Video - Tahoe Skier Burial

**freeheel80731** · 12-31-2012, 07:11 PM

hadn't seen this posted over here yet ...
from unofficial: lessons on what not to do
http://unofficialnetworks.com/skier-...rescue-114323/

**BraddA** · 12-31-2012, 07:15 PM

What an absolute shitshow. Speechless.

**summit** · 12-31-2012, 07:28 PM

Well that was a ginormous cluster.

Rather than write a lengthy list of the things they did wrong, I'll take a much easier route and just list the 2 things they did right:

Skied 1 by 1 using a safe zone.
Called for people to keep eyes on the victim during the slide.

**LeeLau** · 12-31-2012, 07:31 PM

Awesome teaching tool to be used to good effect

**LeeLau** · 12-31-2012, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Summit

Well that was a ginormous cluster.

Rather than write a lengthy list of the things they did wrong, I'll take a much easier route and just list the 2 things they did right:

Skied 1 by 1 using a safe zone.
Called for people to keep eyes on the victim during the slide.

Kept calm post-incident (albeit at the expense of urgency but panic helps nothing)

Instructed other group members to stay out of danger while initiating companion rescue

spook · 12-31-2012, 07:57 PM

so only 1 person had a beacon and shovel and it took her almost a minute to get to it? if i hadn't known the skier lived from the comments, i would have figured his fate was sealed barring a miracle when boss man dumped his gloves. totally buried spare one glove is pretty miraculous. i can't imagine watching that guy trying to do an actual search.

pretty comical to see buried guy take the half shovel and start digging himself out because boss man had no gloves. boss man seemed calm enough but everything else seemed backassward. kept waiting for somebody else to show up with another shovel.

spook · 12-31-2012, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

Kept calm post-incident (albeit at the expense of urgency but panic helps nothing)

Instructed other group members to stay out of danger while initiating companion rescue

shouldn't the second guy who was already there have been digging, too?

i don't have a beacon, so i don't know long it should take to give someone else access to it, but i guess she shouldn't have been expecting to give it up? but boss man immediately told her to give it up, so if that was the expectation, why not just give it to him beforehand?

**oftpiste** · 12-31-2012, 08:53 PM

where the fuck was bossman's gear?

if you seem heading out with those guys please tell me not to.
don't know where the shovel handle is? good grief.

**davieboot** · 12-31-2012, 08:58 PM

Details here: http://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/node/3156

From a friend with a firsthand account who saw the group just before they dropped in, it was obvious the slope was likely to slide.

**skinnyskier** · 12-31-2012, 09:14 PM

If you thought about dragging a buried victim out by the wrist with a ski pole, wonder no longer...

**UrMomsKneePads** · 12-31-2012, 10:16 PM

Glad the guy is OK. If I was him, first thing I would've done afterwards is kick every one of them in the balls/cunt.

The upslope dude was happy to be behind a tree waiting for someone to act. I know calm is good and don't make yourself the second victim. But that was a total cluster. Calm dude couldn't get his pinky quite comfortable in the glove so fuck it, toss them. Take your time, get your pinky comfortable, the buried dude isn't going anywhere.

Buried dude is lucky he was able to clear his face and get his hand out. Otherwise it would've likely been a different outcome.

**icelanticskier** · 01-01-2013, 07:16 PM

slide victim lacks ski skillz in a big way. not surprised in the least that he triggered that thang given the way he skis. glad he lived. that is all.

rog

**ASmileyFace** · 01-01-2013, 09:10 PM

What a shit show. Glad the dude lived but this is a fantastic learning piece on what not to do.

**heath bunn** · 01-01-2013, 09:13 PM

The forecast for the day of the slide. Yeah, that rescue was a shit show, but I am more interested in not being caught in the first place. Given the forecast for the day, does anybody have anything constructive to say about terrain selection? I know if my danger rose is moderate, and has been moderate for some time with a trend of increasing stability, I am likely to be on a trend of ramping up my terrain selection. The terrain above and to the lookers right of the skier is obviously wind loaded. The visual clues for the slope that failed... a little harder to see.

spook · 01-01-2013, 09:16 PM

maybe i missed the story somewhere, but was this video released because it was included in the investigation? unless boss man thought he was a hero, i probably wouldn't have posted this willingly.

**ASmileyFace** · 01-01-2013, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by spook

maybe i missed the story somewhere, but was this video released because it was included in the investigation? unless boss man thought he was a hero, i probably wouldn't have posted this willingly.

To be fair the video is unlisted. So initially it was probably posted to only a few people and someone decided to spread it.

**Hoss Worthington** · 01-01-2013, 09:47 PM

It was posted to the Sierra Avalanche Center's website as part of the incident report.

**UrMomsKneePads** · 01-01-2013, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by heath bunn

The forecast for the day of the slide. Yeah, that rescue was a shit show, but I am more interested in not being caught in the first place. Given the forecast for the day, does anybody have anything constructive to say about terrain selection? I know if my danger rose is moderate, and has been moderate for some time with a trend of increasing stability, I am likely to be on a trend of ramping up my terrain selection. The terrain above and to the lookers right of the skier is obviously wind loaded. The visual clues for the slope that failed... a little harder to see.

That's probably a logical thought process that would make sense. But making logical sense isn't enough to be prepared. Increasing your terrain selection can be fun as long as you and our group has a clue (as you may).

Knowing the avy forecast, having local knowledge of conditions/areas, digging a pit, and knowing the slope you're on are all part of the risk assessment. Watching an improving avy forecast trend is never enough to hang your hat/life on.

And in any case, I suggest you ski with other people that are trained and prudent. These toolbags were not. Big lines or primo conditions can be fun, until mother nature ends your breaths.

**TahoeJ** · 01-01-2013, 10:25 PM

We've discussed this one a fair amount in the Tahoe thread. Just remember folks, when your friend is buried and possibly dying, take your time!

**bodywhomper** · 01-02-2013, 12:30 AM

if he had to do a beacon search, couldn't there have been issues with beacon interference caused by his camera?

**LightRanger** · 01-02-2013, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by bodywhomper

if he had to do a beacon search, couldn't there have been issues with beacon interference caused by his camera?

Taking that as a serious question... I haven't ever heard of anybody complaining of interference from a GoPro. They're not quite as ubiquitous in the BC as mobile phones, but I'd like to think we'd have heard of such by now--particularly as the GoPro chest harness has gotten quite popular.

Jonathan S. might have tried it. I doubt they put out even close to as much electromagnetic interference as a mobile phone, or even an iPod. I'm curious now though. Just because nobody has mentioned it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist...

**PhilM** · 01-02-2013, 02:26 AM

Originally Posted by LightRanger

Taking that as a serious question... I haven't ever heard of anybody complaining of interference from a GoPro. They're not quite as ubiquitous in the BC as mobile phones, but I'd like to think we'd have heard of such by now--particularly as the GoPro chest harness has gotten quite popular.

Here ya go....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWIuX014DSk

Oh and from the video comment:

Rule # 1 rule when using a transceiver is to turn off ALL electronic devices (besides your transceiver itself). This is not GoPro specific - any POV camera will interfere with a transceiver set to search mode.

The good news is electronics typically only interfere with receiving. The victim's will be set to transmit and a GoPro or other similar gear won't interfere with it. Nothing new here, but it's good to warn people... some don't read the instructions that came with their avalanche beacon ;0)

**neck beard** · 01-02-2013, 02:52 AM

That was terrible. Seriously poor form. They don't belong in avalanche terrain at all, yet one of them seemed to have the awareness to watch for a last point seen.

At least the guy in black bothered to do a visual sweep. Eventually.

I reckon the skier would have died if he was completely buried 50cm. His friends were of almost no use to him.

**Chugachjed** · 01-02-2013, 02:53 AM

My mind is blown, how the fuck do people like these survive into adulthood? 2 beacons, 2 shovels, 2 probes in a group of 5? Holy what the fuck. Just stand around and take layers off to give somebody else your beacon. I couldn't watch the whole thing, I shut it off after homie tried pulling victim out with a pole strap.