Weber Canyon Slide- Guided group 1 fatality

[skifishbum]

i thought this article was pretty good
https://coloradosun.com/2023/03/13/c...ation-reports/
that report and a month to do it
not so much
it seems like tysens uma/exum final report on the whitesnake slide a few seasons ago
it sure seems like the do sponsers accident/fatality reports different from others
which seems to speaks to the politics of money
imo

[Bunion 2020]

This is what a report should look like by a state agency even with anticipated litigation:

https://classic.avalanche.state.co.u...=685&accfm=inv

Ideally? Yes.

However operations like PCPCs are under no obligation to share any information with anyone except the Coroner and Sheriff. And my guess would be that the UAC will accept all info offered but not press due to them not wanting to end up being called to testify in the event of litigation. Its a fine line for a forecast center to have to walk.

See comments here: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...port-avalanche

[MakersTeleMark]

Ideally? Yes.

However operations like PCPCs are under no obligation to share any information with anyone except the Coroner and Sheriff. And my guess would be that the UAC will accept all info offered but not press due to them not wanting to end up being called to testify in the event of litigation. Its a fine line for a forecast center to have to walk.

See comments here: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...port-avalanche

It's my contention that given your scenario, they aren't doing their job. Everyone in every profession faces potential litigation every day.

[miserywhip]

Vibes. Seems to me the biggest missing info is how skier 4 ended up on the slope at the same time as skier 3.

[2Pole]

Vibes and RIP

[ASmileyFace]

Park City tour operator sued by wife of skier killed in Uintas avalanche

I can't imagine it goes to a court room but interesting development on this tragedy. Lots of new info in the lawsuit. Guests weren't carrying probes and shovels?? UAC didn't (or wasn't allowed to) interview the other clients? His wife wasn't notified for 3 days?! I will be curious to follow the outcome.

[snowaddict91]

Guests weren't carrying probes and shovels??

Seems fucked to me. I've never done any heli, cat, or otherwise guided skiing, but this strikes me as a poor practice.

[Bunion 2020]

Actually quite common for heli and cat ops.

[Hacksaw]

Seems fucked to me. I've never done any heli, cat, or otherwise guided skiing, but this strikes me as a poor practice.

That is changing. A lot of heliski operations now require guests to ware a small day pack with a shovel and probe in it.

[dcpnz]

I dont know that beacon only is unusual for a cat operation.
My limited experience is every heli op has provided avy pack w/ shovel, beacon, probe and required a basic training session before flying, cat ops have provided beacon only and touring guides have always checked my personal beacon and other gear - I’d attribute different cat protocols due to terrain and presence of tail guide

[ASmileyFace]

That is changing. A lot of heliski operations now require guests to ware a small day pack with a shovel and probe in it.

Was surprised because all the operations I am personally familiar with require carrying shovels and probes. I ended up looking online at a few other ops and found that requiring only a beacon is common among Cat operations mostly. Heli operations seem to require all the gear more frequently.

Getting a bunch of rando clients to shovel and actually turn their beacons off in a rescue sounds like an impossible task, but you have to wonder about having those extra shovels digging.

[AlexC]

Was surprised because all the operations I am personally familiar with require carrying shovels and probes. I ended up looking online at a few other ops and found that requiring only a beacon is common among Cat operations mostly. Heli operations seem to require all the gear more frequently.

Getting a bunch of rando clients to shovel and actually turn their beacons off in a rescue sounds like an impossible task, but you have to wonder about having those extra shovels digging.

I've been out with one cat-ski op and two heli-ski ops and each time we were provided with a transceiver, probe, and shovel, and given a brief training session on how to use them. It wasn't much, but it wasn't nothing. This was all in Canada, so maybe things are different in the US. I haven't heard of any operations in Canada not doing avalanche safety training.

[summit]

Having a burial with 5 clients and one guide with one shovel and probe between them all sounds fucked. I wouldn't ski with an operation like that.

[Hacksaw]

Having a burial with 5 clients and one guide with one shovel and probe between them all sounds fucked. I wouldn't ski with an operation like that.

It only makes sense.