riders with no or minimal avi training

[khaos_]

MODMAN, I am truly sorry for what I have said. I misunderstood some of the posts. It is very tough sometimes to understand what people are trying to get across, and I got way too excited over it. Again, I am sorry for that.

What I meant by riding the minor stuff, was going up the trail, and maybe at the cabin going left towards the old cabin, then maybe playing around on the bottom by the creeks, and trees. We will keep an eye out for slides but I would think a person should be safe if we aren't climbing any of the hills, or putting ourselves in aspot that we could get caught in by an avy.

I also say I am on my 36th day straight now of working, and I am very....very excited to go sledding. I was supposed to go sledding over by Prince Albert but they don't have any snow, so i will be there for 5 days, no sledding, real bummer. It will take alot to stop me from going into the mountains. I will have a look at the free online course also, that would be cool.

And also to whoever asked about me saying I have sledded for awhile but don't have the time. Well, earlier this year was the first time I really heard anything about avy courses, since then I have been very busy.

Feel free to tell me to F OFF.

 

[Bogger]

Feel free to tell me to F OFF.

Thanks for the offer, I rarely pass on such an opportunity however this is not the place.....:d

This has been an awesome thread, lots of knowledge and opinion, sometimes people need to get fired up in order for good debate to happen.

Thanks everyone.....:d

 

[Hefe04]

If you can afford the trip and a new sled maybe instead of that fancy new pipe people should spend it on the gear first

 

[imdoo'n]

This is crazy, Imdoo'n, are you referring to ME. If you are read my post again dude. You will see where it says, I will get a course under my belt, and I do want to train myself better with the beacon, & probe. I cannot believe you people as VIP members would say that going into the mountains with out the gear is all right if you don't have the cash for the rental. Come on, are you serious, are you that strapped for cash, you can not spend $25, but some of you guys preach the avy courses for $200. You guys are brilliant.

not sure where your getting this from, as it doesn't make any sense at all. have stated that i have and will ride with riders without avi training, and a lot of new riders. insist on the gear and have extra for those who don't have. i also do a group beacon search before hitting the steep. if you have an understanding of avi conditions great, if not take some training, if not it's your choice, just don't endanger me by doing stupid stuff on the slopes. you seem to be reading between the lines (DUDE).

 

[imdoo'n]

Thanks for the offer, I rarely pass on such an opportunity however this is not the place.....:d

This has been an awesome thread, lots of knowledge and opinion, sometimes people need to get fired up in order for good debate to happen.

Thanks everyone.....:d

thanx common sense you have, just looking to keep safe on the steep and deep. cheers and beers.

 

[imdoo'n]

Just a quick question. To the people here preaching about avy courses and saying they won't ride with anyone who doesn't have the training because it puts people at risk. How many of you have no problems overloading your trucks with decks and trailers and exceeding the load capacity of your vehicle and putting people on the roads at risk. Just saying there is alot of people who preach about 1 thing, and are hypocritical about another.

that may be true, but that is not the problem that this post was about, and no i know my vehicles weight limits, as i like to sled again.

 

[yeahyo]

just because you rent the gear and wear it dosen do any more than having nothing on if you cant use it. and even you are with experienced people what if they all get burried in a freak slide? you will be standing there usless while all your friends die! practice is free learn to use it its not an avalanche detector, its to save peoples lives. do it

 

[maxwell]

just because you rent the gear and wear it dosen do any more than having nothing on if you cant use it. and even you are with experienced people what if they all get burried in a freak slide? you will be standing there usless while all your friends die! practice is free learn to use it its not an avalanche detector, its to save peoples lives. do it

ok

next time i take a group of new mountain riders to the hills i will tell them not to bother with the equiptment its useless if you dont know how to use it.

then when i have to explain to there parents i couldnt find them because they didnt have a beacon?

sorry but i would rather someone have the gear and when i geet burried they can at least try and figure it out rather than do NOTHING.

i realize your trying to make a comparison but its kind of not accurate?

 

[imdoo'n]

ok

next time i take a group of new mountain riders to the hills i will tell them not to bother with the equiptment its useless if you dont know how to use it.

then when i have to explain to there parents i couldnt find them because they didnt have a beacon?

sorry but i would rather someone have the gear and when i geet burried they can at least try and figure it out rather than do NOTHING.

i realize your trying to make a comparison but its kind of not accurate?

sure seems to be a lot of resistance to any avi education of any sort, not sure of the thought process of some. you are right some knowledge is better than none. tired of seeing the death toll every year.

 

[maxwell]

i have avy training i dont know what you are talking about.

the point is

YOU HAVE A TOOLBOX

YOUR TOOL BOX CAN BE EMPTY OR FULL

MOST ARE AROUND HALF FULL

its up to the individual to place a price on his life and decide how full his toolbox gets.

mine is gettn there. and i could spend another 10,000 it will never be completely full.

 

[powerteker]

WOW!!!

 

[GREASEMONKEY]

training is good but the equipment is as important or more important as the training i personaly do not have any training but you have to know what to watch out for , I get to the mntns probably 3 times a year and i do have all the proper equipment.

 

[snoqueen]

Well, my family and I just completed the 8 hr classroom portion of the AST 1 with Zac's Tracs and it truly has opened my eyes up about so many things. We've been riding in the mtns for years and thought we had the common sense but it is scary to think that we really weren't making the right choices at times. This course teaches you all the things to know BEFORE YOU GO. Sometimes, you have to alter WHO you ride with, WHERE you ride, WHEN you ride and HOW you ride. That is key. This course should be mandatory to all who venture out to the mountains. You can have all the gear but until you actually learn about the snowpack, and know how to read bulletins it won't do you much good. We take the field portion this Saturday where we can really get the hands-on experience....CAN'T WAIT!!!! Take the course.....forget the excuses.

 

[Summiteer]

sure seems to be a lot of resistance to any avi education of any sort, not sure of the thought process of some. you are right some knowledge is better than none. tired of seeing the death toll every year.

Lots of resistance to education of any sort.........some people mistake luck for talent or skill.....It'll catch up to you eventually......

 

[imdoo'n]

not sure if it is the money, can't be as they have a free on-line avi course. may not have field training but it can't hurt. just a thought, how about BC sled clubs handing out a backcountry do's and don'ts with the trail pass. a lot of ist timer mistakes going on out there.

 

[LID]

training is good but the equipment is as important or more important as the training i personaly do not have any training but you have to know what to watch out for , I get to the mntns probably 3 times a year and i do have all the proper equipment.

Not necessarily directed at "Greasemonkey,"


Fancy equipment is USELESS if you don't know how to use it properly, quickly, and efficiently. Whether you're a veteran or not, a course will either teach you how, or refresh your skills in beacon searches, probing, digging, and route finding. EVERY SECOND COUNTS, SEE HOW LONG YOU CAN HOLD YOUR BREATH! If you're not out building kickers all the time, you may even notice, while digging at the course, that the dinky shovel you saved $25 on likes to split up the weld on the back of the blade.

I have rarely seen anyone (on sleds) practicing beacon searches. You hardly even see guys do beacon checks in the parking lot to see if they are even transmitting.

If you're not practicing, it means your friends/family/riding buddies' lives aren't worth your practice time.

 

[imdoo'n]

Not necessarily directed at "Greasemonkey,"


Fancy equipment is USELESS if you don't know how to use it properly, quickly, and efficiently. Whether you're a veteran or not, a course will either teach you how, or refresh your skills in beacon searches, probing, digging, and route finding. EVERY SECOND COUNTS, SEE HOW LONG YOU CAN HOLD YOUR BREATH! If you're not out building kickers all the time, you may even notice, while digging at the course, that the dinky shovel you saved $25 on likes to split up the weld on the back of the blade.

I have rarely seen anyone (on sleds) practicing beacon searches. You hardly even see guys do beacon checks in the parking lot to see if they are even transmitting.

If you're not practicing, it means your friends/family/riding buddies' lives aren't worth your practice time.

generally do a beacon check before starting sleds, and then a beacon search check when we stop on the way. sometimes hard to do everyone is in a hurry to get on the hills. try to pull over those that are doing the dumb stuff and let them know, mostly good people out there but ocasionally a few who know it all.

 

[dirtball08]

My group have been sledding the mtns for about 10 yrs. Everybody has avy trainng and big 3. After the avy course, we had alot of talk of what we learned. Everybody admitted "alot". We do a beacon check in our room before we leave the hotel just in case something has happened the day before.

4 yrs after taken the course, we started talking about how we haven't had to dig anybody out (thank goodnes). The next trip out we took ours wives and we were playing on small hills (60 to 80 ft tall), when my buddy got buried. Luckily, at the bottom of the slide his head and arm was sticking out. This happened in about 3 secs.

On my way up to try and find him, it surpised me how things started coming back, as if you just took the course. My beacon was turned onto search before I got off the sled ( I don't remember switching it over) but as I was digging him out, beacon just beeping like crazy, my buddy asked to shut the noisey thing off. Didn't even notice it-just worried about getting him out and away from a 2nd slide, if it was to come.

Sitting away from the hill, we all said, "never in a million yrs would you think that would of slide." The course is very good to take but by no means is it everything you need. Get as much info as you can, courses, reports, other peeps, it all makes a difference.

Take this and do what you wish with it.

 

[ferniesnow]

More and more clubs are getting beacon checkers installed at the staging areas. They are available from BCA (maybe others also) and are put up so that when you ride/walk by a green light comes on if your beacon is on. If your beacon isn't on there is a big red light with a line through it; a reminder to check your beacon!

The Fernie club is putting up two; one at Coal Creek and the other at Morrissey. They were compliments of BCA with our Avalanche Awareness Days. They will only be in operation when the trail pass vendors are out because of the problem of vandalism.

Safe sledding and ride responsible, fs