Valemount Conditions and Updates 2019 2020

RXN

Active VIP Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
7,077
Reaction score
37,448
Location
Gibbons, Alberta, Canada
The two men we (Robson Valley SAR) rescued yesterday ventured into terrain that they couldn’t ride back out of. To their credit they had radio contact with the rest of their group. Others in their group CALLED 9-1-1. That is the most important call. Don’t call your mom or a friend or the snowmobile club or anyone else until you have called 9-1-1 and asked for the POLICE. The police will call us. We will respond. Our Mountain Snowmobile Response Team is a team of highly skilled professionals with the resources to get you out.
As a mountain snowmobiler you have to be prepared to spend at least one night alone in the wilderness when you leave the parking lot. You owe that to your family.
Do not anticipate an immediate rescue. As a recreational rider you can take chances that we won’t. We will respond a quickly as we reasonably can.
Stay safe,

So question on the calling 911 first.
Is it possible to do with an Inreach pr spot? Or is that one scenario where you would have to text that info out and have someone place that call?.
 

dgjordan

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Messages
359
Reaction score
623
Location
edmonton
Not speaking officially but this is my two cents. They came off of the mountain mid day today after spending the night on the mountain. We went out last night and after realizing the distance these two boys traveled downhill to nowhere, it was simply not possible to ever evacuate them by normal means. Robson Valley SAR heli dropped them snowshoes, radios, food and water this morning and instructed them to walk a very long way downhill to the only possible evac point.

We see this far too often people. If you realized you are F%^cked, the last thing you should do is F%^ck yourself more by traveling farther away from the last safe point. We are skilled at rescue and can help you out of many situations you think impossible. We could have gotten these boys off of the hill last night, but their ambitious efforts to proceed down to nowhere resulted in a stay on the mountain and a long delay in recovery.

Do not reply here to insult these people, you do no good with your negative comments. They are good people and there has been a lesson learned.... I promise.

Just please do every rescuer a favour and stop at the very second you realize you are over your head. The feeling we get from having to leave fellow sledders on the hill overnight is indescribable. I cannot think of one instance where proceeding farther into the depth of hell resulted in a faster recovery.

Ride safe

very well said curtis.thanks for everything you and your team do.
 

Depsnolvr

Active VIP Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
3,510
Reaction score
9,753
Location
Valemount, British Columbia
So question on the calling 911 first.
Is it possible to do with an Inreach pr spot? Or is that one scenario where you would have to text that info out and have someone place that call?.


The 911 feature on Inreach or Spot work for sure, but the most clear way is a phone call with as many details as possible. Live communication is superior but the two way comms with an Increach or the new SPOT device are extremely beneficial and often last much longer than radio batteries for communication during a rescue.
 
  • Thanks
Reactions: RXN

sledhunter

Active member
Joined
Dec 30, 2006
Messages
26
Reaction score
143
Location
McBride, BC
The SOS feature on those devices coupled with the two-way text capability gives us your exact location and the incident details that you include as a text message. If you carry a SPOT or inReach device please keep it in a hard case to prevent accidental SOS activations.

Stay safe,
Dale Mason
SAR Manager
Robson Valley SAR
 

Brapster

Active member
Joined
Nov 17, 2016
Messages
44
Reaction score
160
Location
Fort mcmurray
The SOS feature on those devices coupled with the two-way text capability gives us your exact location and the incident details that you include as a text message. If you carry a SPOT or inReach device please keep it in a hard case to prevent accidental SOS activations.

Stay safe,
Dale Mason
SAR Manager
Robson Valley SAR
I have the in reach good to know thanks!
 

Dawizman

Active VIP Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2014
Messages
2,856
Reaction score
10,146
Location
Cold Lake, AB
Here is a Map i Made. In my opinion, No one should be in the yellow zone. You could perhaps push the upper boundary lower slightly if you are an EXPERT rider. Not a self proclaimed expert rider. Other than that there is NO turnaround zones in the yellow zone. It is all offcamber,steep creek and tree riding. i bet 90% of snowmobile and rider recoveries come from this yellow zone. There are no flat spots to turn around, there are no easy ways out, there is no connector road that you can drop down too. The lower you go, the steeper it gets. And the brush and willows get thicker. Each of the 4 creek draws tighten up as you go down and if you keep following them down thats it for you. If you find yourself in this yellow zone, Stop, Do not pass go, do not collect 200$. Turn your sled around and beat a path out the way you came in.

View attachment 221533
A bit off topic, but are you able to share the kml file that you're using for Google Earth? I haven't found a decent map for Allen yet.
 

dgjordan

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Messages
359
Reaction score
623
Location
edmonton
Rode allen yesterday.was a foot of fresh in parking lot.didnt have to go far to have unreal snow.sun even poked out a bit.was an epic day.trail in was great,new cabin is pimpin.awesome job on that varda and crew.

avy conditions are very bad.seen some guys playing in avy alley corner pocket and couldnt believe it.

seen some small slides and slufs so we decided to play on very safe terrain.

be careful out there guys,that face in avy alley hasnt gone yet and when it does its gonna be bad.
 

NoBrakes!

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2011
Messages
6,321
Reaction score
12,813
Location
Edmonton
Is there a way to get up on premiere ridge but avoid the alley? can a guy get to the cabin from the ridge?
 

maxwell

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
20,082
Reaction score
43,178
Location
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
Is there a way to get up on premiere ridge but avoid the alley? can a guy get to the cabin from the ridge?

You can bypass it 2 ways but it’s extremely technical and I don’t think any safer really.

I prefer to just motor through avy alley as fast as possible rather than spending the whole morning logging lol
 

NoBrakes!

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2011
Messages
6,321
Reaction score
12,813
Location
Edmonton
I figured the burn could get you there but it might be a real chore. hopefully the snow is so deep Saturday we don't even have to venture that far in! you out there this weekend Max?
 

maxwell

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
20,082
Reaction score
43,178
Location
Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
I figured the burn could get you there but it might be a real chore. hopefully the snow is so deep Saturday we don't even have to venture that far in! you out there this weekend Max?

ya you can but just one nasty drainage to deal with at the entrance to avalanche alley. ill be up! see ya out there!
 

Chrisco

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2007
Messages
2,479
Reaction score
6,042
Location
Stony Plain
We have 2 rooms left in a wicked house in Vale this weekend for 50.00 bucks a night if anyone is looking. call me 780-217-9141
 

VARDA

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2014
Messages
756
Reaction score
6,665
Location
Valemount
Enjoy all this new snow. But listening to the avalanche bulletins, use caution in this stormy weather and ride safe.
 

Attachments

  • January 10 2020-page-001.jpg
    January 10 2020-page-001.jpg
    289.5 KB · Views: 336

bbtoys

Active VIP Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
3,185
Reaction score
4,447
Location
mcbride
anyone coming to val tonight that can bring me a package from ron. I will meet you in val. thanks
 
Top Bottom