Avalanche Fatality In LCC

[Tri-Ungulate]

Hazard has been pretty high after the last wierd storm, and with the warming trend today even more dicey. Many naturals ripping out, some 1/4 to 1/2 mile wide and the guns dropped Superior to the road during the storm. On the same day campers were learning about the two running layers extant in the pack, something very sad happening just a mile or so away. :frown: Friend of a friend os someone on this board, and hopefully not someone from the board.

http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?sid=138314&nid=5

Please be very very careful in the Wasatch bc until this cycle settles down.

[gramps]

Heard about this on the news. First fatality here this year I think, very sad. 22 years old too... I wonder if he was a U student. I sure hope it's not anyone we know. It sounds like it happened in grizzly gulch too, very heavily used area right next to the resort that I've been in plenty, and never worried much about avalanches while skiing/ascending through it. It really hits home that all steep terrain is potentially deadly in these conditions, even if it's in a non-threatening area like grizzly.

Here's the details I remember from the news report: Happened at dusk, party of two I think? They had beacons and shovels. Victim buried a foot deep, but it took 15-30 min to dig him out for some reason. Solitude patrol responded, and others as well I imagine. They said grizzly/twin lakes pass area, so maybe it was on the other side of the pass, and not in grizzly itself? This is all what I gathered from the network news so it could easily be inaccurate.

[Droopy]

praying its not a mag, and sending positive vibes to family and friends

[Summit]

Very sad :(

[cj001f]

4 Avy Deaths this season :( . Be careful folks!

[ak_powder_monkey]

RIP :(:( :( :(

[powderwhore]

That sucks, but what were they thinking?

Didn't see anyone else heading up Cardiff or Flagstaff today, wonder why? Avi danger is off the charts right now! I set off two slabs inbounds on my first run yesterday. :eek:

[Trackhead]

A maggot was involved, but survived. Let's give him some time.

Sorry for your loss and the families loss.

[watersnowdirt]

So sad to hear that. Thoughts go out to his friends and family. :(

[Magoo]

Sorry to hear of this. Condolences to family and friends.

[truth]

Avalanche claims skier in Big Cottonwood Canyon

By Lisa Rosetta
The Salt Lake Tribune

An avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon minutes before 5 p.m. Friday killed a backcountry skier, the first avalanche death in Utah this winter.
The victim and a friend were skiing in Grizzly Gulch in the Twin Lakes Pass area when the slide began, burying one man in 2 to 3 feet of snow, said Salt Lake County sheriff's Lt. Robert Sampson. Both skiers were wearing avalanche beacons; it took the other man about five minutes to find his friend. He dug him out and called 911 on his cell phone.
"[The victim] wasn't breathing on his own," Sampson said.
The victim's friend and Solitude ski patrollers administered CPR until a helicopter landed in the upper parking area of the Solitude ski resort at about 6:20 p.m. The victim, 23, of Salt Lake County, was taken to LDS Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:52 p.m.
It was unclear Friday evening what caused the avalanche, or how far the victim was carried by it, Sampson said.
Friday morning, the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center issued an avalanche warning for the northern Utah mountains and extreme southeast Idaho through midnight. Recent snow, strong winds and rapidly warming temperatures contributed to high avalanche danger, with avalanches occurring at unusually low elevations, according to the Forest Service's Web site.
"We've received a tremendous amount of snow and it's added a lot of weight to some very weak layers within the snowpack," said Craig Gordon, an avalanche forecaster for the Salt Lake City-based Avalanche Center. Add to the mix high winds, which create slabs, and "it's a great

Advertisement

combination for increasing avalanches in the backcountry," he said.
"People without well-developed avalanche skills may want to think about skiing in the ski resorts," he said.
The fatal slide happened about two miles south of Solitude resort.
A resort employee confirmed the avalanche and directed the quick-response members of the ski patrol to the site. About 10 ski patrollers from Solitude used snowmobiles or skis to reach the site, said Marvin Sumner, director of the Solitude Ski Patrol.
About 10,000 avalanches occur each winter in Utah, and of these, people unintentionally trigger about 100. About 20 people get caught in the slides, on average, and four people die each year, according to the Avalanche Center's Web site.
Last year, three snowboarders were killed in a massive slide the day after Christmas in Provo Canyon. A fourth person, a snowshoer, was killed two months later in Daly Canyon near Park City.
lrosetta@sltrib.com
---
Salt Lake Tribune reporter Jason Bergreen contributed to this report.

[ulty_guy]

r.i.p.

please, please, be careful out there.

[gonzo]

:frown:

RIP.

[Tippster]

RIP.

Maybe CPR training should be included in Avy training. If the guy had to wait for the 'trollers to administer, that's more precious seconds/minutes lost.

As selfish as this may sound, I hope it's not one of ours.

[shamrockpow]

It sucks every time to read this shit. Sorry for the kid's family/friends. RIP

[bagtagley]

Terrible news.

RIP :(

Edit: I don't think it can be said enough times. Please be careful out there.

[Telenater]

:(

Two maggots involved in significant slides so far this winter. I can think of few groups more at risk than us. Please play it safe.

Best wishes to friends, family, and in particular the survivor.

[truth]

Maybe CPR training should be included in Avy training. If the guy had to wait for the 'trollers to administer, that's more precious seconds/minutes lost.





The victim's friend and Solitude ski patrollers administered CPR until a helicopter landed

Reading is elementary.

[skiguide]

oh god, this caught my eye in the SLC tribune, then I raced over here fearing it was a maggot - thoughts with whomever it was involved, and RIP to the friend.

[powderhound]

:( :frown: :(

[Mrs Roo]

RIP

Take care, all.

[Xover]

A maggot was involved, but survived. Let's give him some time.


Whomever the maggot is, please accept my deepest condolences.

On a side note, I saw the slide today from Sorrydude at the Highway to Heaven Gate - you can get a very good view of it from there if interested.

[Free Range Lobster]

Damn.

Too many already this season....

Be safe guys. :(

[powstash]

:( Can't imagine what the family is feeling right now, nor our maggot friend involved.


powstash <------- proud owner and wearer of the Avalung.

[iskibc]

Damn! Had a weird feeling in my gut another maggot was involved when I first read the news blurb yesterday. :( Condolences out to the victim's family and the maggot involved.


RIP.

[truth]

APD?



Shhh.........not that it was not the 1st thing to cross my mind.

[Stoysluttie1]

My condoleneces as well. At Brighton yesterday we saw tracks disappear in that area into a crown and slide path. Bummer. Sorry apd.

[UTdave]

:( :frown: . Sad stuff. At the Bird you could see impressive fracture lines all along the Twins and basically the ridgelines the entire way from Little cloud up the twins and around on both the little cloud side and Mineral Basin side. The fracture line above Powder Paradise was huge. The debris from some of them ran a long way too. Sorry for anyone who was involved this is rough stuff for sure.

[snowfire]

I heard about it, and was really hoping no one from here was involved. Sad... my condolences to whoever it was. :(

[Red Baron]

Fatality From Last Night's Avalanche is Identified
Dec. 11, 2004

The skier who died in last nights avalanche up Big Cottonwood canyon has been identified. He is Zachary Eastman of Cottonwood Heights.

Whether it was hiking up the Tetons, skiing in the backcountry, or running from a bear...Zachary Eastman loved the outdoors. Sure, he was only 22-years-old when he died Friday night...but he's already experienced so many thing many of us will never experience. For some reason, Scott Eastman just knew the phone shouldn't have been ringing so late on a Friday night.

SCOTT EASTMAN: "MY 16-YEAR OLD TALKED TO ME AND SAID DAD, ZACH WAS SKIING. AND I KNEW RIGHT THEN."
He knew...but he didn't want to believe that his oldest son, Zachary Eastman, had died.
SCOTT EASTMAN; "IF HE HAD TO GO ANYWHERE, THIS WAS AS GOOD A PLACE AS ANY."
Eastman loved the mountains...especially Grizzly Gulch on Big Cottonwood canyon.
Unfortunately, it's where he died when an avalanche buried him.
POWELL EASTMAN: "WE'D TAKE IT HARDER IF IT WAS A CAR ACCIDENT OR CANCER, BUT WE KNEW HE'D LOVE IT. IT'S STILL WAY HARD, AND IT'S GOING TO HURT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT SINCE IT WAS SKIING, IT'S A LITTLE SOFTER."
Zach was the oldest of four.. and loved to bring his little brothers on his big adventures....like the hike up Raymonds Peak.
JOSH EASTMAN: "WE GOT UP THERE, AND A SNOWSTORM CAME... AND HE ONLY HAD ON SHORTS, AND HE'S A FURRY ANIMAL... FURRY... AND HE LOST ALL THE HAIR ON HIS LEGS."
...or just a couple of days ago...when Zach didn't have a pass to go skiing at Alta, but he wanted to join his little brother in-line.
POWELL EASTMAN: "I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BE SAYING THIS, BUT HE GETS THROUGH, AND WE TAKE A RUN, AND OH IT WAS GOOD. HE WAS A GOOD SKIER. I LOOKED UP TO HIM VERY MUCH."
It's the good memories that make life, and death, so special.
SCOTT EASTMAN: "WE HAVE EACH OTHER, AND WE HAVE MEMORIES. AND ZACH, HE'S STILL GONNA BE WITH US."
Zachary Eastman was an organ donor, so all his organs are now going to be used to save someone else's life.

As for the family, they spent the afternoon making funeral arrangements.

They asked that any donations be made to the National Ski Patrol, or the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center.

[Trackhead]

They asked that any donations be made to the National Ski Patrol, or the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center.

This needs to happen. A truly worthy cause.

The Future
It is unclear what the future will bring in terms of federal support for services such as backcountry avalanche forecasting. Given the current budgetary problems, it would be foolish to count on past levels of support continuing. In Utah we are well on our way to a funding partnership in which the USFS will contribute 50% or less. Other centers should consider laying the groundwork for diversifying their support before it becomes a last minute effort of necessity. Backcountry forecasting services can, and should, be funded by a diverse partnership which is based on solid community support.

[iceman]

Jesus, half my age.

And with all the stupid stuff I've done and do.

Rest easy Zachary, rest easy.

[Red Baron]

Amen. For pictures of the slide, go here (http://www.avalanche.org/%7Euac/Advisory_Photos/Twin%20Lakesweb%2012-10-04/)

[Trackhead]

Disturbing.

[truth]

RIP Zachary

May those you've left behind honor your memory.
http://www.avalanche.org/%7Euac/Advisory_Photos/Twin%20Lakesweb%2012-10-04/images/trees.jpg


Incident Report from the Avy Center (http://www.avalanche.org/%7Euac/Accidents/Twin%20Lakesweb%2012-10-04.htm)

[EPSkis]

That's sickening.
RIP, Zachary.


Those pictures are absolutely unreal. That crown pic is chilling.

Please all - be careful.

[Keoni]

Condolences to his family and friends.
RIP Zachary

[H-man]

Very sad. My condolences to all those involved.

RIP Zach.

[Twoplanker]

This needs to happen. A truly worthy cause.

The Future
It is unclear what the future will bring in terms of federal support for services such as backcountry avalanche forecasting. Given the current budgetary problems, it would be foolish to count on past levels of support continuing. In Utah we are well on our way to a funding partnership in which the USFS will contribute 50% or less. Other centers should consider laying the groundwork for diversifying their support before it becomes a last minute effort of necessity. Backcountry forecasting services can, and should, be funded by a diverse partnership which is based on solid community support.

Amen. Condolences.

[cololi]

This one hit close to home. I patrolled with Zach, and his father Scott, as a volunteer at PC. I was his team leader for half a season when he was involved in the junior patroller program. My condolences to him and his family. A check is in the mail to the UAFC in Zachs name.

[The Reverend Floater]

Love and prayers to the family. RIP and Pow, Zach. :(

[gonzo]

while this is up here, i just wanted to say that my heart goes out to the parties involved. i just wish there was something i could do. :frown:

[grizzle6]

I am so sick right now. I wondered all weekend if this was a maggot, and to know that a certain maggot was involved makes me even more sick. My thought and condolences to Zach's family and friends. Other maggot--thoughts and prayers with you my friend.

[divegirl]

RIP to Zachary. This is so tragic. Though I didn't know him, it hits closer to home than in the past...these events really stick in your mind if you're doing time in the bc yourself. God, this is so sad. Serious positive vibes to the maggot involved...and I wish the best to his family.....

[truth]

To the maggot involved, we are here for ya when you're ready...the good the bad and the ugly are all part of this place, don't stay away too long.

[Tippster]

Reading is elementary.
You posted your news story at the time I was typing. Stop being a dick.

[Blurred]

To the maggot involved, we are here for ya when you're ready...the good the bad and the ugly are all part of this place, don't stay away too long.

Thanks for saying what I couldn't put into words Truth.

We are here for ya buddy.

PM me.

[mtbakerskier]

This is shaping up to be a "weird" year all over, we all needto be extra carefull this season. RIP

[Tri-Ungulate]

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Coming off the high of Gordy's camp, I'm now sitting here shocked and saddend to have just found out that one of the fatalities this weekend was a friend. :frown:

Shit, that makes 5 friends/bc partners in the last 15 years. :frown:

Melvin had very little BC experience and was just out for a nice day snowshoeing in the sun. Probably since he was doing low angle stuff and is in no way an extremo dude, he didn't even realize he was in any danger.

He had a lot to contribute, was just about to finish his Ph.D. and re-enter med school for his M.D.

He will be missed greatly. :frown:

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2484359

Again, please be careful and knowlegeable when you venture out of bounds.

[Summit]

RIP

This is all very sad. Condolences to everyone who knew these people.

I've seen the look of pain on peoples faces in incidents like these. It is indescribable and their pain unimaginable. May you remember your friends in their happiness and find solice in that. There's always help. PM me if you wish.

My worst skiing nightmare is losing a friend in an avalanche. My gut twists into horrible knots everytime my SAR pager goes off and the call is for an area where I know my friends are out that day. It was creepy as going to the VP avalanche two days ago and searching a whole field to find nothing. It was creepy as hell going to the avalanche call last week and seeing a maggot walk out of it.

Please God, no dead maggots, Please.
Everyone be safe out there.

[AltaPowderDaze]

i know some of you want to know what went on up there last friday. i will try to answer questions as best i can so long as they do not get too personal as to both zach and the less appropriate details of the recovery. i do have important information to share, some of it i have posted in the safety meeting thread.

i will have to go back to work in an hour and may be late getting back to the board but i will try to help those understand atleast what i know of the incident.

[The Reverend Floater]

Only when/if you're ready, chief. God Bless...

[Buzzworthy]

Only when/if you're ready, chief. God Bless...

Exactly....

[Tippster]

Are you OK? (Mentally and Physically?)

[13]

APD, sorry for the loss of your friend, and we're glad you walked out of it in one piece.

[Alkasquawlik]

RIP

Everyone be safe out there.



1234567890

[PNWbrit]

Only when/if you're ready, chief. God Bless...

and everyone please... don't fuck this up

[splat]

Totally with you on this one, APD. You're a good man. I know it's hard to accept consolation, but remember - your intentions were always the best.

[iceman]

... i do have important information to share...i will try to help those understand at least what i know of the incident.

That's all you can do.

Thanks in advance and keep your chin up.

[AltaPowderDaze]

Are you OK? (Mentally and Physically?)

i can't say that i am either. i am not physically injured but feel that things don't work as well when you aren't mentally there. i find that when i get busy at work and am running around to do things quickly that i start to hyperventilate like after my help was no longer needed. i still think about the whole scenario while i am doing other things that require my attention. i still have to reinact the scenario to tell me exactly how long everything took. that will help me piece things back together. the only blurry part is assembling the probe and shovel and the false strike i got first. i still think that i had his head uncovered between 5 and 8 minutes. that 3 minutes haunts me too much not to find out for sure. i will also check the 911 call log to see if i can gain knowledge from there. i know i called once i started to ascend the debris again while i was searching. that was only 30-45 seconds after the slide set. i hung up after i got the first beacon signal and answered the phone again i think just after i dug his head out. this video plays too much for me not to go back and time myself.

[The Reverend Floater]

Don't do anything for our benefit, brother. Let it ride for as long as you need...we're not going anywhere and I think everyone around here is extra careful due to the circumstances. Take your time and talk when you're really ready and comfortable. Love, support and positivity...

[basom]

my heartfelt condolences to zach's family and to your own recovery process apd.
i can only try and imagine, oh man.

good luck working through it. help helps with this sometimes.

[Trackhead]

APD,

Glad to [hear] your voice here again.

This last week has been quite sobering indeed. One of the most horrific weeks I can remember. I'm am positive EVERYONE here will be smarter, wiser, more cautious, informative, etc, after last weeks multiiple tragedies.

Again, glad you're back.

[PlayHarder]

Good thoughts comin' to you from Canada, APD.

[Ireallyliketoski]

I hope you can find peace, apd. Please everyone, let us be careful out there.

[iceman]

I can only imagine the adrenaline-inspired mindfuck, it had to be intense beyond words.

Words seem pretty worthless right now.

[Kellie]

Damn, I get the chills everytime I check this thread. I'd like to echo the words of support and welcome to come back and use us as a resource when you're ready APD - can't imagine the insanity you're experiencing. RIP Zach and positive vibes sent your way.

[grizzle6]

APD--so good to see you back. Thoughts and prayers still with you.

[homerjay]

No shit. Glad you're okay and hope none of us ever have to go through that tragedy.

Avy rescue equipment - gear you never want to use.

[stump832]

APD -- my thoughts are with you and Zach's family.

[The Reverend Floater]

Further info for those interested:

Just saw some vid footage of the slide path, debris, etc. Pretty much a nightmare slide path with lots and lots of variables like trees, undulations and what looked like two fall lines (gullies) disected by a tree stand. Looked like a 1 or 2 foot crown with unbelievable sheer quality. Also a very long debris field that could have been very disorienting due to undulations in the terrain and said trees. Appeared that the victim was actually located relatively high, against a tree stand and before the pronounced debris field. However this was taken from vid footage so it was hard to make out.

From what I could gather, the rescue scenario was unlike anything anyone imagines, even in backcountry rescue practice scenarios...many more features and variables than one might expect.

[gramps]

Good to hear from you again APD. We've been thinkin about ya, hope you're doing alright.

[gincognito]

:(
Thoughts and vibes are with all involved. I'll echo what those above have been saying: all in time.

d.

[Tippster]

Cellie PM'ed. Although we've never met please feel free to use it at any time and for any reason. When you're ready to talk... talk. Here, on the phone, to your folks, to a priest/councillor, to me, to mags in a bar (not wise, IMHO, but comfort for some.)

Let it out, don't internalize it, otherwise you'll go crazy.

[Magoo]

APD, peace be with you mang.
Take your time, and know our thoughts and prayers are with you and Zachs family.

[natty dread]

positive vibes from the PNW APD.

[iskibc]

I know it's tough APD, but keep your head up and take care of yourself. Don't forget that your family and friends are there for you. Prayers out to those involved.

[Blurred]

Known since it happened bro. PM me and what not. You've got a friend here. :) :) :)

[AltaPowderDaze]

i just got back from speaking with zach's dad for the last five hours. he has been extremly supportive and i hope i was able to answer some questions that were on his mind.

rev, your thoughts are all correct more than you know. i would like to see the footage if you have a link. when was it taken?

homer j, you never want to use it in a real life situation. you can never practice enough with it. you can always assemble it faster. and when you think you can find a beacon in 2-3 min on a practice slope, you're not even close to finding it out on a real slide path with terrain features. practice in all settings. pray you never do anything but practice.


edit:
Wasatch Backcountry Rescue will be having a fundraiser Saturday night in Park City at 7 pm at Suede. Tickets are available at SmithTix. A free Beacon Rescue Training Center is now open at Snowbird and a second one will open at Canyons on Thursday. For more information go to wasatchbackcountryrescue.org.

please support these guys. they have a tough job to do and need all the help they can get.

[Grange]

Just read this thread. Sorry for your loss APD. Losing a friend is never easy, but being there for his family will help all of you in this difficult time.

[Keoni]

Thoughts prayers are with you APD. Support is all around you, remember that and use it if YOU feel the need too.

[The Reverend Floater]

.

rev, your thoughts are all correct more than you know. i would like to see the footage if you have a link. when was it taken?

.

Sledford was over at my place last night and had the footage with him. He took it two days after on a tour with the Collins' and others. PM me and I'll call Steve for you if you want. Not sure if he can burn it or what, but we can hopefully do something for you.

[baseWeldr]

it's scary out there, the mountains just don't give a shit... hang in there APD, I'm sure his family appreciates your communication... don't kill yourself with the "what ifs..." I will practice more because I read this thread, period.

[cololi]

APD,

Like I said in my pm, my sincerest condolences to you and the Eastman's. I for one appreciate your willingness to share what you can. The events you are going through are unimaginable. Early new years resolution: practice with my beacon, assembling my probe, getting my shovel out, etc. Like others have said, we are all here to support you.

Cololi

[Yeti]

APD, just wanted to send support from Maine. RIP all and prayers for everyone's safety.

[AltaPowderDaze]

after going back today i now have a better understanding of how i would have done things with a clearer head. i can't say that they would have been much different with the visual and terrain information that i had at the time. i ran through the scenario and i think it took me between 5-7 minutes at the very most to clear an airway for him. as i looked back at the slope and ran over my route again, i realized how hard it was to travel and how many likely deposition zones there were. he was in the first. i was physically drained by reinacting it and now wonder how i could have done it when i was so tired to begin with. when i reached the pit today, i collapsed and laid on the ground infront of the pit. after some time i got up and assembled my probe and began looking for some of his gear. i found his car key and a few other items.

i took pictures to help myself later. the slope looked so menacing and in my mind it was like seeing the person that robbed you at gunpoint a week before. i can't explain the fear i have of it. there still is some collapsing on the shady slopes out there right now. the uac has lowered the danger rating, but the few slopes that are still ready to go will go big with bad consequences. please be safe.

[Summit]

:frown: :(

[AltaPowderDaze]

midway down the slide path looking up:

http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic30962.jpg



http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic30963.jpg

[Tippster]

Good work. Keep it up, let it out. :(

[nest]

Thanks for sharing man. I for one will be more careful in the backcountry as a result of these tragic events. It sounds like you did everything you could. A five to seven minute recovery in that area is amazing. Best wishes to all.

[1080Rider]

APD- I would say that you did a hell of a job to recover him in 5-7 minutes. I would think there was some trauma that hindered your efforts. Although it doesn't help any, and it won't make you feel any better, you did a good job!

Prayers go out to you and to his family. Sorry you had to go through this... it sucks however you look at it.

[Particle]

Good to hear from you again APD, and my hearfelt prayers go out to you and Zach's family.

One of the snowshoers who was killed in Mineral was a good friend of mine; it's been a rough week. :(

[Agent 00X]

Condolences to APD, friends and families of those lost recently. Take care.

[Hicks]

APD,

So sorry to hear your great job did not save your friend.
Sincere condolences to you and his family. :(

[Shredgar]

Got to see the Twin Lakes site for the first time today. That thing pulled out big, a lot of snow came down. Stunning to see, I've skied that a few times. Very sad.

On the return I was by the Twin Lakes dam & the wind was blowing through the railings like a flute playing for Zach.

Best wishes & peace to family & friends.

[AltaPowderDaze]

this is part of what i had been writing the following days after the incident. it should shed some light on what we were doing prior and what was going through our minds:


The day was supposed to begin at 7am with a skin up grizzly gulch but my partner had slept in after a late night hanging out with friends. I didn’t call to wake him for some reason. Instead I went to Snowbird and skied one lap before heading to Alta. Along the way I stopped to do a quick beacon drill at the new training center. It was quick and emotionless.

I skied a few laps and watched the control work before heading out the rope line on Supreme. I stayed outside of Alta’s boundaries as I made my way out to Rocky Point. Zach called me when I was atop Rocky Point and asked if I would wait for him and I said yes. I dropped cornices and dug pits and decided that it was safe to ski. A solo skier had taken a line down it prior to me. I skied from ridge to ridge while ski cutting in between them and then made fast arcs to get to a safe area in the flats. I skinned back up and talked to an Alta patrol while waiting for my friend. We took one more lap in rocky point and then I lead the way up the ridge to Tuscarora. Seagull had already slid so we decided to take that line. I tested and skied first down to a safe zone under a cliff at about midway down. I yelled to Zach and he followed to a separate safe zone. We were worried about the graupel that may have sloughed down to the bottom creating a weak layer so I skied it out first at high speed into the apron to avoid any slab activity. We then tried to take a safe route back to the west and toward Patsy Marley/Grizzly Gulch.

My friend, an ex-patroller from park city, took over the lead after I became too tired to continue. I had not eaten since 7am and was skiing inbounds from 9-12. We found instability on low angle east and southeast slopes that had hard slabs failing on buried surface hoar. It would not let us attain the ridge that we needed to be on but we still found our way to the North facing bowl near Tuscarora. We decided instead of taking the Patsy Marley ridge, to take a west facing line that had slid, into the flats of Wolverine Cirque. At that point we thought it best to go all the way to the bottom and then come up a Southeast slope that had been blasted and attain the twin lakes pass ridge. Half way down, Zach said that he would feel ok cutting back across to the usual skin out to the pass. We were tired, hungry and mentally drained as the light faded quickly. I did not question him, as I should have. I just didn’t think for some reason that we’d be under those slopes. At the time, it was the quickest way out and i was ready to call it end to a good day. We came around the corner and were only 2-4 min away from the ridge. I was in the first of two safe zones that I was going to use. I asked him if he wanted me to lead and he said no I’m ok. I think he thought I was asking if his legs were tired of breaking trail. I then moved up toward the second safe zone as he started across a new slope. I could not yet see what was above him, but asked him how it felt. He did not respond. I got to the safe zone and saw he was below a 35-degree chute that was North East facing. He stopped 3/4 of the way across the chute and turned to say that this is the type of slope that sketches him out. I said to move quickly to his next safe zone which I thought was only ten yards away. I should have said for him to come back. He took 3-5 more strides and the slope broke 30yrds above 2 feet deep. I yelled slide as soon as I heard it and for him to get off quick. He said nothing as he disappeared.






x-posted:

this is what is in the front of my mind days after:


first, take an oec or wilderness medicine course. they deal with a lot of extrication duties.

second, get a full size 10x12" or 12x12" shovel. always metal. the big ones move so much more snow in much less time.

third, don't let outside factors affect how you make your decisions. cold,wet, uncomfortable, storm coming in, tired, hungry, light fading? any one of those can change your mind and allow you to make a less safe choice.

[Summit]

Wow!

Thank you for sharing that. I'm sure it wasn't easy.

And good points.

Condolences again.

[fattwins]

this sad news is poops as my japanese friend would say. Rip
rip
it up in
peace

This year for some reason mother nature has a bite. Japan has seen record typhoons as has florida. this funky weather could affect us be careful
RIP

[LCC]

My God...

I'm reading about this from across the country about the problems in my old stomping grounds. I am speachless. APD, I am very sorry for your loss, as well as to the family. I cannot imagine what you must be going through. Keep talking about it, it will help to heal deep wounds.

To the rest of us, please be careful out there...

[SugarDadyPrenup]

Daaaaaayum that sux! :(

[jibij]

wow.
Just plain chilling.
I can't possibly offer anything other than best wishes to you and to Zach's family and friends. Take the time to heal APD.

[SkiOrDie]

APD,

I'm sure there isn't much any of us can say or do that will really help. But, for you to have made the recovery you did, as fast as you did, in that terrain is simply amazing. You did as much as anyone could have done!

Keep well.

[meatdrink9]

This thread gives me goosebumps. So incredibly sad and sobering. APD, sounds like you did all you could. I hope in time you will be able to find peace. I'm sure going back to the site was completely surreal. I can't imagine the ache of retracing those steps.

Whenever I hear of an untimely death like this a song by The Flaming Lips always comes to mind. Below are some of the lyrics.

"Do you realize
That everyone you know someday will die?
And instead of saying all of your good-byes
Let them know you realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round"

It sounds like you guys were working on "the good things" in life. And I don't think the sun has gone down. He will continue to live on in others as an organ donor. He's saving lives. Maybe somewhere in another forum, on another stretch of internet there lives a heartwarming thread. Somebody is posting with tears of joy as the organ they needed for their child or loved one just became available. RIP Zach.


:(

[G]

Amazing APD... You have my deepest condolences. I understand how you feel right now. I hope you are staying strong and dealing well with your emotions.

It sounds like Zach was a great person. He lived well, and he died well. I can only hope my last day on earth will be as enjoyable as Zach's was.


And, I also want to say thank you. Your coming in here and talking about it is truly awesome. You are doing an incredible service for everybody who reads your words. - I have spent many, many days studying and learning about snow & avalanches, but I think I may have learned as much from your story as I have in all of those classes put together. You and Zach have inspired me to be better, learn more, and practice harder.


Thank you.

[Squirrel99]

He will continue to live on in others as an organ donor. He's saving lives. Maybe somewhere in another forum, on another stretch of internet there lives a heartwarming thread. Somebody is posting with tears of joy as the organ they needed for their child or loved one just became available. RIP Zach.
:(

First off, APD, my sincerest condolences to you, Zach, his friends, and especially his family. I know it's a difficult time- but I'm sure you know all of us are here for support. Know that you did all that you could to help save his life. No matter what you do, sometimes, it's just that time :(

As for MD9's thoughts- they are right on. There is a moving documentary on OLN about Chris Klug, the Aspen snowboarder that took the bronze in parallel GS at the SLC Olympics after just 1.5-2 years from a life-saving liver transplant. Chris was given only a few months to live, unless the unfortunate incident occurred and a liver was found (in his case, a 14 year old boy was shot to death near Denver). He also had a chance to meet the 'family' of his donor after the Olympics. Awkward, but emotionally moving.

Zach will be with us all as we rip lines in the winter, but also providing a lifeline to another person. R.I.P., Zach. May you find peace and joy with the endless everlasting, 'perfect' run.

[The AD]

third, don't let outside factors affect how you make your decisions. cold,wet, uncomfortable, storm coming in, tired, hungry, light fading? any one of those can change your mind and allow you to make a less safe choice.

These are important words APD. Something like this just shows it only takes one short lapse in judgement to cause a tragedy. Thanks for sharing this experience and my condolences to Zach's family.

When I took the shuttle to Alta Friday the driver mentioned the recent avalanche fatalities and of course the slide your friend caused was one of these. It's the first time I've ever had any personal connection, however tenuous, to something like this.

[cololi]

Wow. APD, just wanted to let you know how valuable this information is. Knowing how to travel safely in the backcountry is a direct result of other peoples experiences. Thank you.

I stopped off on Friday at the practice rescue range. I did three seperate searches. The first one, a two person burial, went very well. I found the first beacon in about two minutes. The second one was tough. I found it quickly, but the snow was so hard my probe couldn't penetrate the snow. I broke the snow up with my shovel and found it. The buzzer sounded as my probe struck the target and I collapsed. 7 minutes of searching left my absolutely drained. I couldn't imagine doing what you did.

[AltaPowderDaze]

woodsy, bobmc and everybody else from the bcc side,

i'd like to let you know how grateful i am to the patrollers from brighton and solitude, but especially solitude. those guys and gals were extremely professional and instrumental in getting my friend extricated and to the chopper. ian was the first responder and was the only thing keeping me focused after help arrived. those patrollers risked a lot to get over to where we were. once they began working on zach they did not stop, even when things looked bleak. you mags are in great hands over there.

[Woodsy]

woodsy, bobmc and everybody else from the bcc side,

i'd like to let you know how grateful i am to the patrollers from brighton and solitude, but especially solitude. those guys and gals were extremely professional and instrumental in getting my friend extricated and to the chopper. ian was the first responder and was the only thing keeping me focused after help arrived. those patrollers risked a lot to get over to where we were. once they began working on zach they did not stop, even when things looked bleak. you mags are in great hands over there.
Marvin runs a great group.
I can put you in contact if ya want.
Actually as I was driving up today I was thinking that I may e-mail him your recolection of the events with your permission.
They were out & up so fast that day it was un real.

keep your chin up mang, unfortunately I have had to help a few friends through this exact type of thing.
if you need anything PM me.