Avalanche Death 12.24.12 Donner Ski Ranch

[bodywhomper]

Will this and the Alpine Meadows and Squaw avalanches be investigated by SAC or will other bodies be investigating--since these were inbounds--or both, and will there be public reports?

alpine meadows should be investigated by OSHA. Not sure how informative the public report will be....

[alkos]

and most important in this situation you don't ride it alone or with no one knowing that you were at least headed to palisades, especially with early season conditions and a high avy danger. It is a common slide area at the resort that often causes small avalanches (which this was)

Sorry Bodhi, I don't buy it.

"High avalanche danger" within a ski area's boundary = closed terrain until controlled.

Lots of us on this forum know lots about avalanches and backcountry safety. Most skiers know nothing of avalanches because they only ski inbounds. If terrain is opened by patrol, it should not be sliding - period.

Of course, life isn't perfect, and open terrain that is inbounds does slide - which is why lots of folks I know beep inbounds on powder days. But if you don't know anything about avalanches, you can't be expected to make smart decisions about avalanches - that's what patrol's job is.

The issue here however doesn't seem to be that a mistake was made (although perhaps the terrain should have been closed that day - I have no idea), but rather that patrol didn't start looking for a couple of hours. When you make a mistake, fix it. Patrol should have been investigating the incident immediately after the slide. That's personal accountability.

[alkos]

I should have read the entire thread before trying to make a meaningful contribution....

Here's my new contribution: Bodhi, you are a fucktard.

[ShadyNasty]

I should have read the entire thread before trying to make a meaningful contribution....

Here's my new contribution: Bodhi, you are a fucktard.

Really just echoing with this, but you gave a not totally unintelligent opinion before about terrain closures.

The simple fact is though patrol cannot guarantee something won't slide, in most cases however they should be willing to toss their girlfriend or child down it without a beacon.

I think management just needs to take into consideration what their dealing with in terms of clients/terrain. Some mountains have terrain that is just inherently unsafe always, but awesome skiing always. Usually those areas are controlled hike-to terrain and have access gates with signs warning of the abnormal risk for riding those runs despite patrol's best efforts to control them. Those signs suggest skiing with a partner and sometimes even a beacon. This way no one can claim ignorance

But DSR seems like a tiny beginner hill with one gnarly feature that a total jong could ski above unknowingly (even if they saw it from the lift, people are dumb after all) and get swept off a cliff by an avalanche. I think given the gross disparity from the average DSR client and that piece of terrain is simply to big, especially with how easily accessible it is. it does not sound like the DSR patrol is at all qualified to control actual avalanche terrain, even if they have only 1 path.

It does not sound like the DSR patrol is at all qualified to control actual avalanche terrain, even if they have only 1 path.That terrain should have definitely been closed that day, someone got sucked off the KT lift at Squaw by an avalanche like the day before. I would not have ski'd that after all that snow with even with a beacon and float pack unless I saw it get bombed.

So it should have been a permanent closure, too much liability. Now the mountain will probably be permanently closed by a law suit that I encourage (and I hate lawyers).

So it goes... I haven't said it yet but to the victim RIP

[sfotex]

From:
http://fox40.com/2012/12/28/friend-o...failed-to-act/


Waggoner’s acquaintance, Steve Anderson, aka ‘Rocker’ was missing. “Rumor was he wasn’t answering his phone, he wasn’t at the car, he wasn’t at the bar, he wasn’t on the mountain,” Waggoner said. The retired firefighter and his friends talked to Donner Ski Ranch ski patrol, but said they seemed unconcerned. “They came back and said, ‘based on eyewitness reports, everything is under control’,” Waggoner told FOX40.

5 hours later, with no action from ski patrol or management at Donner Ski Ranch, Waggoner called the Placer County Sheriff’s Department. From there, he was transferred to Nevada County, because Donner Ski Ranch is just over the county line. Two Nevada County deputies responded to Donner Ski Ranch. They, along with Sugar Bowl Search and Rescue Team went to work.

“Soon after Sugar Bowl personnel initiated a search and rescue, unfortunately it turned into a body recovery,” Waggoner recalls.

[M Wags]

I'm a very good friend of Bodhi Moon and also was on the mountain when Rocker died. I also was interviewed on TV regarding the event. Bodhi makes a lot of good points about personal responsibility etc. and I will say that this was a significant event on the Palisades. Bodhi is one of the DSR locals and I know his heart is pure and his comments on this blog are his own opinions and I respect that. I also know that he is personally aching for Rocker, so please back off on making judgements until you know all the facts and have walked in the others shoes...Hindsight is always 20/20 and when nature does her thing, the human mind can be overwhelmed and incapable of comprehending the severity of what it just witnessed. (Think villagers walking out on the ocean floor as waters recede before a Tsunami) My take on the situation is from 12 years with the Honolulu Fire Department where I was a Chiefs Aide driver and responded to many events, fires / search and rescues and worked Incident Command with my Battalion Chief. When I was an engineer, I would relieve as Acting Captain when the Captain was not on duty.

I am feeling very guilty for not having put 2+2 together sooner, when I first heard people asking if anyone had seen Rocker. Rocker was a third circle friend of mine; we had mutual friends and had seen each other over the years. I reintroduced myself to him that morning and I do not know who he was boarding with. I do know that once the lifts open, especially on a powder day everyone tends to go their own way. You normally do not wait at the bottom of the chair for a friend unless he is right behind you.

Rocker and others had hit the palisades on the first runs, not many go over there and those who do, understand the risks. When the slide broke, it was a major event, right on the 50 yard line so to speak. Eyewitness reports are like Bodhi said, the gentleman who was seen at the top when it broke was accounted for and I personally feel that Rocker was behind him on the traverse, Rocker may have even broken off to hit an un-hit area. BOTH boarders may have caused the slide. No one will ever know for sure.

This event fooled a lot of people. It fooled everyone who was there. I will say that it was a major enough event that once we told alerted ski patrol to the possibility of Rocker being not accounted for, ski patrol did not react in a proactive manner. This I believe is due to the fact that the current management of DSR has a heavy hand on and over ski patrol. At 1130 a group of us confronted ski patrol with the news that a friend was missing and the two ski patrol girls seemed not to know what to do. They radioed the head ski patroller and then the resort manager rode up on his snowmobile. They went to confer with him and came back and said the slide had been cleared and based on an eyewitness, the situation was under control. Soon after the backside was opened and we were riding chair 2. While riding up chair 2, the ski patrol was working on raising the pads on the towers. I shouted down to the head patroller "Rockers still missing, let's at least get the dogs from Sugar Bowl out for a sniff" I did this on two consecutive rides up chair 2 and each time the head patroller communicated that all was well and under control. This is when I stopped riding and called Placer County dispatch. They already had numerous reports of a "possible missing snowboarder". My training kicked in and I started to use nomenclature that made dispatch take notice....

Hindsight is always 20/20...

1) No search of the debris field was done directly after the slide. I don't know what type of event / avalanche constitutes a search, but it was a significant enough of an event, so much out of the ordinary to quantify a response of some kind.
2) After having received a report at 1130 of Rocker being missing. No response was initiated and ski patrols manpower was being used to raise pads on towers on the backside. Repeated calls for a response were ignored.
3) A large stump of a tree was deposited on the top of the bunny hill by the slide and a snowcat was brought in soon after the slide to push it out of the way and to groom the top of the bunny hill. NO EFFORT was made to search / clear that area by ski patrol or DSR before the cat came in.

Nothng can bring back Rocker. I hope that DSR can learn from this and implement policy and procedures to avoid a future non-response and yes, it was a non-response. In emergency response, you should always be over cautious in your response. I've had to call out Hazmat at two in the morning for a downed power pole with a transformer leaking a very small amount of fluid. For Hazmat, it was an hour response to our side of the island. Sure I was concerned about waking the boys up and having them respond for something that may be a non-event but you know what? That is what we get paid for. We are there to serve the public and to do a job. Sugar Bowl did not hesitate to provide mutual aid and DSR should have requested it sooner. Unfortunately, I've heard that the management of DSR does not participate in the ski industry associations in the Tahoe area. I've heard that they have isolated themselves and do not participate in any ski area management meetings etc... Sad, very sad indeed.

Okay, back to the main point. Nothing can bring back Rocker, let's learn from this and make sure those in a position of authority exercise their duties in a prudent and efficient manner. I can not comment if the actions of the ski patrol were prudent or not as I do not have that training. I can say that I did not see a proactive response to this event. Period.

RIP Rocker

[LightRanger]

Wow. Just wow.

More details make DSR look that much more incompetent. Incredible.

As was said earlier in the discussion, who knows if patrol following basic protocol would have led to a live recovery. Seems doubtful, but regardless--it's still absolutely atrocious.

Man.

Thanks for the additional details, Wags.

[summit]

M Wags,

Condolences on the loss of rocker. Thank you for your post and information. Based upon my education and years of experience in avalanche rescue and emergency medicine, it is my opinion is that DSR Patrol did not act prudently to the point that the breached the boundary of incompetence and delved well into the realm of negligence. My assessment is limited to the information presented on the news and in this thread.

I cannot say if Rocker could have survived if DSR Patrol had acted. I can say that there is no excuse for their inaction. As you say, this discussion will not bring the man back. Tragic.

[M Wags]

M Wags,
it is my opinion is that DSR Patrol did not act prudently

Yes, this is the key topic. PRUDENCE.... A civilian who tries to assist an injured person is protected by what is called the "Good Samaritan Law" They cannot be held liable for inaction, ineffective medical treatment etc.. This is because you are trying to be a "Good Samaritan".

A first responder such as a fireman, ski patroller etc. is held to a higher standard. They have a duty to provide a "Standard of Care".

Standard of Care can be broken down in to two parts:

1) You must treat the patient to the best of your ability
2) You must provide care that a reasonable, prudent person with similar training would provide under similar circumstances.

In a court of law, a first responders actions to / in an emergency will be tested by #2.

"Were your actions prudent? Did you act in a manner that a reasonable, prudent person with similar training would have acted in a similar situation?"

Did DSR ski patrol act in a prudent manner? I think not.

[snapt]

Thanks for posting up you experience Mike, super sad. It will be interesting to see what happens from here at the ranch.

[ShadyNasty]

Thanks for posting up you experience Mike, super sad. It will be interesting to see what happens from here at the ranch.

it would suck for another small ski area to close, hopefully a new owner and new management can be found, but until that happens I for one will not ski there

[summit]

If a patrol doesn't follow basic procedure, then refuses to act after being told multiple times that someone is missing to the point where a guest goes over their head by calling 911 to send someone out to solve the problem, a body recovery, then DSR ought to close temporarily due to short staffing because none of those ski patrollers should be ski patrollers ever again if they were ever worthy of the title. That is if they don't die of embarrassment and shame...

[MTT]

Has there been an Autopsy released yet?
For some reason I want to know how he died.
I hope its blunt trauma because the alternative is horrific for all who have any part in this.

[ShadyNasty]

If a patrol doesn't follow basic procedure, then refuses to act after being told multiple times that someone is missing to the point where a guest goes over their head by calling 911 to send someone out to solve the problem, a body recovery, then DSR ought to close temporarily due to short staffing because none of those ski patrollers should be ski patrollers ever again if they were ever worthy of the title. That is if they don't die of embarrassment and shame...

harshest thing I have ever seen you say, but my main motto in the Slide Zone is that Summit is always right

[PNWskier19]

Super sad that this happened. Sad that the calls for response were ignored by patrol. Back in March 2010, I had triggered a slide out of bounds that actually slid down in-bounds at the Mission Ridge ski resort in Wenatchee, WA. We went out of bounds through a gate they have there, so we assumed all risk. I feel that the avalanche control is the resorts responsibility, as long as it's within the boundaries. So having left those boundaries, we assumed all responsibility.

The run we decided to ski drops right back into the resort boundaries (see the resort map, its kind of funky, but half the hill we skied was out of bounds, from the ridge to the middle, then the rest is in bounds (we skied down the Microwave: http://www.missionridge.com/the-moun...esort-map.html)
so my buddy dropped down, he was about half way down and I dropped in, hit a wind loaded slab and the whole thing went tumbling down. It caught up with my buddy, sweeping him down into a terrain trap, and burying him up to his head. Now we took full responsibility, we were kind of stupid and went without any avy equipment, and having gone out of bounds i didnt expect the resort to do anything.

But, while searching for my buddies lost ski, several other skiers that had been hiking the ridge came down to check on us to make sure no one else was buried, and within 10-15 minutes of the slide you could hear some snow mobiles and soon after we had atleast 10 patrollers up there (im assuming because the slide had come down in-bounds). There had been no reports of any missing people, they didnt wait for any reports, they just responded because there had been a slide. That's how it should be. Right now I'm actually in an Avalanche safety class because of that incident, and the first day of class, we talked about how even small slides can be potentially fatal. So all incidents should be responded to quickly to assure that no one has been buried.

It would be very sad to see a mountain go out of business, but safety needs to be a priority. Not just by trying to do preventative work (avy control), but also by quick response to situations such as this. Hopefully things turn out ok for DSR, and hopefully they learned something from this and will be able to make the necessary improvements.

[adimmen]

The resort had the time and resources to clear a large stump from the bunny hill but couldn't be bothered to search a massive debris pile adjacent to the lodge with multiple reports of a missing skier? Even a toddler will look for someone who is missing. This is shameful.

[LightRanger]

Anybody heard about any fallout from this?

[totaliboard]

Even a toddler will look for someone who is missing.

I remember my buddys dog that survived a slide sat with me in the pile til SAR came, all the while looking frantically for my half-buried friend.. Sounds like dogs and babies probly run the show over at DSR..

[summit]

Looks Rocker's friends are building a skatepark as a memorial... pretty cool:
http://charitysmith.org/memorial-fun...ial-skatepark/

Anyone know if there were any repercussions for DSR or changes made as a result of the tragedy?

[LightRanger]

Heard vague rumors about an out-of-court settlement, but that's it. Others may know.

Skatepark is very cool.

[Bunion 2020]

They hired a new Ski Patrol Dir. 1-2 years ago. That's all I have heard.

[m01750]

Has there been an Autopsy released yet?
For some reason I want to know how he died.
I hope its blunt trauma because the alternative is horrific for all who have any part in this.

M Wags here.....(Had to sign up again for access to the forum) The autopsy listed the cause of death as suffocation. He was found in a riding position 18 inches under the surface. (Supposedly under the snowcat tracks that were from DSR moving the stump that came off the palisades) No broken bones, no other major trauma to his body according to the autopsy report. Sad, very sad....

[m85a53]

First off I live on Donner Summit.
I know I'm on the site that filmed that ridiculous avalanche video that every one thinks is so cool. Sorry Teton.... You CAUSED that avalanche with ridiculous people that decided to risk their life without the thought of others.
Thank God their were no people/houses down the mountain.
Because of one such person in the Tahoe area that decided to get to the top of a mountain and ski down it, causing an avalanche. It devastated small homes, thank God there was only one death. south lake Tahoe road 50 was shut down while they dynamited the rest of the mountain. People (including me were stuck in our cars while the snow started to fall. Thanks Strawberry residents for snowshoeing up and getting us gas for our cars...and shoveling out tailpipes for those that didn't have one. Thank you for the state store. We were hungry. Three days later,and a Kanye West sleep deprivation after 3 days I was in SLT.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

As much as you want to do the craziest adrenaline rushing thing you can think of, stop....seriously...stop, you know you are risking your life....but you're risking mine as well at the bottom of the mountain. Mother nature can be bad enough. One little person who decides to ski illegal can be deadly for others.
You can sit in prison and think of all the people you have killed.or think twice before decide to go up that mountain.

[LightRanger]

Well...

*That* was a bit of a non sequitur.

[Meadow Skipper]

Wait...what?