Millcreek Canyon UT - 4 fatalities

**happytimefunbox** · 02-07-2021, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by snowaddict91

I haven't talked to him or seen him post in a while, but it looks like straightlineorbust was one of the fatalities. Didn't know him well at all but we skied together at the Bird a few times. RIP.

Attachment 361727

Fuck

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**bern43** · 02-08-2021, 09:19 AM

Skied a day at Snowbird with straightlineorbust a few years ago. Awful news. RIP.

**davjr96** · 02-08-2021, 11:27 AM

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/02/...we-know-about/

RIP

**Dshack89** · 02-08-2021, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by davjr96

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/02/...we-know-about/

RIP

Man that's hard to read.

**PowTron** · 02-08-2021, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by Redacted by user

It looks like one in the parties submitted an obs right beforehand.

https://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche/58953

**muted** · 02-08-2021, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by Dshack89

Man that's hard to read.

Her boyfriend dug Steph out, oof.

I want to read the full report on everything that happened as there are mixed info right now, and on the other hand I don't want to read it at all. it will be so f'n sad.

**summit** · 02-08-2021, 02:54 PM

so sad

Originally Posted by Redacted by user

It looks like one in the parties submitted an obs right beforehand.

https://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche/58953

mind boggling

**davjr96** · 02-08-2021, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Dshack89

Man that's hard to read.

Out of everything I've read, this one hit me the hardest. I don't know them at all, heck I don't know anyone in the state of Utah. But I'm around their age. If we had met we probably would have been friends and I probably would have been out there with them.

**GoldMember** · 02-09-2021, 12:32 PM

Damnit. This is so sad. We just learned that my SIL's nephew is Sarah's boyfriend who dug her out. He's obviously devastated. My SIL asked for prayers for him as he deals with this tragedy. The long term impacts for him and all involved will be very damaging, I'm sure. So young...

**RonMexico** · 02-09-2021, 02:47 PM

Did I read the article correctly that one of the deaths was the group skinning while the other three were from the descending/triggering group?

**Danno** · 02-09-2021, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by RonMexico

Did I read the article correctly that one of the deaths was the group skinning while the other three were from the descending/triggering group?

that's what the article said, but I'd hesitate to draw any conclusions about the trigger until we see an official report.

**wra** · 02-09-2021, 03:40 PM

According to the article in today's Tribune both parties were ascending.

**beaterdit** · 02-09-2021, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by RonMexico

Did I read the article correctly that one of the deaths was the group skinning while the other three were from the descending/triggering group?

Originally Posted by wra

According to the article in today's Tribune both parties were ascending.

Updated UAC prelim report also says both parties were ascending.

**RonMexico** · 02-09-2021, 04:16 PM

And a 31 degree slop angle...

**sfotex** · 02-09-2021, 05:17 PM

The party of 5 came in from BCC and was skinning up they had already done a few laps when the slope broke. Someone in their group had set out that lap and was on top already. When the slope broke it caught the 4 that were skinning and the party of 3 that had started from Mill Creek. 7 were caught/carried, with 6 fully buried.. The person from top came down, and along with the partially buried skier and dug out the rest of the victims.

**teleee** · 02-09-2021, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by sfotex

But after this weekend, I feel like I need to scream from the rooftops about chilling the fuck out. How do I/my team do that?
Fuck, it was my sons birthday Sunday, and I was shoving 4 bodies in bags and throwing them in net. My daughter asked me what dead people looked like?

I really don't want attention (I would post anonymously...) , but I feel like I/my teammates stories could possibly saves lives?

We were watching people drop steep high north lines on Sunday from the helicopter. WTF?

And we're not a group of people that haven't sipped the sweet nectar of blower powder -- and we have been caught and released, we get it.....

The party of 5 came in from BCC and was skinning up they had already done a few laps when the slope broke. Someone in their group had set out that lap and was on top already. When the slope broke it caught the 4 that were skinning and the party of 3 that had started from Mill Creek. 7 were caught/carried, with 6 fully buried.. The person from top came down, and along with the partially buried skier and dug out the rest of the victims.

Thank you very much for doing what you do. I tried to do the search and rescue gig right out of college and the first body bag ruined me forever. I think your experience and relating the facts as well as the reality of what the aftermath really looks like can do wonders for the community. I for one thinks it reigns me in when I want to get after it. But I'm an old fuck so what do I know.
PS Hope you don't mind that I brought your comment in from the Wasatch thread, I think it is very powerful and bears repeating.

**Bunion 2020** · 02-09-2021, 05:37 PM

Super fortunate there was someone in the group chomping at the bit to get up top again.

The photos sure make the slope look a lot steeper than 31 Deg.

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then you see this one.

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**snowaddict91** · 02-09-2021, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by teleee

Thank you very much for doing what you do. I tried to do the search and rescue gig right out of college and the first body bag ruined me forever. I think your experience and relating the facts as well as the reality of what the aftermath really looks like can do wonders for the community. I for one thinks it reigns me in when I want to get after it. But I'm an old fuck so what do I know.
PS Hope you don't mind that I brought your comment in from the Wasatch thread, I think it is very powerful and bears repeating.

My first body bag experience didn't hit me till a week or two after the fact. We had 3 recoveries in less than two weeks and most of us were on at least two of the missions. I'll never forget the feeling when I found that fisherman face down in the river. That summer changed how I approached safety in the mountains.

**sfotex** · 02-09-2021, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by Bunion 2020

Super fortunate there was someone in the group chomping at the bit to get up top again.

The photos sure make the slope look a lot steeper than 31 Deg.

The crown was 31 degrees, mid slope was 32-34.

In the first photo everyone that was caught was deposited in the evergreen trees on the left/center side of the photo.

**Bunion 2020** · 02-09-2021, 05:53 PM

28 sounding better and better.

**sfotex** · 02-09-2021, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Bunion 2020

28 sounding better and better.

I think the place I skate ski at maxes out at 10 degrees, that's good enough for me this season.

**tgapp** · 02-09-2021, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Bunion 2020

28 sounding better and better.

no kidding. gonna go rip around on the kusalas in low angle pow. this is the season of meadow skipping.

**MTT** · 02-09-2021, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by teleee

Thank you very much for doing what you do. I tried to do the search and rescue gig right out of college and the first body bag ruined me forever. I think your experience and relating the facts as well as the reality of what the aftermath really looks like can do wonders for the community. I for one thinks it reigns me in when I want to get after it. But I'm an old fuck so what do I know.
PS Hope you don't mind that I brought your comment in from the Wasatch thread, I think it is very powerful and bears repeating.

Diddo.
When I read his post I didn't have anything constructive to say. But thought no one is thinking about the toll this takes on the SAR people.

**snowaddict91** · 02-09-2021, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by MTT

Diddo.
When I read his post I didn't have anything constructive to say. But thought no one is thinking about the toll this takes on the SAR people.

Yup. And at some point there needs to be a conversation about paid, professional SAR in the US, especially somewhere like SLC. To any of you reading this, thank you for doing what you do.