Deadly sledding? Article in today's Edmonton Sun

[BC Sno-Ghost]

I agree with what you're saying BC Sno Ghost. My point was that too many people on this thread believe that "common sense" is somehow a tangible and measurable characteristic and that it'll make up for any and all training and precautions.

Point taken.
"Measurable" for many........."Tangible".......aaaa not so much!

 

[snowdog69]

Since we are a so smart and have been sledding most of our lives.....and know where it is safe to ride and where it isn't......do a little test....have somebody not in you group bury a beacon and see how long it takes your group to find it.......I did this.....all experienced sledders......25 minutes......a hundred feet away 1.5 down.....
If you think you are too knowledgeable to gain anything by taking a course.....at least be proficient at using your beacon.....which means practicing........

I was shocked by how many sledders have worn a beacon most there riding lives and don't know how to operate it.....

 

[rotax]

he way that article is worded. they should be advertising there classes with snowmobilers not making us look bad in public we have a bad enough rap already.

I got the same impression. Someones 'biting' at snowmobilers here.
So what are the stats for skiers/boarders...what % of those people have "training".

Reguardless, I think training is important. But it just came off as another anti-sledder topic/article. And we see enough of those these days..

Sledders will generally be spending more time in dangerous areas, thus of course percentages are going to be higher for sledders.
A skier/boarder can only hike up the mountain so fast.. in the same time a sled could 'play out' an area and move on.

These articles throw out random facts that make their agenda look good...and never include "their sides" info, or numbers.

Anyway...its a dangerous sport, theres a risk...yet, I feel like I'm at more risk driving through the city on snow packed roads GETTING to the mountains than I do IN the mountains...explain that...how do you wanna go about fixing that one. Remove the people from the roads?? Remove the roads?
Focus on real (serious) issues, save lives there...
They are so set on making sledders the 'bad guys', when we're not.
Those with their hidden ["get ahead"] agendas are whats ruining things.



lol ok, done... ><

 

[m8welder]

Its all just tools in your tool box...the more tools you have the better off you will be. So training is just something we can use along with common sense, proper safety gear,smart groups to ride with, ect. A lot of people wear the beacons but haven't a clue on how to use them,without the education they are pretty much usless in my group.

 

[khaos_]

Wow guys, this is sure getting carried away isn't it!! I agree with the dudes on the commen sense thing also. I have dealt with it all my life, some have.....some have not....lol. Point is, YOU CAN NOT TEACH IT.....wake up to the real world. Then there are those that have it, have the training....look at a hill that may be bad and say to themselves......what the phuk....lets do it..now that's stupid or ballsy I don't know. Whatever, the thing is, taking the courses for some will not help. Anyone read the post about the dudes caught in the revelstoke avalanche lately, good thing those dudes are OK, but they were at Deadmans Flats, and didn't he post that MAYBE they shouldn't have been in there. We all do things in life that we probably shouldn't have.....and we were lucky enough to stay alive. Some of us take the risks. Another thing is there are a lot of dummies, does the avalanche course teach people to ride one at a time up a hill. I have seen many guys riding with 3...4 people at one time with 1 dude sitting at the bottom watching. I have had dudes ride up just past me, or just below me when I was stuck. Whats a matter with you people. Stay the phuk away from me. Although....I would love to take a rescue course though, and put some more time into practicing rescue, so I could help some of these people one day. But all said, practice is way different from the real thing. At work I have seen people trained, and trained on H2S rescue all there lives, every 2 years, safe drills every week they worked, and still are in shock, and don't act properly when the time comes to re-act. Conditions are bad, stay out of the bad areas, that's what I have always done, I have chosen not to sled some hills, then seen avys come down when others rode it. Whatever, I'll be safe. And hopefully all of you will too. Sorry for the long post people. Here's to a safe, and fun year.