Video of being Caught in Avalanche - Allen Creek January 23, 2016

LinkTank

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Crazy video man! Very glad you made it out safe. Scary situation.


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kovs

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Glad you made it out ok
Disagree about the staying in trailer.
Read the bulletin from avalanche Canada, watch Curtis' video of conditions. Quick pit or trench from sled to do a snow test. Check for weak layers and fracture characteristics
Easy when suns out like that to be vigilant of snow loaded slopes given the high winds in previous day's storm
I know I sound like a preacher.by no means a expert. Just the avg sask rider out enjoying BC snow But my riding group just did the frozen pirate ast 1. Fri-sat- sun -perfect conditions to learn about snow He taught us a lot and drilled it into our heads over and over so you remember when your smashing pow on those beauty days.
Simple mistake on terrain choice/ path but could have had detrimental results and nobody wants or deserves that.


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Bogger

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Crazy... Maybe the video does not do the angle of that slope justice but from watching the video I can recall myself and members of my group poking around on similar looking terrain.....and we are all avalanche trained

I just bought an ABS bag after watching that video.

Not sure folks are saying to stay in the trailer but in hind sight (being 20/20) the terrain trap and rock face where it began are signs to look out for, that said I stand by my earlier comment about me and my group hitting similar slopes.
 

tex78

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bag was test deployed... first day after a decent reload, not many sleds on the hill and not many ventured back where we were so there was fresh snow/slopes everywhere you looked, we rode in fresh all day long... you're right though, could've just stayed in the trailer and avoided it all together
Never said to stay in the trailer, but looking at that video and the snow pack the last 2 weeks at least, u obviously never looked at the avy Forcast and or don't have a ast 1 course



Cause the rock face, terrain trap and snow conditions would tell me to not touch that with a 1000 foot pole


U could see little sloughs in the other guys in front of u on very small slopes, telling u something
 
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Redturbo

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Hey unclet18, thanks for posting the video. Its a good eye opener for all of us. Please let us know what backpack company does for you.
 

Symbiotic

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Especially glad to see you and your group are alright! Made me cringe while i sat here on the sofa enjoying a drink and hoping the outcome was nothing but good for you guys. Good to see that you shared that video also as those are extremely helpful tools for Avy training and excellent reminders to stop, think and put our training to good use before getting into something too involved, and that our riding partners are also capable and educated in getting to us if needed.
Cheers!
 

moyiesledhead

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bag was test deployed... first day after a decent reload,

A test fire is necessary of course, but all it really tells you in the end is that it worked "that" time. Crosses my mind occasionally when I'm wearing mine. Will it "really" work if I need it?
 

thegeneral

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Lots of armchair quarterbacks telling you what you did wrong but like Bogger said, we ALL make these mistakes from time to time no matter how skilled/trained/experienced we are.
you did end up very close to the surface so perhaps the bag helped save your life even only half deployed. The great ending to this story is that you are still here and people can learn from your experience.
Thanks for sharing
 

plio7

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Lots of armchair quarterbacks telling you what you did wrong but like Bogger said, we ALL make these mistakes from time to time no matter how skilled/trained/experienced we are.
you did end up very close to the surface so perhaps the bag helped save your life even only half deployed. The great ending to this story is that you are still here and people can learn from your experience.
Thanks for sharing

Agreed. It's easy to judge when your watching a video. Atleast you guys had the gear and your buddies were looking back to keep tabs and got you out quickly. Scary chit. Glad you made it out alright
 

Clode

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it not cool when your safety equipment fails, we can all learn from this video, thanks for sharing it I know it must have been hard to do knowing you would be under a microscope
 

tex78

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Lots of armchair quarterbacks telling you what you did wrong but like Bogger said, we ALL make these mistakes from time to time no matter how skilled/trained/experienced we are.
you did end up very close to the surface so perhaps the bag helped save your life even only half deployed. The great ending to this story is that you are still here and people can learn from your experience.
Thanks for sharing
Well I guess that's the chances u and some others take then

From my armchair and 39 days days riding, I will ride what I ride then too
 

Lund

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I'm baffled at people making judgement on a situation that in fact could happen to anyone, including them self's. Even with all the training and precaution's these situation's can happen.
In this case an avy.
Sledding in general is a high risk sport. Being back east riding on lakes with the risk of going under the ice or ripping on trails at high speed's and piling into a tree, the danger's are still there. Back country riding the western mountain's is risky and unless you park it and stay home there is no 100%.

All i can say is take all the precaution's, inform your self and equip your self and riding partner's. Be aware of the area and situation's your traveling into, also understand your skill's and abilities.
Courses, avy reports and local info on condition's all play a part in decision making out there. Lastly, in the back country your life is ALWAY's at risk no matter how well trained you are and how much experience you have. If you can't buy that then your a fool...an avy is not the only hazard that can make a bad day.

Here is a thought for preacher's, majority of SAR's rescue's during a sledding season are not avy rescues or lost sledder's but sledder's venturing too far and too deep into drainage's and not able to get out again. Some damaging their sled's or getting hurt in the process, thus not showing up at the end of the day.
If it wasn't for some devoted individual's on snow shoes many sledder's would be collected with their sled's after the season.

Fact sledding is risky.
Glad the OP is ok and take's this unexpected venture as part of his personal experience, enjoy the sport and be safe. BTW **** happen's
 

kovs

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I'm not judging him or pretending to be a armchair sledder. many of us have probably crossed something like that out there not knowing the risks or thinking about it - not in the know at the time or caught up in the bluebird pow smashing day
He made the choice to ride where he did.
Best part has been stated a few times by many-
Glad your alive to tell about it. For us to Learn from it by the footage that shows the reality of situation and continue sledding !!
Having riding partners that are capable and always watching out for each other.


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Trashy

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Thanks for posting your video and happy that you are ok.
 

Lund

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Not that anyone should deliberately try this and every situation is different. But this is FYI.
It's generally better to punch directly into an avy then to try to turn out, again many factor's play's into this. Turning out will ALWAY's cause you to roll and buried.
Out running is near impossible but in few situation's has been done if you are already turned out and know its coming.
Most people caught by avy's are caught by surprise heading down after a climb.

Given no other choices of escape a direct approach will tend to keep you above the mass of the slide. I assure you, it would take BALL's to do it and split second decision making, but given the choices it's generally the best move.
I've seen it done on numerous occasion's in the past.

Again it's just FYI that's all.
 
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