St Regis Basin Avalanche

**mooseknuckles** · 02-28-2016, 10:48 PM

"Surviving a bad break: Free helicopter service saves backcountry skier injured in avalanche" by Rich Landers published in Spokesman Review 2/28/16 - http://www.spokesman.com/stories/201...g-a-bad-break/

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center Report - http://www.idahopanhandleavalanche.o...n--events.html

**GoldMember** · 02-29-2016, 11:32 AM

The injured skier in this story in SpknMike here on TGR. Lucky man; harrowing experience.

**2FUNKY** · 02-29-2016, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by GoldMember

The injured skier in this story in SpknMike here on TGR. Lucky man; harrowing experience.

Yep. Good dude, skied with him quite a few times. Sucks he got broken up so bad. Hopefully a full recovery will happen, hips can be a long tough battle. Heal up proper mang!

**mooseknuckles** · 02-29-2016, 01:19 PM

Could not agree more with the positive words about Mike as I too have had the pleasure of touring with him. He is a solid cat and I wish him all the best on his recovery and look forward to getting back out with him in the future.

**BuzzardJam** · 02-29-2016, 04:31 PM

Holy shit....good read. I cant believe they left the last guy with just a shell. Realizing you are all alone, with darkness creeping in and lack of overnight cloths must have been sobering.

I think I am going to order some quikclot.

**nutmegchoi** · 02-29-2016, 07:41 PM

Some scary stuff.
These guys all seemed to know what they were doing, yet the mother nature can't be controlled.
Can't imagine what that last guy had to go through til he got himself down.
Jesus.

**GPP33** · 02-29-2016, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by BuzzardJam

I think I am going to order some quikclot.

And a PLB. Not that cell service is part of my emergency plan but it sounds like 911 was less than helpful. If the article is to be believed it wasn't until the PLB got activated that things really started moving in the right direction. Scary stuff, good thing he was with a couple guys who had their heads on straight. Makes you stop and think about who you ski with. Glad everyone made it out, hopefully we get a first hand report at some point.

**GoldMember** · 02-29-2016, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by GPP33

And a PLB. Not that cell service is part of my emergency plan but it sounds like 911 was less than helpful. If the article is to be believed it wasn't until the PLB got activated that things really started moving in the right direction. Scary stuff, good thing he was with a couple guys who had their heads on straight. Makes you stop and think about who you ski with. Glad everyone made it out, hopefully we get a first hand report at some point.

I think the article is the first-hand report. On other sites, he's reflected that the article speaks for him and that he was reluctant to be public but it was worth the article in order to help others. I don't know that we'll get much more from him beyond what was written.

You're right about the PLB. Seemed like there was a bunch of confusion until that fired and got people going.

**yeahman** · 02-29-2016, 09:59 PM

Wow. That is one of the craziest avalanche stories I've ever read. Glad Mike is alive and will recover. Sounds like he was right on the edge.

**stizzmt** · 02-29-2016, 10:16 PM

Unbelievable. The screamer suit! Another for the guy being left alone out there. That. Would. Suck.

**BFD** · 02-29-2016, 10:17 PM

I think Mike will be baking Mike Goguen some cookies with a big thank you card. Bad deal hopefully he will heal up and get some better days in the mountains.

**truax** · 02-29-2016, 10:23 PM

Sobering and a very good read in advocacy of preparedness, awareness, and a little bit of luck. Cheers to Mike, his partners, and the rescue crew for all contributing to a good ending to a fairly harrowing event. Pretty gnarly.

**Charmander** · 02-29-2016, 10:42 PM

Mike's a good dude and a very knowledgeable backcountry user. just another reminder that any of us can be caught in a slide.

St. Regis basin is a fun place to ski and usually more or less safe but has a deserved reputation for unpredictability.

I've got mikes skis in the shop right now, they're no worse for wear, tuning up nicely.

**Bronic** · 02-29-2016, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by truax

Sobering and a very good read in advocacy of preparedness, awareness, and a little bit of luck. Cheers to Mike, his partners, and the rescue crew for all contributing to a good ending to a fairly harrowing event. Pretty gnarly.

My thoughts exactly. Cheers Mike, hope the recovery goes well!

**Rideski** · 02-29-2016, 11:27 PM

Props to a couple of people willing to helo into a blizzard at night to save a couple of people they never met before.

**GPP33** · 03-01-2016, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by Charmander

Mike's a good dude and a very knowledgeable backcountry user. just another reminder that any of us can be caught in a slide.

I think we all try to rationalize how victims made a mistake we never would, how they were unknowledgable or unprepared. It's always sobering when you realize that they are more knowledgable/skilled/experienced than you and you realize that if it happened to them it could happen to you. The two sports I find this most noteabley true are backcountry skiing and kayaking. Too many guys way better than I am get seriously hurt or killed while not even pushing the limits for me to think I can get away with anything.

**bourbonisgood** · 03-01-2016, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by Rideski

Props to a couple of people willing to helo into a blizzard at night to save a couple of people they never met before.

^^this

**steezybomber** · 03-01-2016, 06:21 AM

never met or rode with mike, but thats a harrowing experience. super stoked he was able to make it out okay and vibes to him and family/friends. good preparation goes a long way, and even with all the knowledge you have, the mtns can change that in a split second. good on you and your friends for keeping a level head, and the heli service for picking you off the mtn. heal quick!

**GoldMember** · 03-01-2016, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Rideski

Props to a couple of people willing to helo into a blizzard at night to save a couple of people they never met before.

Absolutely! Check them out - http://www.twobearair.org/ Great group with nothing but Mike Goguen's financial support. Props!

**1000-oaks** · 03-01-2016, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by truax

Sobering and a very good read in advocacy of preparedness, awareness, and a little bit of luck. Cheers to Mike, his partners, and the rescue crew for all contributing to a good ending to a fairly harrowing event. Pretty gnarly.

Seriously.

**yeahman** · 03-02-2016, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by GoldMember

Absolutely! Check them out - http://www.twobearair.org/ Great group with nothing but Mike Goguen's financial support. Props!

It's interesting because there have been a bunch of articles lately in the Montana newspapers about these air rescue services and how much they charge, whether health insurance will pay (they have been refusing), etc. Been kind of a big issue lately. I hope Mike doesn't get stuck with a huge bill for all this. Not that it isn't worth it to save a person's life, but still, that would suck to get billed tens of thousands.

**GoldMember** · 03-02-2016, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by yeahman

It's interesting because there have been a bunch of articles lately in the Montana newspapers about these air rescue services and how much they charge, whether health insurance will pay (they have been refusing), etc. Been kind of a big issue lately. I hope Mike doesn't get stuck with a huge bill for all this. Not that it isn't worth it to save a person's life, but still, that would suck to get billed tens of thousands.

As I understand it, no charge. It's a purely philanthropic effort.

I am a subscriber to NW Medstar in case I or my wife ever need it. $159 for three years coverage for the whole family. No brainer for our area and is available for Montana residents, too, I believe. https://www.nwmedstar.org/

A friend had his son flown off Schweitzer after a trauma park accident. Cost him about $10k. That was enough to make me think it's worth the premium for NWM.

**muted** · 03-02-2016, 02:35 PM

holy shitballs

**Lindahl** · 03-02-2016, 04:07 PM

We have the Corsar card out here in CO. Doesn't count for med transport though.

**spknmike** · 03-03-2016, 01:35 PM

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and kind words. (Definitely owe a lot of thanks to everyone involved with my rescue, rehab as well.)

Hope in sharing the story that other bc users might learn something from our day. The article was mostly an accurate account (some quotes not word-for-word and the timeline is a bit off).