3 dead in Washington Cascades

[jackattack]

no avalanche rescue gear
no helmets were worn by the deceased
no radios to communicate among the group
no inreach or similar to communicate with outside resources

[yeahman]

It's incomprehensible to me that this group was even up there attempting this objective in winter.

[the_prof]

It's incomprehensible to me that this group was even up there attempting this objective in winter.

agree - it’s big objective and the group seemed to have some big objective experience….what tf were they doing up there without any avy gear/helmets/radio

[yeahman]

Yeah... Winter mountaineering in the Cascades is an experts-only undertaking. To me it seems like they were being led along by somebody in the party...perhaps the person with the most "experience" (guided up Denali? just a guess)...and put their trust in the wrong person. A good number of the (much too large) party seems to have bailed early and returned to town, which gives some idea of the fractured group dynamics. Anyway...I'm just speculating based on available information, wondering what the hell happened and how anybody thought this was a good idea. It sucks.

[PNWbrit]

It's incomprehensible to me that this group was even up there attempting this objective in winter.

This.

[XXX-er]

I'm going to make an argument for not doing this but not for the reason you think.

My beacon goes on my body as soon as I put my pants on - because I carry in a pants pocket. But I don't turn it on until I'm at the trailhead.

Why? Because I do a full four function beacon check with my partners. I like D'BEST. Display, Electronics, Battery, Search, Transmit. Sure I could check Display and Battery when I turn it on at home but it's best to actually go through all of it with my partners so that we ALL know that everyone's beacon is fully functioning.

When I go solo I use my spare beacon at the trailhead to do the exact same check that I would do with others.

As for the "one less thing to forget" - a proper beacon check should never be a thing that you can forget.

the one group I go with would all check at the beacon checker but then start skiing space out 100yds, at some point its time for lead guy to stop shed a layer and check for #2 skier coming towards him who then stops 100 yds ahead and checks for the next guy moving towards him and so on until everyone in the group has " searched " everyones beacon without actualy moving if any of that made sense

and then theres that group where they just check if anyone has a spare lighter

[2Pole]

Vibes from a Washingtonian... RIP!