Backcountry Incidents

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Lhartley
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Backcountry Incidents

Post by Lhartley » Sun Jan 28, 2024 4:05 pm

"A 32-year-old man from Saskatchewan has died after falling from the Aemmer Couloir on Mount Temple in Banff National Park on Friday, according to RCMP."

Now personally, a person's personal choices are in response to their own personal safety mitigation, and risk tolerance. That said, I've seen peeps on telemark forums claiming incorrect pole plants as misinformation. So where does that leave pro's pied pipering peeps up 1800' couliors in January? Do your own research or blame the YouTube video?

Https://globalnews.ca/news/10255120/sas ... ke-louise/

https://skithefifty.com/aemmer-couloir
"There's no fun in over-speccing". Your favorite skier

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Lhartley
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Re: Backcountry Incidents

Post by Lhartley » Mon Mar 11, 2024 11:04 pm

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/a ... r-BB1jIij7

I've been on an alpine hiatus while learning yalls strange style of sliding on slopes, this Zone here though is my go to and is one that gets taken for granted in the avalanche condition department. It seems like nice low angle trees but you get tempted into spicy open glades that slide easily, this is advanced territory that can be misleading.

Beautiful spot for alpine touring though. RIP
Screenshot_20240311_210223_Instagram.jpg
my buddy on his split setup at Engadine Burn, Kananaskis
"There's no fun in over-speccing". Your favorite skier

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Lhartley
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Re: Backcountry Incidents

Post by Lhartley » Wed Apr 03, 2024 9:35 am

Very sad. The avalanche forecast for that day was low across the board. I was out that day, had a great time I. Broke my alpine hiatus and skied Burstall Pass. It did feel a bit spicy as things warmed up around noon I headed out and ran into several parties headed up. Spring mean early starts. RIP
Screenshot_20240403_073052_Facebook.jpg
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Lhartley
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Re: Backcountry Incidents

Post by Lhartley » Sat Jan 11, 2025 11:57 am

"There's no fun in over-speccing". Your favorite skier

Just a novice telermark skier



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wooley12
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Re: Backcountry Incidents

Post by wooley12 » Sat Jan 11, 2025 1:18 pm

Sad. We all gotta go sometime. 30 y o mountain guide buddy of mine stepped on the wrong patch of snow on a 40 deg slope and slid 600' head first into the trees below. Better than suffocating IMO.

Interesting story on the page you linked.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british- ... -1.7428625



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Re: Backcountry Incidents

Post by randoskier » Wed Jan 15, 2025 3:12 am

wooley12 wrote:
Sat Jan 11, 2025 1:18 pm
Sad. We all gotta go sometime. 30 y o mountain guide buddy of mine stepped on the wrong patch of snow on a 40 deg slope and slid 600' head first into the trees below. Better than suffocating IMO.

Interesting story on the page you linked.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british- ... -1.7428625
In Slovenia about five years ago I was skiing on-piste at the Vogel ski area above lake Bohinj. It was a super icy morning, sheer ice. I was on a decently wide but super steep slope (think Racer's Edge at Hunter Mountain). I fell right near the top flipped over on my back and began sliding head first down the fall line, being on my back I could only see the sky, I could not get a pole around for a self arrest I was travelling too fast. I was just thinking "please no rocks or trees...". I had a lucky path and ran out ok in the end, took a while to catch me breath. That day I became a late convert to helmets for in-bounds skiing. Vogel is really beautiful, incredible views, great single-chair lift too. Lift ticket is $45 all day no funny pricing schemes, pay at the window like the old days. Here are some pics from a less icy day-
vogeluplift.jpg
vogelPow.jpg



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Lhartley
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Re: Backcountry Incidents

Post by Lhartley » Tue Jan 28, 2025 10:10 am

"There's no fun in over-speccing". Your favorite skier

Just a novice telermark skier



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Lhartley
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Re: Backcountry Incidents

Post by Lhartley » Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:44 am

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/articl ... astern-bc/

"The surviving friend had to leave him at the location to ensure his own safe return, the statement said."

Calling 120cm a shallow burial is interesting, that's still a lot of digging in compacted avalanche debris

Terrible, RIP

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Re: Backcountry Incidents

Post by fgd135 » Wed Feb 19, 2025 12:15 pm

Not a skier, but an amazing rescue, really.
After years of patrolling, and in mountain rescue, I cannot emphasize enough how lucky this guy was to be alive, found over an hour after full burial in an avalanche.
https://avalanche.state.co.us/report/14 ... 37d4a85603

Rescue video here:

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