WASATCH STOKE, CONDITIONS, OBSERVATIONS and ASSORTED DRIVAL 20-21

[tuco]

does he have one arm? ran into a guy up there earlier this year claiming to own the joint.

1 hand

[tuco]

^ill get the tar bucket warmed up...

whos got the feathers? im fresh out...

He's a great dude actually.
I consider the dude a good friend.
I know nothing about it really, other than he bought a bunch of land up there.

[frosted flakes]

Pretty intense video recap of a full burial up near Logan on 1/9/21 (he ended up ok): https://youtu.be/zmpXZJzk6Gk

[tgapp]

Pretty intense video recap of a full burial up near Logan on 1/9/21 (he ended up ok): https://youtu.be/zmpXZJzk6Gk

holy shit, thanks so much for sharing. what an amazing recovery story; so glad to hear the guy survived - 15 minute burial! it looks like he was buried quite deep too.

sharing with all my friends. keep those beacon skills sharp, boys & girls.

[sfotex]

Pretty intense video recap of a full burial up near Logan on 1/9/21 (he ended up ok): https://youtu.be/zmpXZJzk6Gk

KSL article on it:
https://www.ksl.com/article/50086729...saved-his-life

[zion zig zag]

With so much drama in the UAC.... https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9az8uhr8q/

I think Mark is being a little disingenuous here. He was part of the paid observer program, not an official employee of the UAC. And therefore not really in a position to demand more money.
I did the program last year and ultimately decided that the $20 per observation wasn't really worth it to me and didn't sign up again this year.

[tgapp]

With so much drama in the UAC.... https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9az8uhr8q/

I think Mark is being a little disingenuous here. He was part of the paid observer program, not an official employee of the UAC. And therefore not really in a position to demand more money.
I did the program last year and ultimately decided that the $20 per observation wasn't really worth it to me and didn't sign up again this year.

i agree completely, but i did get the sense, every time i went to a UAC event, that mark saw himself as one of the UAC. it seemed like a core aspect of his identity.

i'd be curious to hear why the UAC made the decision - i suspect that it had something to do with mark's propensity to glorify questionable terrain choices on Instagram. not trying to call into question his judgement making; he knows more about the backcountry than i ever will, i just think that it was bad for UAC's brand to have a pro observer who was constantly skiing the north side of the PC ridge line and then spraying about it all over the Gram. and while those choices may have been correct for Mark, i'm not sure that the UAC felt like it was right for someone associated with their program to promote that behavior on social media.

[sfotex]

With so much drama in the UAC.... https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9az8uhr8q/

I think Mark is being a little disingenuous here. He was part of the paid observer program, not an official employee of the UAC. And therefore not really in a position to demand more money.
I did the program last year and ultimately decided that the $20 per observation wasn't really worth it to me and didn't sign up again this year.

But how am I going to know that the park city ridgeline is currently sketchy?

[Lone Star]

the last bunch of years they have relied heavily on my content and photos. I’m kinda embarrassed to say this , but , I’ve only been getting paid $20 a day when I do an observation. For the last 5 years, I’ve been trying to get a bump in pay but to no avail. It’s always been more about respect than the money

if the dude wants to be an insta influencer he needs to start showing up on the Shoulder at 8:30 AM on pow mornings.

edit: lol if he thinks thats gonna net him even $20 a day tho

[snowaddict91]

But how am I going to know that the park city ridgeline is currently sketchy?

Lol

[Boissal]

With so much drama in the UAC.... https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9az8uhr8q/

I think Mark is being a little disingenuous here. He was part of the paid observer program, not an official employee of the UAC. And therefore not really in a position to demand more money.
I did the program last year and ultimately decided that the $20 per observation wasn't really worth it to me and didn't sign up again this year.

Dropping that kind of inflammatory post on IG knowing full well that the UAC won't respond and get into a shit flinging online argument is weak AF. There's clearly way more to the story than meets the eye and I'm sure the responsibility for that falling out is not 100% in one camp. Too much misplaced entitlement and self-importance in that post to take it at face value.
I can't help but shake my head at the the comments too, cult followers acting like without his obs they won't be able leave the Alta lot without getting into a D5 slide... There are 12 other posts from the PC ridgeline every day, it's going to be fine. I'll miss the obs from a very experienced BC traveler, not the tone and attitude from the IG persona. Small pond syndrome on full display.

[tgapp]

But how am I going to know that the park city ridgeline is currently sketchy?

ehh it's probably good to go, there's at least one set of tracks down west monitor bowl, and that guy didn't die

SEND IT BRUH

/s

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

[Boissal]

ehh it's probably good to go, there's at least one set of tracks down west monitor bowl, and that guy didn't die

SEND IT BRUH

/s

Might be too soon, even with /s?

[tgapp]

Might be too soon, even with /s?

yeah too soon, agreed.

that's the problem with MW's insta tho, people don't have the correct framework to interpret or assess his choices. they just see him getting freshies and spraying about it.

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

[snowaddict91]

Dropping that kind of inflammatory post on IG knowing full well that the UAC won't respond and get into a shit flinging online argument is weak AF. There's clearly way more to the story than meets the eye and I'm sure the responsibility for that falling out is not 100% in one camp. Too much misplaced entitlement and self-importance in that post to take it at face value.
I can't help but shake my head at the the comments too, cult followers acting like without his obs they won't be able leave the Alta lot without getting into a D5 slide... There are 12 other posts from the PC ridgeline every day, it's going to be fine. I'll miss the obs from a very experienced BC traveler, not the tone and attitude from the IG persona. Small pond syndrome on full display.

Well said.

[zion zig zag]

Dropping that kind of inflammatory post on IG knowing full well that the UAC won't respond and get into a shit flinging online argument is weak AF. There's clearly way more to the story than meets the eye and I'm sure the responsibility for that falling out is not 100% in one camp. Too much misplaced entitlement and self-importance in that post to take it at face value.
I can't help but shake my head at the the comments too, cult followers acting like without his obs they won't be able leave the Alta lot without getting into a D5 slide... There are 12 other posts from the PC ridgeline every day, it's going to be fine. I'll miss the obs from a very experienced BC traveler, not the tone and attitude from the IG persona. Small pond syndrome on full display.

You said it way better than I could have.
One gem from the comments (paraphrased cause I won't wade in again): $20 a day to risk your life!!

Edit: looks like the post has been removed.

[brutah]

Never pretty to air your dirty laundry out in the public for all to see and it's sad to see Mark White take a shot at the avalanche center like that. Equally sad that he won't be contributing observations over $20/day. There are some people that frequently contribute to this thread and who have cut ties with UAC and have done so without bashing the avalanche center, which I appreciate and I think it speaks well of them. It is odd that some of the people who I think submit great observations end up cutting ties with UAC, but i can't speak to their reasons why. I think ZZZ makes a good point that for many $20/day isn't worth it. I also don't think the UAC owes an explanation and I wouldn't respond if I was in their shoes.

[Boissal]

that's the problem with MW's insta tho, people don't have the correct framework to interpret or assess his choices. they just see him getting freshies and spraying about it.

Completely agree. The tone of the 'gram was in stark contrast with the obs for the UAC and the progression from prolific observer / informal forecaster to local Insta celebrity, complete with overly saturated pics and cult following, was interesting to watch over the past few years. Especially considering that there are others out there who produce close to as much data as occasionally venture away from W Monitor/Georges/WhiteBaldy apron/Bonkers.

As brutah said it's a bummer that this had to be dragged into the public's eye and will result in Mark not contributing to the UAC which, for better of worse, is the only place to get avi info in UT. I'm not getting my beta from the 'gram, ever. Don't get me wrong, I spray on there 'gram some and feel quite validated when I get more than 20 likes. But I don't have an army of followers taking my word about snow safety as the 2nd gospel of Ullr.

[sfotex]

Looks like he pulled the post...

[tgapp]

Completely agree. The tone of the 'gram was in stark contrast with the obs for the UAC and the progression from prolific observer / informal forecaster to local Insta celebrity, complete with overly saturated pics and cult following, was interesting to watch over the past few years. Especially considering that there are others out there who produce close to as much data as occasionally venture away from W Monitor/Georges/WhiteBaldy apron/Bonkers.

As brutah said it's a bummer that this had to be dragged into the public's eye and will result in Mark not contributing to the UAC which, for better of worse, is the only place to get avi info in UT. I'm not getting my beta from the 'gram, ever. Don't get me wrong, I spray on there 'gram some and feel quite validated when I get more than 20 likes. But I don't have an army of followers taking my word about snow safety as the 2nd gospel of Ullr.

Yep, no VOLUME UP bullshit on his obvs. Just high quality data. I actually religiously read all of MW's obvservations before ever knowing about his Insta, and I was in total disbelief when somebody told me that it was the same dude. Very different personas.

Maybe he'll start posting pit profiles and observed avalanche information on Insta now that he's no longer sharing with the UAC.

Agreed with ZZZ and other's comments that $20 a day is far too little for your level of knowledge and expertise. Hell, I'd personally pay $20 for relevant, accurate, and timely data from a zone I was looking at skiing. But, I'm pretty sure that the UAC is operating on a small enough budget as-is.

[zion zig zag]

Agreed with ZZZ and other's comments that $20 a day is far too little for your level of knowledge and expertise. Hell, I'd personally pay $20 for relevant, accurate, and timely data from a zone I was looking at skiing. But, I'm pretty sure that the UAC is operating on a small enough budget as-is.

You've touched on some other reasons I didn't sign up again this year.
-I don't feel qualified to take responsibility for other peoples decision making about where to ski. Hell, I question where I ski constantly, even days later after a safe tour sometimes.
-I don't want to advertise where I ski, not even larger geographic areas. I'm stingy that way.
-I didn't feel I was worth $20 to the UAC. I'm no MW.

[tgapp]

You've touched on some other reasons I didn't sign up again this year.
-I don't feel qualified to take responsibility for other peoples decision making about where to ski. Hell, I question where I ski constantly, even days later after a safe tour sometimes.
-I don't want to advertise where I ski, not even larger geographic areas. I'm stingy that way.
-I didn't feel I was worth $20 to the UAC. I'm no MW.

all really good points. but i don't feel like i am outsourcing my decision making nor my safety choices when i rely on observations from more experienced parties, only that i am pulling up a log around the proverbial campfire to listen to their stories, learn from them, and then make my own judgements. my choices are mine alone - but i agree with you re: the questioning in hindsight - "were we really that safe? could i have chosen a better island of relative safety on that line? should i have done something different?" - i think that level of introspection is a healthy (and necessary) skill for any high-risk outdoor recreation.

all of this calls into question the responsibility of sharing any sort of observation or report in a public space. you can't control how your observations or statements or actions are going to be interpreted; i think that the UAC was just wary of a pro observer whose instagram persona was being misconstrued as a tacit endorsement of behavior that was deemed too risky for UAC's own brand image.

all of the dirty laundry being aired sucks though.

[Benneke10]

all of the dirty laundry being aired sucks though.

Disagree, its nice to have a distraction while the skiing sucks! More gossip pleez!

[jtran10]

It seems like the only time recently spindrift skied anything steeper than 30 it slid, and he owned it. What am I missing?

[Canada1]

10:30 at night in January and it is raining! I will burn some skis tomorrow to get this shit fixed!