Fatality in the Snowbasin side country

[teleee]

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=33699436&nid...s_cid=topstory

Be careful out there.

[oftpiste]

ugh. vibes to all.

[Bromontana]

So close to inbounds

found this on the google, sounds like similar location/ride.

[Dantheman]

Very sad to hear of this today. I was hopeful we'd make it out of this season without a fatality. It's actually amazing there aren't more incidents in Hell's Canyon. It's quite possibly the most dangerous sidecountry zone in Utah.

[media310]

more updates here: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=33699436

[whyturn]

Is that the front skiers left?

[mall walker]

It sounds like maybe they were trying to retreat from dodgy conditions and triggered on the way back? Still shouldn't have gotten in that position in the first place etc but that's an extra harsh pill to swallow. Vibes.

[Dantheman]

Is that the front skiers left?

Yeah, skiers left of the JP lift. It's steep, easily accessed (no hike required IIRC), and runs into a substantial terrain trap.

It sounds like maybe they were trying to retreat from dodgy conditions and triggered on the way back? Still shouldn't have gotten in that position in the first place etc but that's an extra harsh pill to swallow. Vibes.

Sounds that way, we'll see what's in the full UAC report though.

[hutash]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people head out the gates without gear, not to mention knowledge.

I will be interested in the final report...did the friend just bail and not try a rescue?

[Nillion]

It never ceases to amaze me how many people head out the gates without gear, not to mention knowledge.

I will be interested in the final report...did the friend just bail and not try a rescue?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-s-Canyon.html

According to that article:

The 21-year-old native of Morgan, Utah, was buried under about 3 feet of snow, reported Fox 13.

Lt. Brandon Toll, of the Weber County sheriff's office, said Ford's friend tried to come to his aid, but could not locate him.

'He started to find articles of clothing, gloves and such,' Toll told KUTV. [He] still couldn't find his friend.'

[Bromontana]

A dog found him. That terrain has caught skiers doing the same thing, partial descent and turn around because of stability concerns.

[itsnowjoke]

Given the lack of equipment and training that I see headed OB on an hourly basis, it's surprising that there's not at least a fatality a week. Very sad.

[Skidog]

Yeah this is a super easy area to get to, and when its safe its AWESOME.....but.....

Unfortunately with it being sooo easy to access, some simply believe its practically inbounds, its not though...no control. A little knowledge and gear may have saved this one, friend couldve at least tried to get his buddy out had he been beeping. Sad Sad, tragic turn of events.

I will admit ive been back out there without gear for sure, some knowledge, but surely still not smart.

Pic above looks like "the hand" to me. Great skiing but its steep and slides...the deposit zone is part of the runout back to the resort, sometimes its VERY difficult to get around.

Vibes to family and friends of victim.

[whipski]

Are all the tracks to the left of the slide path in the news article from a lower, safer entry point?

[zion zig zag]

Are all the tracks to the left of the slide path in the news article from a lower, safer entry point?

If you mean the ksl article, that's a stock photo from somewhere else.

[adrenalated]

There are actual photos (and a few more details) in the preliminary UAC report:
https://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanches/23779

[t-heineken]

I think of how many times I've skied No-Name pre-avalanche thought and thank the powers I'm still here. One of the best places to ski that I've found (when it's good). Though, I have ended up at the Smokey the Bear sign in Ogden Canyon by accident.

Was in Hokkaido earlier this year and they at least have a ~20 min lecture before accessing some terrain like this (at Niseko, anyway). Might be time to charge a $20 annual fee + lecture for access to stuff like this... The 15 year old me would hate me for saying that.