Avalanche article in todays Sun

[badss]

Am I being naive or am I the only one who read the Avay article on the last page in th Edm Sun today? I clipped it out and scanned it for those that didn't see it ...its the attached PDF file. Can't beleive they are stiring the pot and we don't even have any snow yet....they still can't seem to get their fawking facts straight! Don't you just love the media!!!!! Not trying to stir the pot here but this is just wrong!!!!!

 

[whitegold]

I've read this over twice, and I don't see which facts you are refering to that they got wrong??

 

[maxwell]

why does the cac say stuff about sledders when we support them fully and donate. for our own good of course but doesnt mean they have to go responding to the media like that.

 

[badss]

it wasn't the big Iron shootout

 

[whitegold]

it wasn't the big Iron shootout

Is that the only fact that you are referring too? I don't mean to belittle that fact but does that really matter in the big picture.... i think the bigger picture is that the avy related deaths are lower last year verses the previous year....

 

[Dobir]

And really no matter what the media puts in..it is sledders that have been the highest numbers lately and we need to be reminded...

 

[maxwell]

are we the highest numbers? ratio wise i think not. if there was as many skiers on the hill as sledders i imagine the results would be similar

 

[badss]

Is that the only fact that you are referring too? I don't mean to belittle that fact but does that really matter in the big picture.... i think the bigger picture is that the avy related deaths are lower last year verses the previous year....

point taken and its great that the avy related deaths are down but they also had an oprotunity to give a bit morte credit to where its due in relation to that fact. Maybe show a more balanced opinion if a certian group such as sledders are being more pro-active and being safer. The numbers in the article reflect that...why not say someting to the fact that Snowmobilers should be commended for such a huge decrease in Avy related deaths over the previous year ? With continued support of the CAC and more training we would like to see the numbers drop even lower. so Snowmobilers...Keep up the awarness and live to Ride! Have a safe up comming sledding season...but...now I am maybe getting carried away but I think I made my point on that part.

The thing is Whitgold....

I think it is a big thing really ....and am sure others will agree that it wasn't the Big Iron Shootout and the media should be presenting facts not BS....not to mention that it isn't fair to organizers of any other event to be indicated if they were not involved. This is where the BS all starts...the media often misinforms people and then people start making all sorts of assumtions and it leads to people being scutinized that rightly should not have been due to them not presenting the facts. Kinda like rumors you know....they tend to hurt alot of inocent people....But thats just my opinion....

 

[Orrin]

Here's an e-mail I sent in reply to that article to the e-mail address listed at the bottom.


Jenna,

In regards to your article regarding avalanche tolls it continues to surprise me that the media cannot get their facts straight. The avalanche that occurred on Boulder Mountain and claimed the lives of two human beings was not a part of the Big Iron Shoot out. The spectators were in the area for the Big Iron Shootout but the avalanche and event were two separate occurrences. It is true that the number of deaths were down last year and this may be luck however last year the snow conditions in the areas I ride in were the worst I have seen in over a decade of mountain riding. Take into account the lower fatality count in the same year as the snow conditions are at their worst and the fact that avalanche course attendance is quickly on the rise it appears to me that there is more than just luck involved. The snowmobile community is changing their attitudes, I see it every day and certainly they are improving their safety knowledge at a much faster rate than the general media is improving upon their fact checking.

 

[Dobir]

are we the highest numbers? ratio wise i think not. if there was as many skiers on the hill as sledders i imagine the results would be similar

I am not sure if any ratio matters. The facts are the facts and we are outnumbered by skiers by a long shot. Heli skiers maybe we outnumber your right. Anyways I didn't come for a fight I realize the media sells papers based on making the storys interesting..

 

[maxwell]

i did not mean controlled ski areas.

 

[badss]

Is that the only fact that you are referring too? I don't mean to belittle that fact but does that really matter in the big picture.... i think the bigger picture is that the avy related deaths are lower last year verses the previous year....

Here's an e-mail I sent in reply to that article to the e-mail address listed at the bottom.


Jenna,

In regards to your article regarding avalanche tolls it continues to surprise me that the media cannot get their facts straight. The avalanche that occurred on Boulder Mountain and claimed the lives of two human beings was not a part of the Big Iron Shoot out. The spectators were in the area for the Big Iron Shootout but the avalanche and event were two separate occurrences. It is true that the number of deaths were down last year and this may be luck however last year the snow conditions in the areas I ride in were the worst I have seen in over a decade of mountain riding. Take into account the lower fatality count in the same year as the snow conditions are at their worst and the fact that avalanche course attendance is quickly on the rise it appears to me that there is more than just luck involved. The snowmobile community is changing their attitudes, I see it every day and certainly they are improving their safety knowledge at a much faster rate than the general media is improving upon their fact checking.

Here Here.....THANK YOU ORRIN!!!! ....and well wrote brother!!! thats what Im talking about!!!!! You nailed it down man...good job!

 

[Dobir]

Thats a good reply

Here's an e-mail I sent in reply to that article to the e-mail address listed at the bottom.


Jenna,

In regards to your article regarding avalanche tolls it continues to surprise me that the media cannot get their facts straight. The avalanche that occurred on Boulder Mountain and claimed the lives of two human beings was not a part of the Big Iron Shoot out. The spectators were in the area for the Big Iron Shootout but the avalanche and event were two separate occurrences. It is true that the number of deaths were down last year and this may be luck however last year the snow conditions in the areas I ride in were the worst I have seen in over a decade of mountain riding. Take into account the lower fatality count in the same year as the snow conditions are at their worst and the fact that avalanche course attendance is quickly on the rise it appears to me that there is more than just luck involved. The snowmobile community is changing their attitudes, I see it every day and certainly they are improving their safety knowledge at a much faster rate than the general media is improving upon their fact checking.

 

[Modman]

Here was my reply:

Dear Ms. McMurray,

I read your recent article regarding snowmobilers and avalanche deaths with some trepidation and disappointment. The CAC has provided a huge amount of information to the snowmobile community and there has been a fundamental shift in most snowmobiler’s attitudes towards avalanche training and awareness because of this help. Many opinions have been expressed on the Boulder Mountain avalanche, however it was evident that the snowmobilers present that day were well prepared and equipped with the proper tools and training. Many articles and opinions later, we find ourselves with what some might call media-bias towards the snowmobile community. I hope that as snowmobilers continue to work towards improving safety stats, the media will become more progressive in allowing snowmobilers to represent our sport, by involving snowmobilers.

I have been riding snowmobiles for over 20 years, all over BC. I have avalanche training, appropriate gear, and ride safely. I extend an open invitation to you to come for a ride and see what life on the mountain is like from a snowmobiler’s perspective, to talk with snowmobilers about avalanche awareness and our level of risk, and to gain an understanding of our sport.

Sincerely,

XXXX

I'll keep u posted if she replies.

 

[gm3d]

Just do your part at doing the RIGHT thing. Get training, Get Gear, Always were it and us your head. Live today to ride another day! Something as simple as not everyone sitting at the bottom of a slide potential would be just doing the right thing! I hope everyone enjoys there winter riding and come home alive. Cheers!

 

[jaredszakacs]

I feel that sledders should be getting a bit more praise like the article said big iron shootout could have been the worst accident in canadian history but it wasnt!!! because of the fast acting responses from the snowmobile and search and rescue community!!! It is great that the numbers are down and we need to keep it that way!!! yes we do get blamed more than the skiiers and are in the papers more but when you have 26 people die in one year from one sport it raises some flags I hate that we get labeled by the media as reckless life endangering people but thats the media for ya and know we need to prove them wrong I thought we would have proved them wrong by the amazing efforts of people at BIS that is my opinion and once again another big thank you to everyone involved at BIS

 

[Summitric]

And to think snowandmud.com donated $thousands to the cac last year and previous years......

 

[malibumama]

I think the article could be a lot worse personally. This is pretty tame compared to previous articles, and news stories I have heard in the past year about back country riders....

and you know what?? Its getting all of you thinking about sledding and avalanches and i am sure that makes you think if you need updated training...avalanche courses, first aid, equipment...
prove all of those against snowmobilers riding in the back country wrong.

just a thought.

 

[whitegold]

point taken and its great that the avy related deaths are down but they also had an oprotunity to give a bit morte credit to where its due in relation to that fact. Maybe show a more balanced opinion if a certian group such as sledders are being more pro-active and being safer. The numbers in the article reflect that...why not say someting to the fact that Snowmobilers should be commended for such a huge decrease in Avy related deaths over the previous year ? With continued support of the CAC and more training we would like to see the numbers drop even lower. so Snowmobilers...Keep up the awarness and live to Ride! Have a safe up comming sledding season...but...now I am maybe getting carried away but I think I made my point on that part.

The thing is Whitgold....

I think it is a big thing really ....and am sure others will agree that it wasn't the Big Iron Shootout and the media should be presenting facts not BS....not to mention that it isn't fair to organizers of any other event to be indicated if they were not involved. This is where the BS all starts...the media often misinforms people and then people start making all sorts of assumtions and it leads to people being scutinized that rightly should not have been due to them not presenting the facts. Kinda like rumors you know....they tend to hurt alot of inocent people....But thats just my opinion....

OK... I see where your coming from and i can't say that I disagree....

 

[tex78]

i think that the media and tree huggers are in bed together...... they just switch top and bottom once and a while....... both should just piss off about back country skidooing ..... theres not even any snow anywhere yet and they still have the nerve to hit my nerve...... whats the world coming too..