Level 3 Avi inbounds on Blackcomb today

[ab1752]

Unfortunately one of the skiers caught up did not survive.

One dead, two injured in avalanche near Blackcomb Glacier - BC | Globalnews.ca

Whistler RCMP said it was notified of the size three slide in the "Poop Chutes" area around 3:20 p.m.

globalnews.ca

I was caught in a L3 last run of the day, last day of the trip out of Chatter Creek. It all just opened up and wham into the washer you go. When it stopped my head was straight down and my feet were 6' from the surface no way I was getting out of that. Fortunately my buddy and the tail guide watched carefully and 15 mins I was out. Still ptsd from that experience and I never take anyone's word to go any more. Stupid + naive was almost game over. The slope had let go on 3 guys way lower down but they sent us anyway.

Sorry for the ramble rant, be careful out there.

 

[sly_karma]

Big L3 in the sidecountry close to Apex earlier this week. 2.5 m crown over 400 m across. Deliberately triggered by local sledders who felt it was dangerously loaded after 130 cm in the previous week. Amazingly and thankfully no one caught in the slide.

 

[ab1752]

The Blackcomb slide was slab loaded too. Apparently it had slide naturally the morning before and the avi warning had shot up on Friday across the coastal region to considerable. Not the formula for safety as those slabs are still suffering the warm layer of last month and they will let go.

 

[Ringo]

2nd death has been reported and this time, it’s a snowboarder. This is pretty sad.

Whistler avalanche kills snowboarder, second backcountry death in two days

A man has died in an avalanche in Whistler Saturday, marking the second fatality in the Sea to Sky backcountry in as many days.

www.citynews1130.com

 

[ab1752]

2nd death has been reported and this time, it’s a snowboarder. This is pretty sad.

Whistler avalanche kills snowboarder, second backcountry death in two days

A man has died in an avalanche in Whistler Saturday, marking the second fatality in the Sea to Sky backcountry in as many days.

www.citynews1130.com

Apparently they got caught in a slide and were headed out of the area when they were caught in a second slide, and that's when the loss of life occurred. Scary af, listen to SAR and read the reports, stay off the back country until this settles out. Stay safe.

 

[Bill 310]

Was your ride recent? You were so lucky.

Years ago in another life. I was a Pro Patroller on Whistler and was taken for a few little rides. Nothing even close to Category 3 that you were in and you are really, really lucky. The Rescue Beacon technology is way, way better than it was on the late 80's . When I read there was already a slide lower down and they still let you guys drop in above a fresh fracture line I just shook my head.

WTF were they thinking? It will be interesting to see if they reported one or both slides to the CAA. Their decision to send you guys into an area of recent ( minutes ago) slide activity would have been a key part of the Coroner's inquest.

For the people reading this who don't understand the numbers i.e. Category 3, etc. Ian Huyton's excellent article is both easily understandable and has some disturbing facts about Category 3 slides. They are the real killers .

The Avalanche Risk Scale – Why 3 is a Dangerous Number - White Marmotte

The International Avalanche Risk Scale is an important tool in off-piste decision making, but it is frequently misunderstood. If you have ever said, “It’s only three out of five, it’ll be fine,” you need to read this right now. I am not going to...

tinyurl.com

I was never buried like you, but I never forget how the sound seemed to be sucked out of the air and how quiet it was while riding on the slide.

Back then even at fatalities there was little in the way of help for the responders/survivors. Now the PTSD assistance is so much better and it really helps. I wish it had been available to us back then talking things out 20 years after an event is not the best plan.

Unfortunately one of the skiers caught up did not survive.

One dead, two injured in avalanche near Blackcomb Glacier - BC | Globalnews.ca

Whistler RCMP said it was notified of the size three slide in the "Poop Chutes" area around 3:20 p.m.

globalnews.ca

I was caught in a L3 last run of the day, last day of the trip out of Chatter Creek. It all just opened up and wham into the washer you go. When it stopped my head was straight down and my feet were 6' from the surface no way I was getting out of that. Fortunately my buddy and the tail guide watched carefully and 15 mins I was out. Still ptsd from that experience and I never take anyone's word to go any more. Stupid + naive was almost game over. The slope had let go on 3 guys way lower down but they sent us anyway.

Sorry for the ramble rant, be careful out there.

 

[ab1752]

Mine was in 2007, with a newly pregnant wife sitting back at home.

You touch on interesting points. The tail guide had been working that season at Lake Louse and she had already been part of a recovery.

So by the time her and Jay (my buddy who saved my butt) hailed me out she was freaking out, in tears and it was my consoling her as we limped down through the debris field.

I was lucky beyond words. It started to slide after about 5 turns in and I thought to myself I will just ski out of this, no worries. Soon as I went to turn out it was bam, all over. We were skying at 10,200' way up out of Chatters lodge. Sun baked, no snow for days, 3:20 pm and a recipe for disaster. I was too stupid to realize and the cat had already gone so after the first little slide way down below, the hot shot head guide insisted we ski as daylight was fading.

Lessons learned...I was lucky I was at the top as the debris field filed in a lower aspect gully many many more feet deep. All I lost was a ski and the lodge did their best to make sure the incoming group did not interact with us at all. It was super disappointing in the end, and we had been there a hand full of times already. Needless to say that was the last.

Speaking of Whistler, 4 years back we were heading down kyber and came upon a guy hiking up saying he lost his buddy...at 2:45 pm. We did a crisscross tertiary look and fluked out finding him at the bottom of a 20' drop where ever had snapped his fib tib then tumbled off the cliff. Fortunately no head injuries but he was headed into shock and had no phone or anyway to call for help. As you know, you can't hear much in those dense trees. We called 911 and Whistler patrol attended in support of Whistler SAR, with a member who knew every drainage and stump in that area. It was too late to long line him out of there so we were with them until well into darkness using a block and tackle pulley system to the kaidenwood road.

Hats off to all who keep dummies like us all safe in Whistler by patrol and SAR everywhere.

 

[ab1752]

I didn't think I had this pic handy but here it is. I was in the top left corner of the slab and ended up just below the ridge across the lower section of the pic. It was a very wide chunk of slab and filled the natural funnel...lots of rocks on that slope too, that was scary too. Hit one and its game over. I think I still have the mark on my back from the probe haha...

 

[jeffywestcoast]

Avalanches are no joke , lost my half brother to an avalanche in 95 while him and his 29 buddies were highmarking on there new sleds in springpacked snow , he died young doing dumb **** , adrenaline is a drug and it can kill , glad you made it out to tell the tale , my brother was an experienced sledder but all they had were probes and unfortunately within 15 mins it took to reach him he had lost all brain function and the tough decision had to be made to take him off life support. Again we all love to push the limits with the adrenaline sports and im glad you made it out alive because far to often that isn’t the case.

 

[Bill 310]

ab1752 , Don't bother buying lottery tickets, you have used up your gambling luck on that one.

Jeffy, Sorry about your brother, I lost one to a drunk driver , not the same but still the same.

 

[ab1752]

ab1752 , Don't bother buying lottery tickets, you have used up your gambling luck on that one.

Jeffy, Sorry about your brother, I lost one to a drunk driver , not the same but still the same.

I concur and Jeffy, I hope this discourse didn't open old wounds. Nature is incredibly powerful as we are reminded of each day so stay safe, everyone.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

I concur and Jeffy, I hope this discourse didn't open old wounds. Nature is incredibly powerful as we are reminded of each day so stay safe,

more than anything i was super happy to read the post because you were alive to post it . I dunno about that lottery thing but hey worth a shot that SFI lottery is a gooder, i bought five of them tickets lastnight.