Backcountry Sledders make CBC News....Again

[takethebounce]

Maybe everyone needs to contact Mr. Doug Washer @ sledlink.ca and let him know your thoughts on "his" opinions and views of the sledding community and how irresponsible we all are.

To pigeon hole sledders in his interview as being the ones who are not taking percausions after recent avalanche warnings is irresponsible as a "spokesman" or industry training leader for the sport. Regardless if that was his intentions or not, the media will and will continue to focus on sledders until we are not in the media at all. Guaranteed there were just as many backcountry skiers , boarders, climbers and other enthusiasts on the mountain today as there were sledders but that doesn't sell or support the ratings as much as singling out a group who unfortunately already have negative attention drawn to us.

The two unfortunate souls that lost their lives today, did so by doing something they most likely loved doing, and taking a risk in doing it. Just because they were skiers, using a paid service, with a guide to fly them into remote areas they are liberated for doing so and not fashioned to look like rebels that the sledding community is.

Mr. Washer made my top 10 dinks of the week list.

 

[teeroy]

I'm not sure why everyone is so wound up. That didn't seem negative to me. Perhaps folks are getting a bit sensitive. The only thing the reporter said is that there is an attitude out there that sledders get what they deserve if they venture out, That is true, that attitude IS out there, it's bullchit but it is out there.

I can see how it gets under the skin of sledder types. pretty much saying the sledders are going to ride the backcountry no matter what the danger. and zero mention the skiers have been the overwhelming majority of avalanche fatalities this season. there should be some mention of how few snowmobile related avy fatalities there are this year, especially since conditions have worsened prompting the "special" warnings. that tells me we ARE in fact listening and learning.

 

[takethebounce]

I'm not sure why everyone is so wound up. That didn't seem negative to me. Perhaps folks are getting a bit sensitive. The only thing the reporter said is that there is an attitude out there that sledders get what they deserve if they venture out, That is true, that attitude IS out there, it's bullchit but it is out there.

Here is a quote from Doug Washer on sledlink's site



"Unfortunately, another avalanche has taken a life of a backcountry enthusiast today while heli skiing in the Nelson area. With so much discussion regarding sledders and their "horse power" over "brain power" comments this week, it's tough to digest just what is going on when professionals who live and breath avalanche terrain and daily risk mitigation are still caught up in it.
I think it speaks to how easy it is to comment and pass judgement, good or bad about and avalanche incident when we weren't actually present. Jumping to conclusions as it were. Obviously, Avalanche and risk reward decisions are complex at the best of times and this couldn't be more evident than today. There's one thing for certain however, You can't predict them and it doesn't matter who you are or how much experience you have, getting caught off guard can happen to just about anyone."

You can only tread water so long before you need to pick a shore to swim to, if not, you sink. Who's side is he on? Both apparently, but because it was "professionals" involved in the avalanche its hard for him to digest? Sorry but anytime you involve a human into a scenario there is room for error. Be it judgement or action, an error can happen.

But yes summiteer, wound up maybe, but no need to single out sledders either.

 

[BirdieO]

What upsets me is the CBC has attempted to make it appear as though the story is about the skiers that perished today near Nelson while the backdrop behind Peter Mansbridge is of snowmobilers. I think it is actually a total disrespect to those skiers, their families and their friends to dedicate a whole 14 seconds to them; it seemed as though it was just a convenient 'event' that the CBC has used to capitalize on the 'reckless sledder' story that their viewers appear to feed on.

I think if Doug Washer really wants to help out the sledding community he may want to be more selective of the friends he brings along when conducting an interview with the CBC or any other news outlet. It's no secret that the sport as a whole has a poor reputation and it is also no secret that the media will edit as they see fit so when given the opportunity to speak with them, sometimes saying less is better

 

[Carrots]

What a fawking joke


Sent from a iPhone

 

[Johnny]

Again we need a spokesperson of sorts to deal with this slanted journalism. It could of been worse I suppose but jeeze "the risks are worth it" fella needs bat upside the mellon. JMO

 

[BirdieO]

and zero mention the skiers have been the overwhelming majority of avalanche fatalities this season. there should be some mention of how few snowmobile related avy fatalities there are this year, especially since conditions have worsened prompting the "special" warnings. that tells me we ARE in fact listening and learning.

According to the CAC's Incident Report Database there have been 5 fatalities due to skiing of one form or another (backcountry and mechanized) and 3 due to sledding. Up until March 6, there had only been 1 sledding fatality in Canada; according to the CAC and we have seen 3 Special Avalanche Warnings over the last month.
Zacs is putting on their last AST1 course this weekend and they can't fill it; there will be a handful of us taking it, and yet most of us will be out riding...

I have to respectfully disagree with you teeroy, we are NOT listening and are NOT learning...or at least not as much as we could be...so the question remains...how do we change that??

 

[teeroy]

According to the CAC's Incident Report Database there have been 5 fatalities due to skiing of one form or another (backcountry and mechanized) and 3 due to sledding. Up until March 6, there had only been 1 sledding fatality in Canada; according to the CAC and we have seen 3 Special Avalanche Warnings over the last month.
Zacs is putting on their last AST1 course this weekend and they can't fill it; there will be a handful of us taking it, and yet most of us will be out riding...

I have to respectfully disagree with you teeroy, we are NOT listening and are NOT learning...or at least not as much as we could be...so the question remains...how do we change that??

I base my assumption on the fact that there are still plenty of people sledding every weekend in this dangerous period, yet few incidents. I am maybe being too optimistic? I certainly do not mean to infer the job of educating riders is "mission accomplished".

 

[BirdieO]

I base my assumption on the fact that there are still plenty of people sledding every weekend in this dangerous period, yet few incidents. I am maybe being too optimistic? I certainly do not mean to infer the job of educating riders is "mission accomplished".

I would definitely lean towards too optimistic...I think there may be a lot more incidents that are going unreported ~ I know of one large one last weekend that would have gone unreported all together had someone not made a very public inquiry about whether or not it had been reported to the CAC.

 

[SidewaysInto3rd]

Not sure what all your problem is with that interview...

"The fun is worth the risk" ?? Of course it is .. we all know there is a certain degree of risk involved with being out in the back country, if the fun wasn't worth it, we wouldn't be there. It's very simple and it's well said. Maybe one more thing to add to it would be to make sure to take calculated risks.

I've been in 2 AST courses with Doug, he's a great guy who promotes safety and tries to reach out to sledders and get them involved with AST courses.

 

[JMCX]

The CBC was obviously geared up to give a negative mountain-sledder story and the skiers dying today made them have to soften it a bit. Don't be too hard on the sled guys for the sound bites CBC chose to use. They probably had an hours worth of interview to pick from and they chose what they want to angle the story. I have no problem with 'the risks are worth the reward'. That's exactly how it is. There are risks.

 

[maxwell]

Not sure what all your problem is with that interview...

"The fun is worth the risk" ?? Of course it is .. we all know there is a certain degree of risk involved with being out in the back country, if the fun wasn't worth it, we wouldn't be there. It's very simple and it's well said. Maybe one more thing to add to it would be to make sure to take calculated risks.

I've been in 2 AST courses with Doug, he's a great guy who promotes safety and tries to reach out to sledders and get them involved with AST courses.

thats good that you think the statement isvalid. but you have to consider the other 27 people watching cbc news saying to themselves " wow all snowmobilers must be loose cannon adrenaline junkies with a death wish just like that guy"

you CAN NOT make a statement like that without any backup after the fact. IE, there is risk involved but managing the risk properly means a safe trip home everytime.

you know in the editing room the crew was thinking. wow that guys a goof throw that in there! golden!

 

[JMCX]

I would definitely lean towards too optimistic...I think there may be a lot more incidents that are going unreported ~ I know of one large one last weekend that would have gone unreported all together had someone not made a very public inquiry about whether or not it had been reported to the CAC.

Enlighten us.

 

[Johnny]

hmmm lets see why it bothers me, the story was originally about 2 Heli skiers that lost there lives today. "Noisy sleds" unlike Helis whispering along. continuing to ride in "considerable" avy rating. unlike the Snow water heli/cat ski operation of course. I see it as a disrespect to the lost souls today and a twisted kick at somehow including making sledders look hell bent on a death wish.... how often is the snowpack actually safe ?????????????????????????????

 

[maxwell]

The CBC was obviously geared up to give a negative mountain-sledder story and the skiers dying today made them have to soften it a bit. Don't be too hard on the sled guys for the sound bites CBC chose to use. They probably had an hours worth of interview to pick from and they chose what they want to angle the story. I have no problem with 'the risks are worth the reward'. That's exactly how it is. There are risks.

but there doesnt have to be. saying it like that means yes i could die but im going to do it anyways. when in fact playing it safe all season there is a slim to none chance that anything bad will happen to you. i do not go to the hill with a risk vs reward attitude. i go to the hill with a manage risk and hope for a reward. like most sledders do.

stay on low angle slopes and out of run out zones and you have virtually eliminated the risk other than getting in a head on with a semi on our crappy roads on the way to the hill.

 

[BirdieO]

Enlighten us.

What is important about my post, JMCX is that there are a lot of people out there that don't know they should report incidents and there is likely just as large of a group that know but choose not to - from all of the specified groups that use the backcountry.

I honestly don't see the benefit of sharing all the details of the situation I eluded to; at the end of the day, the incident was reported and the CAC's database gained some more information and all of us can now benefit from one more piece of info to help guide our decision making...

To assume that we as a community are moving in the right direction and learning and listening simply because there are fewer sledding related incidents being reported isn't necessarily a safe move...that was the whole point of my reference

 

[pipes]

i understand hes an important guy in the sledding industry. i guess? but he didnt need to say some of the things he did. imo

everything that Doug said on the interview was good stuff. Then they interviewed the other azzhat and everything that Doug said was overshadowed by the comment " the risk is worth the fun"

 

[Summitric]

It's been a rough year on skiers...... And now the heli-skiers are getting caught up in it all......... R.i.p.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

CBC is Canadas Liberal media outlet! It always has been and always will be. When ever there is a reporter from the CBC there is a hidden agenda, notably restricting access to the backcountry. Every season the left wing retards at the CBC will over sensationalize a sledder fatality and even on days of other users fatalities will still find a way to get a few shots in at our expense! Not once did the reporter mention that sledder fatalities are down this winter. All this in spite of a sketchy snowpack. I personally boycott all things CBC (except HNIC).

 

[hdkawi]

the cbc had this story pre taped and the untimley death of two skiers was just a excuse to play it. just an outher example of how the media twists every thing we see and hear everyday.