look good.
The Helicopter was looking for some skiiers back in Johnson Pass. They were doing low flying searches right before dark. There also was rescue and troopers there to. The chopper was hovering above the treeline about 8 miles from the Rd. I hope they found them.
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C
CATKILLER
Active member
im not sure if all is correct by someone that was there today told me that a person not sure if a man or woman rode there sled off the cliff right in to zero bowl. witch is the first bowl you see as you summit the top of turny. again not 100% but thats what they said and the person didnot make it out alive they had a trooper heli to remove the body.
Not good, i bet well hear about it in the news. I might make an appearance tomrrow....
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My wife Erica , baby Amber, and I were in the parking lot at about 2pm waiting for one of our tours to get back so I could bring some of our 800 XP's back to town for rentals when a guy came racing up to our rig asking if I had a sat phone. I told him no that is was out on our tour and asked him why and he said that a guy on a yamaha went into a creek and needed help, some guys were trying to get the sled off of him as he was pinned under the sled in the creek with possible neck and back injuries.
I un-hooked from my trailer and drove down the pass for cell reception. (forgetting about the EAM phone attached to the bathroom) After speaking with Soldotna 911 they told me they just received the call from a snowmachiner near the bench and that help was on the way.
15 minutes later the troopers with two sleds showed up from the south and unloaded and followed a sleder to the scene on the front side. Next was an ambulance from cooper landing, then another ambulance from Girdwood, then a few state troopers, then another ambulance and a fire truck from Girdwood and the local enforcement ranger for the Chugach National Forest. It looked like ground zero for awhile. Once all the EMS services got out on the snow it was about 4pm or so. It seemed that there was plenty of EMS on the scene and nothing I could do from the parking lot.
Our trip got back off the snow and I loaded up our 800 xp's and headed towards Anchorage. I have not heard the outcome and can only hope for the best.
One thing that came to light while watching all of this is that someone needs to be at the parking lot to lead EMS to the location. After the two troopers unloaded and followed a sleder to the scene, there was 10 or so firefighters and paramedics who showed up and unloaded their gear (yellow bags) and had no idea where to go. They were trying to get the area from the troopers over the radio but none of them knew where to go without someone showing them. We left before we saw any choppers were on scene.
Chris
I un-hooked from my trailer and drove down the pass for cell reception. (forgetting about the EAM phone attached to the bathroom) After speaking with Soldotna 911 they told me they just received the call from a snowmachiner near the bench and that help was on the way.
15 minutes later the troopers with two sleds showed up from the south and unloaded and followed a sleder to the scene on the front side. Next was an ambulance from cooper landing, then another ambulance from Girdwood, then a few state troopers, then another ambulance and a fire truck from Girdwood and the local enforcement ranger for the Chugach National Forest. It looked like ground zero for awhile. Once all the EMS services got out on the snow it was about 4pm or so. It seemed that there was plenty of EMS on the scene and nothing I could do from the parking lot.
Our trip got back off the snow and I loaded up our 800 xp's and headed towards Anchorage. I have not heard the outcome and can only hope for the best.
One thing that came to light while watching all of this is that someone needs to be at the parking lot to lead EMS to the location. After the two troopers unloaded and followed a sleder to the scene, there was 10 or so firefighters and paramedics who showed up and unloaded their gear (yellow bags) and had no idea where to go. They were trying to get the area from the troopers over the radio but none of them knew where to go without someone showing them. We left before we saw any choppers were on scene.
Chris
Sad News
It appears there was a accident that claimed the life of a 16 yr old at Turny today. Not sure of the details and wasn't there but this is off the AST website:
Location: Turnagain Pass
Case number: 07-107686
Type: MVC-F
Text: On 12-29-07, at approximately 1507 hours, Troopers from Girdwood
and Seward responded to a location near
mile 69 of the Seward Highway for an initial report of an injured snow
machine rider. Upon arrival at the scene it was determined that a 16
year old male from Anchorage had been involved in a snow machine crash
and had died of injuries he sustained as a result of the crash. The
investigation is continuing.
Thoughts and Prayers go out to the family and friends.
It appears there was a accident that claimed the life of a 16 yr old at Turny today. Not sure of the details and wasn't there but this is off the AST website:
Location: Turnagain Pass
Case number: 07-107686
Type: MVC-F
Text: On 12-29-07, at approximately 1507 hours, Troopers from Girdwood
and Seward responded to a location near
mile 69 of the Seward Highway for an initial report of an injured snow
machine rider. Upon arrival at the scene it was determined that a 16
year old male from Anchorage had been involved in a snow machine crash
and had died of injuries he sustained as a result of the crash. The
investigation is continuing.
Thoughts and Prayers go out to the family and friends.
that is horrible. i found myself reading the past few posts extremely slow. in my head I could picture everything as i followed along. I feel for the family and friends of the rider and wish them the best. vance
Our best wishes go out to the family also...thats terrible!! 
Don't know who was traveling south from tury yesterday, but there was another accident in the Johnson Pass area. Thankfully he made it out w/ only injuries. Could have been alot worse. Keep it safe this weekend.
Type: Search and Rescue
Text: On 12/29/07, at approximately 1404 hours, Alaska State Troopers
from Girdwood, U.S. Forest Service, Moose Pass Fire/EMS responded to a
mountain valley area near mile 61 of the Seward Hwy. following a report
that a skier had been caught in an avalanche and had suffered a
traumatic injury. Other people traveling with the injured skier were
with the victim to provide first aid. A Trooper from Girdwood responded
to the general area of the injured person, who was determined to be Rory
Stark, age 36 of Anchorage, but was unable to access Stark because of
the terrain. A Pavehawk helicopter from the Rescue Coordination Center
was summoned to the area. Stark was then hoisted into the helicopter
and transported to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage for
treatment of a broken leg. The Alaska State Troopers would like to
thank the Rescue Coordination Center, USFS, Moose Pass Fire / EMS, and
good Samaritans who responded to the scene of the incident to help.
More info....
Avalanche and Snowpack Discussion (More detailed info…)
The surface hoar that formed during our cold snap Dec 13-19 is now buried under 2-4 feet of snow. Buried surface hoar can be one of the most dangerous weak layers in a snowpack and has been responsible for many avalanche fatalities over the years.
Since last Sunday, this layer has been responsible for at least five human-triggered avalanches on multiple aspects in Turnagain Pass and the Girdwood Valley. Surface hoar is famous for producing long-running fractures, and initially small harmless slides can propagate into deeper snow resulting in large dangerous avalanches. Every time we dig down into the snowpack we find this layer, from the valleys to the ridgetops. Most of the surface hoar seemed to have stayed intact before it was buried.
These are yellow-light conditions right now because the obvious signs of instability, like shooting cracks and whoomphing, may not be present everywhere. It is easy to get lulled into thinking conditions are stable when there are tracks everywhere. I struggled with this yesterday standing atop Sunburst with good visibility for once and a beautiful untracked powder run below me calling my name. Skiing and riding steep slopes with a deep slab instability like we have right now is similar to playing Russian roulette.
No new glide crack avalanches have been observed or reported since Dec 15, but we still need to stay out from under the runout zones of cracks that have not yet avalanched as they are very unpredictable. It is still possible to fall into a crack that has been bridged over by snow. Watch your partners carefully on the descent.
Type: Search and Rescue
Text: On 12/29/07, at approximately 1404 hours, Alaska State Troopers
from Girdwood, U.S. Forest Service, Moose Pass Fire/EMS responded to a
mountain valley area near mile 61 of the Seward Hwy. following a report
that a skier had been caught in an avalanche and had suffered a
traumatic injury. Other people traveling with the injured skier were
with the victim to provide first aid. A Trooper from Girdwood responded
to the general area of the injured person, who was determined to be Rory
Stark, age 36 of Anchorage, but was unable to access Stark because of
the terrain. A Pavehawk helicopter from the Rescue Coordination Center
was summoned to the area. Stark was then hoisted into the helicopter
and transported to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage for
treatment of a broken leg. The Alaska State Troopers would like to
thank the Rescue Coordination Center, USFS, Moose Pass Fire / EMS, and
good Samaritans who responded to the scene of the incident to help.
More info....
Avalanche and Snowpack Discussion (More detailed info…)
The surface hoar that formed during our cold snap Dec 13-19 is now buried under 2-4 feet of snow. Buried surface hoar can be one of the most dangerous weak layers in a snowpack and has been responsible for many avalanche fatalities over the years.
Since last Sunday, this layer has been responsible for at least five human-triggered avalanches on multiple aspects in Turnagain Pass and the Girdwood Valley. Surface hoar is famous for producing long-running fractures, and initially small harmless slides can propagate into deeper snow resulting in large dangerous avalanches. Every time we dig down into the snowpack we find this layer, from the valleys to the ridgetops. Most of the surface hoar seemed to have stayed intact before it was buried.
These are yellow-light conditions right now because the obvious signs of instability, like shooting cracks and whoomphing, may not be present everywhere. It is easy to get lulled into thinking conditions are stable when there are tracks everywhere. I struggled with this yesterday standing atop Sunburst with good visibility for once and a beautiful untracked powder run below me calling my name. Skiing and riding steep slopes with a deep slab instability like we have right now is similar to playing Russian roulette.
No new glide crack avalanches have been observed or reported since Dec 15, but we still need to stay out from under the runout zones of cracks that have not yet avalanched as they are very unpredictable. It is still possible to fall into a crack that has been bridged over by snow. Watch your partners carefully on the descent.
I hiked up a little hill near a windlip in turnagain and there was a lot of "whomping" watch out near the windloaded areas and cornices
Anyone going tommorow got room for one more?
We camped out at Turny this weekend and Saturday was a bad day. Our friend is a firefighter and came up to join us. When he got there, a trooper, that he happend to know, told him there was an emergency and he needed his help. My buddy had to ride the trooper on his sled up to where this guy was laying. There was a group of 5 skiiers that triggered an avy, and one was either trying to get away from it or was caught in it, but he ended up breaking his tiba. Kulis pararescue rapelled in and was able to hoist him up in a basket. This guy was lucky he wasnt killed. So thats the skinny on that accident.
Then we are there and there is all sorts of emergeny crews and people around. We figured there was an avy and there were snowmachiners caught. It was amazing how many people were standing around wanting to help. Then we here there was an accident j/ at the base of the mountain. So we rode up there and this kid (16) hit a big hole that was not visable. (By the way, visability was horrible and you couldnt see much). This hole was size of a large van or bus. When he dropped into this hole it bucked him off and he broke his neck. I dont know any more details about the wreck itself. Im not sure if there was a creek by this hole, as we didnt want to interfer with emergency workers, but the hole is visable from the rode. It was heartbraking to hear and see all this unfold before our eyes. It was just a freak accident. It really sank in though, when around 9pm the trooper was in the lot and there was one truck left (the 16yr olds) and a tow truck was loading it up. Very sad and I cant imagine what his parents must be going through. Keep them in your prayers.
Then we are there and there is all sorts of emergeny crews and people around. We figured there was an avy and there were snowmachiners caught. It was amazing how many people were standing around wanting to help. Then we here there was an accident j/ at the base of the mountain. So we rode up there and this kid (16) hit a big hole that was not visable. (By the way, visability was horrible and you couldnt see much). This hole was size of a large van or bus. When he dropped into this hole it bucked him off and he broke his neck. I dont know any more details about the wreck itself. Im not sure if there was a creek by this hole, as we didnt want to interfer with emergency workers, but the hole is visable from the rode. It was heartbraking to hear and see all this unfold before our eyes. It was just a freak accident. It really sank in though, when around 9pm the trooper was in the lot and there was one truck left (the 16yr olds) and a tow truck was loading it up. Very sad and I cant imagine what his parents must be going through. Keep them in your prayers.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. A little more info on ADN then KTUU.
"A Wasilla teenager who troopers say was highmarking at Turnagain Pass was killed Saturday afternoon when he was thrown off his snowmachine and fell 50feet into a ravine. Tyler Beckham, 16, was dead by the time Alaska State Troopers arrived, trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said.
Beckham was with friends, Peters said, but none of them saw what happened.
"His friends noticed he was missing and they went to look for him," she said. "When they found him, he didn't have a pulse."
Troopers believe Beckham hit the ravine, was tossed over the windshield of his Polaris and then was struck by the machine."
RIP Tyler Beckham...........
"A Wasilla teenager who troopers say was highmarking at Turnagain Pass was killed Saturday afternoon when he was thrown off his snowmachine and fell 50feet into a ravine. Tyler Beckham, 16, was dead by the time Alaska State Troopers arrived, trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said.
Beckham was with friends, Peters said, but none of them saw what happened.
"His friends noticed he was missing and they went to look for him," she said. "When they found him, he didn't have a pulse."
Troopers believe Beckham hit the ravine, was tossed over the windshield of his Polaris and then was struck by the machine."
RIP Tyler Beckham...........
this is really sad......we rode there today but stayed away from all the real steep slopes and stuck to the small hills and it was so tempting to hit up all the big climbs but with my past experience and knowledge of Avalanches I made sure to stay clear and warned my buddies to to the same but even with all the warnings out there, still there were people climbing under cronices and on the avy prone hill sides. The visibility was much better today than when we drove though to Lost Lake Saturday. Nice snow at the bottom of the first bowl to the south of the saddle got some good video. All and all not to bad but still the slopes are layered everywhere you go you can see it when you dig down, thats a good indicator. I hope we dont hear of any more stories, especially of ones during bad weather, jonesn' or not its not worth your life.
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