We lost a good one last weekend. Soldier down - AJ Cleary

[el hefe]

We lost great friend and shredding buddy on Saturday March 8th. AJ was a incredible mountain biker and is well known in the local biking community. Known as “Turbo” to most he was a charger and a speed demon on the trails. Pinkbike thread - http://www.pinkbike.com/news/aj-cleary-2014.html

Here are the details of the incident and rescue:http://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/...es-in-hospital

The guys involved are all very close friends and I know they did their best to rescue. I wouldn't want anyone else trying to save me. Kingfisher Heli are also good friends and they were there instantly with their rescue kit. AJ was the most safety/Avi conscious of any of us.

The slide happened at about 1600m in a clear cut with plenty of forest above. This area had seen heavy traffic the past 2 weekends before as it is a transit area for some ski laps we hit quite often. I was doing downhill pow carves on the sled and it was sidehilled and rooped like crazy the weekend before. Never thought this would happen in this area.

He was wearing a BCA Float 32 (Newer red and white with the cone shaped handle) and he was seen pulling the cord before he got hit but it didn't deploy. My other friend Chris was about 20 ft to side and below and also got hit hard as they were both stuck. His bag deployed and he was recovered quickly as his arm was partially visible above the snow. The coroner is investigating the bag, does anyone have any information about this happening with other BCA packs? We did our own testing of his bag later on and it was all connected properly but would not deploy after repeated attempts. The bag not deploying is a big question to mark to all of us as he was buried 18ft down for 2.5 hours.


http://globalnews.ca/news/1202031/wa...im-trust-fund/


He was also amazing on the sled and the skis, he was a natural to both. I remember him learning 5’s in the terrain park like nothing and his mtn bike skills were evident as soon as he got on a sled.



As soon as he got out on the sled he was killing it. This is one of his first times on the old loaner 500 skidoo.



What makes this story more tragic is that his wife Laura is pregnant with their first child. We have set up a trust fund for her and the baby and that can be viewed here if you would be interested in contributing in any way: https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/8iPO7/ab/32zxQb

We have already landscaped and spring cleaned their large yard, work is underway to complete the renovations that AJ started. Tons of support here in the community.

RIP good buddy!

[SKIORFORGETIT]

very sorry for your loss

[wicked_sick]

It's a sad story for sure, but heartwarming to see all the support and help offered for the family. That's what friends are for.

When I heard the initial report and where happened, I was worried it may have been one of your crew.

[BCMtnHound]

Sincere condolences to you and your community. Such a tragic loss.

[Shredhead]

RIP

Always more tragic when someone leaves a wife and kids.
Be safe out there!

[el hefe]

Thank you for the kind words. We are flying the parents, brother and sister up tomorrow to the site and the rest of the crew is going up on sleds to try and get his out.

Funeral is today and then tomorrow night we will honor him properly as well at our cabin.

[blender]

So sorry for you guys. All the best to everyone, and hoping you can find peace.

[TBS]

Saddened by your loss, but heartened to hear how your tribe is channeling the grief so positively.

Was Castanet correct in reporting that the rescuers got him breathing again after 2+ hours buried 15' down? If so, that rescue effort is nothing short of Fuckin' Heroic.

[stevenc]

I didn't know AJ well, but I rode bikes with him and had beers with him after riding bikes at Silver Star. He was a good guy, and full of energy. We will all miss him.

On note of the BCA bags. I hate the BCA bags. I have seen the pin jam in the air cylinder and make the bag not deploy-able (this was a first gen version with the T-hand). It jammed so hard that the T handle ripped off of the rip cord. BCA said they fixed the cylinders when questioned. I would never recommend those packs. I am saddened to hear this is the pack he had.

[Shadam]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but perhaps this is relevent ...



we stopped for a beer, we all agreed to hit(get stuck, and we did) a super deep treed wee little feat and he was just saddling up when he caught it in his clothing. cone shaped handle.



would he have been cheering laughing and showing off for the camera if this happened in a real situation.
he told us he got it this year. he deployed it when he first got it to test it. he went back to where he got it to get the canister refilled. guy was gone and he was told 24 hours even if he was there.
so my issue is ...
just like a parachute, who packed it ???

my buddy did it himself. watching him repack was not a happy fit shall we say. which is the point of this post ...

I watched another sledder last year, epic tree riding(shit WILL go wrong and branches will smash you hard! try not to make it a tree or tree well stuck) his air bag deployed as a result of a light tree branch brushing. he didnt repack it, just attatched/secured it some of it in some out secured.
at the time I was concerned for the longgevity of the product.

repack legality ???

[gointhedistance]

Very sad. Condolences to all involved, especially wife/child.

[HansJob]

Vibes to you and your community.

[skimaxpower]

This seems like a good reminder for us all that:
1) Airbags are not invincibility shields. Nothing completely mitigates risk. (It sounds like he had a good head on his shoulders - not making accusations.)
2) If you have an airbag, do a test deploy from time to time to make sure it works.

Very sorry about your community's loss. sad sad stuff.

[Buster Highmen]

Condolences e.h.

[grskier]

vibes to friends and especially family. Sad.

[Turnem]

So sorry.

[userA]

Very sad. Condolences to all involved, especially wife/child.

indeed, all i can imagine is how heartbroken his wife must feel.
b

[gramboh]

Damn, read about this in the news Sorry for your loss and thoughts to his family and friends, obviously a good dude that was well liked. Props for pulling together support for his family.

[BeardedClam]

Vibes to you, your family, her family and everyone that knew him.

Too many of these this year.

[raisingarizona13]

Very sad. Sorry for you, friends, and family.

[garyfromterrace]

Condolences to you, his friends and his family. Thanks for the info. Will be testing the bag regularly.

[Dhelihiker]

Very sad, condolences

[moose pit]

Vibes to friends and fam.

Cutblock slides are sketch, you feel like you are safe and in the forest but you aren't.

[el hefe]

We got his sled out! Fired up first pull. It was down about 12ft. His brother rode it out of the hole.

[teamdirt]

Sorry to hear about the loss. Condolences. Positive vibes to all friends and family.