Heli ski crash yesterday?

[TahoeJ]

I was in a Hues 500 that crashed into a lake in Northern Alberta way back in 2006. We were doing mining exploration work in actual middle of no where.
Hit the water 8:27am. The camp manager expected the bird back with in 30 min of taking off with us but it no showed. Our radio was in the water and we had zero communication until about 4pm when we met with another crew. The camp manager was losing his mind! I was barely able to communicate our coordinates before the radio died and a rescue plane found us around 6pm. The EPIRB didn't start going until later that night as I recollect.

A lot of luck in that one countered the half assed precautionary measures put in place.

Damn. Feel like you should elaborate on this story if so inclined. That’s crazy. What time of year? Wet and cold as shit?

[wstdeep]

It's pretty common for heli ski operators to have repeaters set on high ground to enhance radio signals in areas that they frequent while skiing. If they took off in Wasilla and were working their way to the lodge and skiing on the way it would not be unusual to be out of radio range for at least part of the trip as that is farther than they would generally be vs departing from the lodge.

[carpathian]

Damn. Feel like you should elaborate on this story if so inclined. That’s crazy. What time of year? Wet and cold as shit?

I don't want to hijack the thread but just making point of similarity in scenario as far as communications difficulties go.
We were in flat, flat land so when we got dropped off in the am we were out of communication all day until the bird was back within sight at pickup. I would see the chopper coming in and start talking until he heard me than talk him into us, "we at your 3 o'clock, two o'clock, 12 etc"

As for our self rescue, they had a guy at camp go to the top of the only 'hill' and climb the tallest tree and he was there all day until I finally called in late afternoon. (also climbed hill and tree on my end)

Yeah its a longer story, I posted it here somewhere. Ill try to dig up link.

edit: post #152 here
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...hlight=DIY+art