2019-20 - Oregon - it never snows here and when it does, it sucks

[dan_pdx]

Greg at https://www.bootsandmore.ski/ is awesome. He’s out in Troutdale, and also works a few days a week in Hood River. Best bet is to call the number on the website, and talk to him and set up an appointment. He’ll do most of, if not all of the work while you’re there, until your boot fit is dialed in. I can’t speak highly enough of him.

One more vote for Greg - he's amazing. If you go to his home shop in Troutdale (his side gig), it will probably be cheaper than going out to his day job at the shop in Hood River. He did some bootfitting for me in his home shop last year and the pricing was more than fair - I wanted to pay more than he charged.

[iggyskier]

A bit off topic but anyone got recommendations for a good ski boot/fitting shop here in PDX? Relatively new to the sport and looking to invest in some quality footwear. Any advice is appreciated.

He isn't selling boots, but in terms of boot work and fitting, Greg @ Boots & More is who everyone at ON3P goes to. He is working at Doug's in Hood River as well.
https://www.bootsandmore.ski/

[FatKidFromFL]

If you could see how you were going to die, and if that premonition involved death while skiing/in the mountains, could you give up those pursuits if doing so would allow you to die in your sleep as an old man?

If you couldn't give them up despite that prescience, would your loved ones accept that choice?

If you could, would you feel that you were living a less fulfilling life?

No

No

Maybe.

Not that it would have necessarily made a difference... but self arrest skills are important.

After my little bro took a long slide in the bowl at Bachelor we trained and practiced on the regular.

Late 40s one becomes complacent. You are more conservative and rarely fall. Even if they had self arrest skills it was likely rusty.

Everybody looks at me funny when I ski with two whippets inbounds....

You are 100% correct; age + complacency = bad stuff on steep slopes.

no

going stir crazy so bad I'm considering skiing Meadows on a Saturday!

you're not wrong on assessing terrain or self-assessing ability; but we all can get lackadaisical; and i have a hard time piling on these folks when they clearly got into trouble

Def. Not trying to pile on. I genuinely feel bad for their families. It is something that I can’t imagine putting my own family through. That being said, my feeling on the topic is simple:
If I have an accident, skiing (especially solo!), in an area that clearly indicates that it is unpredictable, dangerous at all times, and contains unmarked hazards, it is nobody else’s fault. I made the choice to go through the gate. It scares me how willing others are to give up responsibility. If you hand off responsibility, you also hand off rights.

It reminds me of when I used to do a lot of cave diving. In every cavern, just at the terminus of natural light, there is a sign with a grim reaper standing over a pile of skeletons wearing scuba gear. It says quite simply: People Die Here. Experienced divers. Die. Here. Beware and be prepared. People still tried to blame the state for not doing enough every time somebody didn’t heed the warning.

I AM a little dismayed at the letter-to-the-editor's suggestion to tame the out-of-gates. Gated terrain is very clearly marked as dangerous/unmarked with suggestions to have a partner & appropriate gear/training. It is not for everyone.

Exactly.

Hey fatty Matty! Did I miss the part where you moved back to town? Not that I can keep up with you, but still!

Naw, I’m still kickin it in FL.

I remember that Jack's woods incident because that was the winter my kid and I really discovered that run (in fact you were there the first time he skied it).

I believe this was the day you were referring to:

(Photo Credit: the skier formally known as Acinpdx)

An Amazing day with awesome peeps!

My takeaway: don't ski trees after big dumps without a partner and a plan.

Unfortunately I am usually traveling solo, so my method is to make conservative decisions, and treat every turn like a loaded-gun. Compound that when in backcountry. I used to just bomb it every time; just trying to make great footy. After that season I realized that my kids would much rather have me around for the long-haul, than to have a sick couple minutes of video of me hitting booters and face-shots.

…The last person in your group to ski the steep and/or deep is effectively solo. When seconds count (burial, SIS), waiting for your downhill partner to recognize the problem, transition to uphill mode, wallow or skin up to you, locate you, and clear your airway is a scary prospect.

QFT. I was in the lead and went quickly through Roach Bowl. I kept going for 10-15sec into the woods to the north of north canyon. Stopped at our usual rendezvous as we needed to confirm safety-status. Buddy doesn’t show. I keep waiting. Buddy still doesn’t show. I sidestepped and slogged my way out to the open run, and there is buddy, lying down, halfway down roach bowl, not moving. Took me almost 10 minutes to get to him. Boot-top Tib-fib. From that point on, I always stay within eye-contact of partners. Always.

The pursuit of steep and deep snow is a dangerous game. Pros, experts, and people with impeccable technique die all the time. Be safe out there.

It’s a numbers game. The more you play…..

Greg at https://www.bootsandmore.ski/ is awesome. He’s out in Troutdale, and also works a few days a week in Hood River. Best bet is to call the number on the website, and talk to him and set up an appointment. He’ll do most of, if not all of the work while you’re there, until your boot fit is dialed in. I can’t speak highly enough of him.

Plus 1 more from me. Greg is the man. Knows his stuff. Has helped me on numerous sets of footwear and slidey-sticks. Top-notch. Price is great too. PM me if you want his #. Def recommend that you go to his workshop in Troutdale as opposed to his day-gig in HR. (Unless you are an HR resident!). He even bought me a ride up palmer ($$$!) once!

[k2skier112]

Gonna disagree with ya just a little bit, K2. Expert skiers were definitely hitting unexpected ice and falling that weekend.

The analogy I used when talking to the author of the article, Kale, was; If someone is truly an "expert skier" one simply doesn't fall when one hits ice (unless you aren't balanced, but most experts are). I doubt they were "expert", or we (me, you, the author and the self proclaimed expert in the article) have different definitions of "expert" skiers. Plus, like you said, an expert doesn't bomb a run without knowing the terrain and conditions, like what your group did.

I talk to ski patrol if I have any questions on the conditions in Heather before I go. I respect Heather that much

Just because Heather is open, that doesn't mean every person that skies Heather should. I almost always see someone that should not be there almost every time I'm in Heather. Sometimes that includes myself, especially this year rehabbing

[lucknau]

Plus, like you said, an expert doesn't bomb a run without knowing the terrain and conditions, like what your group did.

They do, though. Maybe not as often, or almost ever, but they most definitely do. That’s why Avi forecasters and mountain guides spend so much time writing and talking about human factors and heuristic traps.

[k2skier112]

They do, though. Maybe not as often, or almost ever, but they most definitely do. That’s why Avi forecasters and mountain guides spend so much time writing and talking about human factors and heuristic traps.

When one films in AK, or is being filmed anywhere, I'm sure it happens all the time. Celluloid heroes and all.

Kale Williams has another article out today, where he said both deaths in Heather were in the same area of the resort. But Bauters was in a closed area. Kale is running fast and loose with the facts to make MHM the bad guy for opening Heather with treacherous conditions.

I guess my biggest issue with Kale and the people he wrote about are the self proclaimed "experts". If someone calls themselves an "expert", I found they usually aren't. Especially when they're talking to a reporter for an article in the paper.

Advanced, expert, pro...anyone anytime can get hurt. Myself, I tore my ACL going less than 8 mph is good, but heavy, snow conditions. That's the first time I have ever been injured skiing. It can happen to anyone anywhere anytime.

[::: :::]

apropos of expertise, super bowl likely today...
(its already 45 at the base...oof!)

which experts are bringing back some hero corn porn for the office rats?

[::: :::]

Kale Williams has another article out today, where he said both deaths in Heather were in the same area of the resort. But Bauters was in a closed area. Kale is running fast and loose with the facts to make MHM the bad guy for opening Heather with treacherous conditions.

I guess my biggest issue with Kale and the people he wrote about are the self proclaimed "experts". If someone calls themselves an "expert", I found they usually aren't. Especially when they're talking to a reporter for an article in the paper.

and the O stopped comments last year

[FatKidFromFL]

Kale Williams has another article out today, where he said both deaths in Heather were in the same area of the resort. But Bauters was in a closed area.

Hey M,
I Missed this detail. Was heather closed at the time?

[k2skier112]

Hey M,
I Missed this detail. Was heather closed at the time?

No. I'm assuming that it was partially open, like TW or Moon Bowl and down. MHM wont say where Bauters was. Possibly Heather Woods or Clark. All the blog said was Bauters was in a closed area that day.

Here's the article. The last paragraph is misleading too. On any day, even with Heather closed, the are several injuries.

[k2skier112]

apropos of expertise, super bowl likely today...
(its already 45 at the base...oof!)

which experts are bringing back some hero corn porn for the office rats?

Are you calling yourself an expert? Remember, one has to Heli Ski before one can be a self proclaim EXPERT...

Just got over a cold, been cooped up all week, gotta get out of the fucking house and away from the PC today. I can to a TR Monday. Changed my mind on Saturday

[FatKidFromFL]

No. I'm assuming that it was partially open, like TW or Moon Bowl and down. MHM wont say where Bauters was. Possibly Heather Woods or Clark. All the blog said was Bauters was in a closed area that day.

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't read the blog, so I missed that. News reports are mum on closure.

[doubleeject]

The day that Bauters died, the highest open gate into Heather was 1/2 Moon.

[::: :::]

Are you calling yourself an expert? Remember, one has to Heli Ski before one can be a self proclaim EXPERT...

can we heli into super now?

(i'm an office rat today -- deadline too)

[::: :::]

Shred Hood on rescue process:
https://shredhood.com/2020/02/26/an-...escue-experts/
& on the recent fatalities:
https://shredhood.com/2020/02/26/an-...escue-experts/

[sirbumpsalot]

Any one got a current Bachy report from today? Still haven't used my 4 pack and the forecast for snow tonight seems like its waning....was planning on heading down this weekend....but....

[Toadman]

Any one got a current Bachy report from today? Still haven't used my 4 pack and the forecast for snow tonight seems like its waning....was planning on heading down this weekend....but....

What's the alternative? Stay home and not ski? Or go out for the weekend and ski maybe a few inches of fresh snow? Who knows, you might luck out, and that few inches turns into 3 or 4 inches. It could happen!

[jonesy]

[TBS]

Any one got a current Bachy report from today? Still haven't used my 4 pack and the forecast for snow tonight seems like its waning....was planning on heading down this weekend....but....

Temps dropping hard tonight and staying cold tomorrow. Forecast is 2-4" tonight and 1-3" tomorrow
https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...t#.Vky-y3arS71
I'll be there with 10000 of my closest friends

[altasnob]

Mt. Bachelor sued for $30 million after snowboarder and skier die by suffocation in tree wells on same day

[k2skier112]

So now we have to mark every patch of ice AND every tree well...I better take up checkers and Bocce Ball...

[FatKidFromFL]

So now we have to mark every patch of ice AND every tree well...I better take up checkers and Bocce Ball...

Can you imagine the labor necessary to mark every tree well with signs and bamboo poles!?! The nerve of trying to claim negligence on the part of Mt. bachelor for NOT doing it.

M, up early for your Saturday @ Meadows?! 🤣

[TBS]

Mt. Bachelor sued for $30 million after snowboarder and skier die by suffocation in tree wells on same day

Life insurance companies trying to weasel out of paying.
I wonder if weasels get offended when they are compared to lawyers?

[k2skier112]

Can you imagine the labor necessary to mark every tree well with signs and bamboo poles!?! The nerve of trying to claim negligence on the part of Mt. bachelor for NOT doing it.

M, up early for your Saturday @ Meadows?! ��

fuck no! I'm going Monday since it doesn't look too damp

[TBS]

Looks like the cloud deck is rising. Best to COAC and Vertfest!