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Thread: 3/1/14 Terminal Cancer Avalanche
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03-04-2014, 09:52 PM #26
You went to the only crowded ski-line in Nevada and got slid, in a crowd? Wow. Sign of the times.
Kidding aside, glad to hear you guys are OK. Thanks for sharing the tale of a rowdy outing!"The two best times to fish is when it's rainin' and when it ain't." - Rancid Crabtree
"never buy anything you can't fuel with a salami sandwich" - XXX-er
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03-05-2014, 08:02 AM #27Registered User
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We were concerned that there was still snow hanging above us, plus the debris was sitting on top of a sheet of ice. As we descended, there were cracks developing in the steeper sections.
A slide is not supposed to trigger in such a narrow low angel space, but it did. So why not the debris? We just survived an avalanche, we were still stuck in the couloir, there were two people below us, one injured, so, speaking for myself, I was not ready to rush down the fucking thing.Last edited by m5980; 03-05-2014 at 08:19 AM.
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03-05-2014, 08:03 AM #28"The idea wasnt for me, that I would be the only one that would ever do this. My idea was that everybody should be doing this. At the time nobody was, but this was something thats too much fun to pass up." -Briggs
More stoke, less shit.
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03-05-2014, 08:20 AM #29
That’s a pretty vivid story. Must be hard to revisit it. Thanks for sharing, we can all benefit from reading it. You did a great job capturing the confusion and terror.
Glad you’re all accounted for.
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03-05-2014, 08:50 AM #30
So glad everyone was basically okay. Reading that was gripping. Thanks for sharing.
I was there last year, and it's one of the last places I'd want to be caught in a slide. It also seems hard to know what the snow is going to be like in that particular line until you're in it. I'm also not sure that approaching it from behind is much safer. As I recall, you'd have to climb up a steep avy drainage.
Some context:
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03-05-2014, 08:55 AM #31
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03-05-2014, 09:11 AM #32Banned
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you did whatcha had to do and lived to tell about it. can't ask for more than that.
there's no such thing as "it's not supposed to" when dealing with avy's and avy terrain. if it was too low angle to slide then the line wouldn't be so sought after. under about 30 degrees for it's ENTIRETY, then it'd be somewhat safe to assume that it might not slide.
rog
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03-05-2014, 09:14 AM #33Banned
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03-05-2014, 09:16 AM #34Banned
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03-05-2014, 09:24 AM #35
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03-05-2014, 09:27 AM #36Banned
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03-05-2014, 10:50 AM #37Rod9301
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Actually, terminal cancer it's a terrain trap only if the lookers right wall up high slides. This year there isn't enough snow on it to slide.
If there is a slide on tc, you will get worked, but unlikely you will get buried, because the apron is wide enough so the mass of snow sliding from the couloir wil spread out without a lot if depth.
Still, the avie rating that day was considerable, so it would have been prudent to wait a couple of days.
And while it can be fun to ski it in powder, it's so narrow that it's more fun to ski when it's packed.
Look at cody townsend's video, where he skied it NONSTOP.
Unbelievable run.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using TGR Forums
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03-05-2014, 11:55 AM #38
Probably the best POV clip I've ever seen, IMO.
I'm enjoying the internet avalanche expert banter in here. It's helpful and I'm really learning a lot about how I shouldn't ever climb lines from the bottom. Particularly lines like TC and couloirs in the Eastern Sierra. Thanks for the education.
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03-05-2014, 12:20 PM #39Banned
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03-05-2014, 12:32 PM #40"Those 1%ers are not an avaricious "them" but in reality the most entrepreneurial of "us". If we had more of them and fewer grandstanding politicians, we would all be better off."
- Bradley Schiller, Prof. of Economics, Univ. Nevada - Reno.
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03-05-2014, 12:33 PM #41observing free range rude
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I keep trying to type something of substance but it's not so easy.
Last week I approached a few people.. roommate, girlfriend & coworker and explained a story about a friend that had recently started hiking and splitting big lines in conditions that I felt were substantially more risky than tours we had been on previously. More exposure and enough avvy risk to make it a low probability/high risk decision.. those type make me very uncomfortable because, well, death is very possible in that realm. This week this thread appears and the friend discussed the prior week was involved in this slide.
At risk of being one of those prickish MMQb types.... I'd rather be honest and a prick than not say my peace.
It's a long road, don't push too hard. You have plenty of time to ski Tanner's, TC, NW Twins, Seagull, etc. on days where you have viz & a less dynamic snowpack. IMO big lines are not for storm or 1st pow days.. period. It cuts out opportunity but it also eliminates some of the worst risk in the sport.
Cheers to the guys for being open & honest about the ordeal. And best wishes to your buddy with the broken arm.
Evidence of heuristic traps in recreational avalanche accidents
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03-05-2014, 12:44 PM #42
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03-05-2014, 12:56 PM #43Registered User
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03-05-2014, 11:01 PM #44cliffed out
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The Rubies aren't that far from SLC. And, the majority of people who go out to "ski the Rubies", are really only skiing Terminal Cancer
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03-06-2014, 03:38 AM #45Banned
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04-04-2014, 07:53 AM #46rock skier
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04-04-2014, 09:25 AM #47
Also it was the first day of spring break at Utah. It's a quick drive out. I did the same thing last year and ran into a friend's group at the apron and we all went up together. The range is awesome I'd like to spend more time there in the summer for hiking and get in deeper for skiing. Maybe later
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01-22-2016, 10:07 PM #48
Is there any other ski terrain in the rubies besides TC? Google earth makes it look that way but first hand knowledge is always helpful. Coolies are either go or no go and we want some backup options...
Looking to take a long weekend out there this spring skiing and fishing the ruby marshes,
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01-23-2016, 08:01 AM #49Rod9301
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There is a lot of terrain in the canyon. Just go as deep as you want and stop when you see something you like.
Btw, as you go to the top of terminal cancer and you look over, there is some great skiing to be had, and it may wrap around to the canyon.
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01-23-2016, 09:37 AM #50
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