Thread: Death sucks: Don't be that guy

Originally Posted by Lindahl

Really? It looked to me like she was likely gonna be ok no matter what.

This guy got himself into trouble (snowmobile way in front) and the slide was a whole 20 vertical feet. Yeah he might have crawled out without help, but it looks like the snow had him locked down surprisingly well.

Originally Posted by MEESH

"this isn't the first avalanche and won't be the the last I'm in".

I think I found this comment the most disturbing in the whole interview. That, and the hi-fiving after she's pulled from the debris pile. My immediate reaction to seeing the video on Denver 9News was; "this is sending exactly the wrong message to would-be backcountry riders".

I've ridden one small inbounds hard slab and was lucky enough to be just on the edge of it and get gently deposited on some rocks as it broke up. It was over before it really began, but it stayed with me for weeks. My initial reaction was, "holy shit, I can't believe that just happened" and then, "I can't believe how lucky I just was"! A short time later some more pressing questions arose, i.e.; "how can I prevent this from happening again, and what steps can I take to improve my chances if it does"?

Maybe I just missed that part of the interview, but that's more the reaction I would expect from someone who just took a ride like Meesh's.

It took me longer than it should have, but I finally invested in avy gear, even if it's only for inbounds use. I openly admit to having considerably lower risk tolerance than most around here, and threads like this just help confirm it.

As far as the argument of airbag vs beacon, I'd like to have both. I can see where some individuals might fall into the trap of accepting greater risk, believing their equipment will save them, but no knowledge with gear is probably better than no knowledge without. It's unfortunate that that clip makes it appear as though no knowledge with gear is a reasonable approach.

Originally Posted by 1000-oaks

This guy got himself into trouble (snowmobile way in front) and the slide was a whole 20 vertical feet. Yeah he might have crawled out without help, but it looks like the snow had him locked down surprisingly well.

There's a difference between a slide coming down on top of you when you're in a terrain trap, and being caught in a slide (especially the tail-end). Read what I wrote again. An airbag COULD have been useful in that sort of slide, but in this particular scenario, it was well above the snow for almost the entire ride, and her board wasn't even buried. IMO, it appeared to have relatively little impact on the end result, in this particular scenario.

If she'd been 5ft to the right or left it could have made all the difference in the world. Folks, statistics show that airbags help mitigate some consequences in many circumstances, but not to the point where we can ignore risk and expect to live for long.

this thread is still going?

Originally Posted by Summit

If she'd been 5ft to the right or left it could have made all the difference in the world. Folks, statistics show that airbags help mitigate some consequences in many circumstances, but not to the point where we can ignore risk and expect to live for long.

True. I guess I have an issue with BCA using it as marketting showing that an airbag likely saved her life. But if it gets more people to wear one, I suppose a little white lie isn't the end of the world.

Originally Posted by montanaskier

this thread is still going?

What am I gonna do, work? pffft

Originally Posted by Lindahl

True. I guess I have an issue with BCA using it as marketting showing that an airbag likely saved her life. But if it gets more people to wear one, I suppose a little white lie isn't the end of the world.

I think the key point is just to promote realistically with caveats and education so as to make sure air bags are not self-defeating.

Checking into the mother of all holier-than-thou avy threads.

Meesh Hytner: Avalanche Survivor

Prepare yourself for a world of stupid.

It's remarkable that she thinks her critics are all people who have zero backcountry knowledge or experience.

somebody invite her here

Wow, that Reddit interview is full of fail on Meesh's part. If anything it makes her even look like more of a moron.

Originally Posted by montanaskier

somebody invite her here

Apparently, she's too busy getting ready for her CNN interview 1:55PM MST. I'm not kidding.

^^^then somebody needs to post that up

^^^ good lord.

breath not held.

Originally Posted by Lindahl

True. I guess I have an issue with BCA using it as marketting showing that an airbag likely saved her life. But if it gets more people to wear one, I suppose a little white lie isn't the end of the world.

Amazingly and surprisingly inept of BCA to use this as marketing. The very definition of stupid.

edit, I don't see it on their website, and they sure use tons of beacon examples for marketing. Super strange approach IMO.

Originally Posted by Solesides

You're way off point here. Clearly your experiences have been different, but not a single person I know or spend time with makes a practice of skiing impaired. Sure, lots of people on these forums are perpetually stoned, including when they tour; and I'm certainly not here to pass judgement at all - I just know I have zero interest in being out with someone who's compromised their ability to perform a rescue, or make sharp, well-reasoned decisions in the first place. And while there might be a time and place to get a little crazy on skis - like moonlight meadow skipping at a ski-touring cabin with mushrooms in your belly - being in that kind of headspace on a routine basis is totally indefensible.

To your questions about the data regarding asphyxiation versus trauma and other avalanche safety-net issues (avalung) - these topics have and will continue to be discussed ad nauseam in Slide Zone, among other places.

people i spend large amounts of time with in the backcountry are skiing impaired.
what's the problem
bobbyf

Originally Posted by Summit

Apparently, she's too busy getting ready for her CNN interview 1:55PM MST. I'm not kidding.

TEAM ORANGE EXTREME! for the WIN!


I still think the whole thing was staged. Who stands around like that after a slide has popped?

Well I just dusted off the TV remote to watch the CNN segment. Apparently I had the Weather Channel on last and it was showing that airbag clip followed by a clip about "what causes avalanches."

Is this bizarro world?

CNN read about the doubters on the internet... CNN lurking on TGR?

BCA just got national news coverage on two channels. I predict more "guardian angel mom and dad"s will buy airbags for their trustafarian offspring.

lots of corporate types lurk on tgr for various deviant reasons.
don't be that guy
bobbyf

Originally Posted by flowing alpy

lots of corporate types lurk on tgr for various deviant reasons.
don't be that guy
bobbyf

Wow, I can get paid to lurk on TGR. Tell me more.


Read some of that drivel Meesh put out, snowboarders = stupid.

Now she will be famous for being stupid. Full circle.

Originally Posted by flowing alpy

people i spend large amounts of time with in the backcountry are skiing impaired.
what's the problem
bobbyf

No problem - it's just not how I operate. Curious: Do you believe stoned/drunk/impaired touring partners are an asset or a liability?

Originally Posted by Solesides

No problem - it's just not how I operate. Curious: Do you believe stoned/drunk/impaired touring partners are an asset or a liability?

Heh, I'm pretty sure BF is joking around. Read his post again..
It reads "skiing impaired", as in, not very good skiers...
As apposed to, all jacked up on drugs and alcohol.