Ok Summit County Front Ranger SBF'rs check in. - Snowboarding Forum

**killclimbz** · 03-11-2010, 08:21 AM

None of you better have been involved in the avalanche that killed a snowboarder yesterday in the fingers slackcountry outside of A-Basin. He was carried into some trees and died from the trauma. We've posted up plenty about how crappy the snow pack is in this state. So sound off.

RIP, may your powder turns be endless...

BurtonAvenger · 03-11-2010, 08:22 AM

First year snow carnie living/working in Breck. Don't think it was anyone on here.

burritosandsnow · 03-11-2010, 08:25 AM

glad its most likely not someone on here but sucks that it has to be anyone at all ... its not that folks are stupid its that they are just uneducated... well ok guess theres some stupid in there

R.I.P.

**killclimbz** · 03-11-2010, 08:37 AM

From CAIC

Quote:

Avalanche Details

Date: 2010/03/10
Time: Unknown

State: Colorado
Location: Preliminary report: Steep Gully #1, west of Arapahoe Basin Ski Area

Primary Activity: Sidecountry Rider

Summary Description: 1 snowboarder caught, partially buried, and killed

Number Caught: 1
Number Partially Buried, Non-Critical: 1
Number Partially Buried, Critical: 0
Number Fully Buried: 0
Number Injured: 0
Number Killed: 1

Location Setting: Sidecountry
Site Elevation: 11600 ft
Slope Angle: unknown
Slope Aspect: NW
Slope Characteristic: unknown
Avalanche Type: unknown
Avalanche Trigger: AR - Snowboarder
Avalanche Trigger (subcode): u - An unintentional release
Avalanche Size - Relative to Path: unknown
Avalanche Size - Destructive Force: D3
Sliding Surface: G - At Ground/Ice/Firm
Crown Depth: 12 in
Crown Width: 150 ft
Vertical Run: unknown

Events Leading to the Avalanche

Party consisted of 3 snowboarders, all male in their 20s. None carried avalanche gear.
Accident Summary

There is a convex knob in the middle of the starting zone for Steep Gully #1. The first rider triggered the avalanche as he rode over the knob. The avalanche broke to the ground along the convexity. The snowpack was very shallow, and rescuers estimated the average crown depth about 12 inches, and around 24 inches at the deepest. The avalanche was the full width of the gully, but left large areas of hangfire.
Rescue Summary

The rider was caught and carried for most of the avalanche's run. He was stopped by trees in the upper portion of the runout, and partially buried. His partners descended the path and used their snowboards to excavate him before organized rescue arrived. The avalanche broke trees approximately 6 inches in diameter.
Comments

The Steep Gullies are numbered from east to west. The morning of the accident, there was a remotely triggered avalanche in Gully #4 (2' deep, 30' wide, ran about 800 vertical feet). Monday, two days prior to the accident, there was a skier triggered avalanche in Gully #2. The most recent fatality in the area occurred on January 25, 2000.

A 20yr old rider, no gear, and obviously no knowledge of backcountry safety. He was killed by the impact of being carried into the trees. Convexities this season have been hair trigger. I have started a few slides by jumping or slope cutting these this year. To be avoided for sure. This really sucks.

Like I said, it better not be anyone on this forum. I'll be kicking your ass in the afterlife when I get there if it is...

burritosandsnow · 03-11-2010, 08:49 AM

12 inches of coverage ... seriously anyone with any small bit of knowledge should have known that was a crap ride to begin with even if there was no avvy danger present ... the "just moved to breck" that angry responded with definitely fits this scenario...

AWNOW · 03-11-2010, 08:55 AM

It wadn't me!

tomtom88 · 03-11-2010, 09:42 AM

Was not I.

linvillegorge · 03-11-2010, 11:13 AM

Wasn't me! I was riding A-Basin yesterday - in bounds.

**killclimbz** · 03-11-2010, 11:16 AM

Were you around when the rescue operation started?

This is so sad, from reading the report this kid and his friends had absolutely no idea that what they were doing was dangerous. Lucky that only one person was killed and not all of them.

and Mr Polonia if you happen to check this thread out, this is why I post up the warnings. This accident is basically the same type of thing as going out the gate at 9900.

linvillegorge · 03-11-2010, 11:27 AM

I had to be around because I rode from about noon to 4:00. I didn't notice it though. But, I was heading east on 6 leaving to head home, so I wouldn't have passed the probable rescue site. I also stayed in Montezuma Bowl pretty much all day too, so I didn't get over to the Pavalicini Lift. It sounds like these guys were probably in that OB terrain farther down the Pali Cornice. That shit looks tempting, but yeah, if you're caught in a slide there, there's no way save luck to avoid being carried into DENSE trees.

03-11-2010, 08:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,176	Ok Summit County Front Ranger SBF'rs check in. None of you better have been involved in the avalanche that killed a snowboarder yesterday in the fingers slackcountry outside of A-Basin. He was carried into some trees and died from the trauma. We've posted up plenty about how crappy the snow pack is in this state. So sound off. RIP, may your powder turns be endless...

03-11-2010, 08:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
BurtonAvenger Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mountains Posts: 8,051	First year snow carnie living/working in Breck. Don't think it was anyone on here. __________________ Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!

03-11-2010, 09:42 AM	#7 (permalink)
tomtom88 -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,639	Was not I. __________________ Take yourself to higher places.

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03-11-2010, 08:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
burritosandsnow Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: slc utah Posts: 928	glad its most likely not someone on here but sucks that it has to be anyone at all ... its not that folks are stupid its that they are just uneducated... well ok guess theres some stupid in there R.I.P.

03-11-2010, 08:49 AM	#5 (permalink)
burritosandsnow Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: slc utah Posts: 928	12 inches of coverage ... seriously anyone with any small bit of knowledge should have known that was a crap ride to begin with even if there was no avvy danger present ... the "just moved to breck" that angry responded with definitely fits this scenario...

03-11-2010, 08:55 AM	#6 (permalink)
AWNOW Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 703	It wadn't me!

03-11-2010, 11:13 AM	#8 (permalink)
linvillegorge Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Evergreen, CO Posts: 4,499	Wasn't me! I was riding A-Basin yesterday - in bounds.

03-11-2010, 11:16 AM	#9 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,176	Were you around when the rescue operation started? This is so sad, from reading the report this kid and his friends had absolutely no idea that what they were doing was dangerous. Lucky that only one person was killed and not all of them. and Mr Polonia if you happen to check this thread out, this is why I post up the warnings. This accident is basically the same type of thing as going out the gate at 9900.

03-11-2010, 11:27 AM	#10 (permalink)
linvillegorge Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Evergreen, CO Posts: 4,499	I had to be around because I rode from about noon to 4:00. I didn't notice it though. But, I was heading east on 6 leaving to head home, so I wouldn't have passed the probable rescue site. I also stayed in Montezuma Bowl pretty much all day too, so I didn't get over to the Pavalicini Lift. It sounds like these guys were probably in that OB terrain farther down the Pali Cornice. That shit looks tempting, but yeah, if you're caught in a slide there, there's no way save luck to avoid being carried into DENSE trees.