Anybody use and carry Avalanche gear in the Okanagan?

[moyiesledhead]

Any hill 50 feet high and more than 20% grade can slide at any time... Pretty sure lots of that area has lots of hills like that

Nope. In the 125km I put on in Greystokes I found one hill way down past their third cabin, and by then I didn't have enough fuel left to actually play on it anyway. The rest is very well groomed trails, a few meadows, and a dam/reservoir. I'd ride Grestokes without avi gear any time. Well.....I probably won't ride it again at all 'cuz it bores me, but that doesn't change my point.

 

[bobsledder]

Agree with moyiesledhead. Plenty of places in bc that avey gear isn't a necessity.

 

[tex78]

Well I have never road it, but there's not hills above trails ect ??

 

[briguy99]

Cant even fathom riding without a shovel prob and beacon.......seen a side of a logging road sluff and bury a buddy....glad I had my shovel!!

chk this out....... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH_FU6O7_qw

This was up at our riding area........

 

[team dirt]

One of the people in that video is wearing a ski helmet. Those are not strong enough for an impact and crushing force of a snowmobile collision.

 

[el hefe]

I feel dumber after reading this thread.

That was my good buddy who passed away at Keefer last year. It was in a cut block (@1600m) on a logging road that we had been through 20 times that winter.

Don't be an idiot.... get your gear and get educated on how to use it!

 

[tex78]

I feel dumber after reading this thread.

That was my good buddy who passed away at Keefer last year. It was in a cut block (@1600m) on a logging road that we had been through 20 times that winter.

Don't be an idiot.... get your gear and get educated on how to use it!

But u don't need avy gear there, it's all good as per what others say

 

[John Cambell]

Better safe than sorry

 

[greenthumb]

I'm a big advocate of avalanche education and backcountry preparedness. I am also quite familiar with the Greystokes riding area.
Are there areas of low to no avi risk? Absolutely. There are also plenty areas that can become quite unstable. The problem is that without formal training, you don't have the knowledge to differentiate the two. Once you have some avi education, you'll understand how valuable the gear is. I always ride with all my gear.
There are plenty of courses available in your area. They're relatively cheap. I'd recommend you take one. That way at least you can decide if you are putting yourself at risk.
FYI, the cliff area at Big White slides every year, albeit usually in a controlled manner. Just out of bounds, there are typically several human and naturally occurring slides large enough to kill you.

 

[BillDozer]

This was posted by Soul Rides on Jeremy's Facebook page: Not much slope and look at the result:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EybqMnQw1Q

 

[tex78]

Not much of a hill there.... It won't slide... U don't need avy gear for that... It's mole hills


As per what other people say

 

[ultramagnus]

Avalanches are possible in the areas the original poster asked about. I was on the south side of Little White about 2 weeks ago and saw an old size 2 where someone had been riding. We saw 2 guys above us who came down and chatted with us. They figured that because. It had already slid it was safe, then went on to ride maybe 100 yards over on a very similar aspect, poor logic there. I have a friend who's buddy was caught in an avalanche in the Greystokes. A few years back there was a fatality in an avalanche in bounds at Big White on the cliff area. Going back a few years an avalanche took out the old Poma lift on the cliff where the chair is now.
Don't kid yourself that avalanches don't happen in those areas. While an AST level 1 is a good start it by no means makes you an expert. I work with avalanche professionals (ACMG certified guides) who get surprised by avalanches on slopes they deemed safe. Use the Canadian Avalanche website (Avalanche.ca). Read the conditions for your area and if you don't know what your doing get educated. I wouldn't 'to go anywhere without a beacon probe or shovel. I've personally seen someone get buried on a little slope that slid and went into a terrain trap, fully under except an arm, wasn't getting out without help. That slope was a lot smaller then Jubilee or Moore.