Pete's Dream, Carson Peak, CA - 3/9/2016

[meter-man]

Full write-up here: http://www.esavalanche.org/content/s...ak-petes-dream

Sounds like this could have ended very badly, but luckily did not. The report notes that the caught skier had been skiing with dynafit toes "locked" into walk mode, which enabled the skier to ski out of the slide before it carried him over large cliffs. He got incredibly lucky.

[MTT]

It was a good account of the facts.

I put the whole thing the *Shit Happens* category

[bodywhomper]

Full write-up here: http://www.esavalanche.org/content/s...ak-petes-dream

Sounds like this could have ended very badly, but luckily did not. The report notes that the caught skier had been skiing with dynafit toes "locked" into walk mode, which enabled the skier to ski out of the slide before it carried him over large cliffs. He got incredibly lucky.

You mis-quote. The text is more speculative about the benefits of locking his toes. It also noted that the locked toes likely resulted in his broke ankle.

These folks are lucky and glad they are relatively ok.

I am surprised this was called a dry slab. Based on the narrative, it sounded like a hard slab.

They definitely made some miscalculations in their hazard assessment. A "roadside attraction" heuristic trap; among several others traps

[TWINS]

I could see the "road side attraction" aspect of it.
A false sense of security being so close if something goes wrong.
Glad it wasn't worse.
Took this pic 10 days ago.

[_Aaron_]

I am surprised this was called a dry slab. Based on the narrative, it sounded like a hard slab.

Dry slabs can be hard or soft.

[bodywhomper]

Dry slabs can be hard or soft.

Thanks for the clarification.

[AKbruin]

I got a good look at it a few weeks ago, and Pete's Dream is a definitely a locked-toe line for me. It's peppery with a lot of exposure. Also, this isn't criticism of the party that skied it that day, but there's no way I'd ski that line in sketchy avy conditions based on my own avy-detection skills and risk-tolerance comfort. It doesn't leave much margin for error.

[LightRanger]

^^^ Ditto both those comments.

Still curious as to who it was...

[bodywhomper]

It has a similar ring as when the mammoth patroller died outta twin lakes, underestimating a hard slab.

[meter-man]

It has a similar ring as when the mammoth patroller died outta twin lakes, underestimating a hard slab.

These guys were mid-line in a very high consequence environment, and were popping slides left and right. The report says they thought the line had flushed. But Pete's is not a line to be trifled with. There's at least 2 mandatory sections that otherwise end in terminal cliffs.

Johanna, J, and CJ were attempting to traverse a narrow gully to gain the ridge. J went ahead to minimize risk and break trail. Slab broke out above and washed out all three skiers, straining Johanna through the trees. IIRC correctly, they had not seen/caused prior slides.

These guys got SUPER lucky. And Johanna got super unlucky (RIP). But the main point is: hard slabs don't give a fuck about luck.

[bodywhomper]

The way the incident was described in the report and follow-up internet forum-based discussions with Susan of the eastside avalanche center, that group on mt walt knew they were climbing/traversing across a small and shallow windslab and had underestimated the sensitivity of the underlying hard slab. http://www.esavalanche.org/Incidents-old

reading the account from the pete's dream incident, that crew did not recognize the hard slab. for all we know, that spot may have been the only location on that entire face with a sensitive and underlying hard slab. personally, i can see how they would have mislead themselves to thinking that they had cleaned out/mitigated the hazard on that pitch.

[meter-man]

The way the incident was described in the report and follow-up internet forum-based discussions with Susan of the eastside avalanche center, that group on mt walt knew they were climbing/traversing across a small and shallow windslab and had underestimated the sensitivity of the underlying hard slab. http://www.esavalanche.org/Incidents-old

reading the account from the pete's dream incident, that crew did not recognize the hard slab. for all we know, that spot may have been the only location on that entire face with a sensitive and underlying hard slab. personally, i can see how they would have mislead themselves to thinking that they had cleaned out/mitigated the hazard on that pitch.

Ah, I see what you're saying. Agreed. Sleeping dragons...

[tone capone]

[QUOTEThis is an important and ongoing discussion, but is beyond the scope of this report at this time. It is easy for both the people involved in these types of accidents, and the un-involved public, to criticize and judge after the fact. Instead, I urge everyone with an interest to learn from this kind of event. Think about the complex human factors that are involved in making decisions in the mountains. Become more aware of your own decision making process and how emotions can almost unavoidably become involved. And recognize how vastly these human factors can vary for different people and in different dynamic social group situations. [/QUOTE]

Interesting conclusion to the avy report. Just how I was thinking in regards to the Jasper incident.

[mmmm...pow!]

I'm not familiar with that line, but I'm wondering if they took the standard approach by coming up the backside, or if it would have been feasible to climb the line? And obviously that leads to the question of if it's better to climb and assess the line and bail if it's sketchy, or use an alternate approach, as they did, to limit exposure on the climb.

[rod9301]

I would say that if it's sketchy enough,avie wise, that you want to limit exposure on the climb, then you should not ski the line.

Of course, there are other issues, like Rockfall , where you might want to limit the exposure, but even there, if you're worried about rockfall, maybe you should ski it another day.

There are though other issues, like how hard is it to slog up a steep couloir in powder.

In spring conditions though, I wound always like to climb what I ski, for safety sake.