Wedge Mountain (Whistler) fall

[grinch]

He'll have some time go think about his route finding now. He may consider ski touring isnt for everyone. Painful lesson. Hope it isnt too life altering

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[Maximus Farcisimus]

Hope it isnt too life altering

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Best case scenario is that this guy is fucked for a couple years. Reading his comments post incident he’s still ignorant of the consequence. Needs to be out of the mountains for a couple years, otherwise the next SAR call is gonna his body.


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[grinch]

Best case scenario is that this guy is fucked for a couple years. Reading his comments post incident he’s still ignorant of the consequence. Needs to be out of the mountains for a couple years, otherwise the next SAR call is gonna his body.


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I guess the old saying "if youre dumb you better be tough" definitely has its limits

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[bennymac]

From the Whistler thread comes a previous TR from the guy who took this big fall on wedge:

https://tareef.tech/blog/metal-dome/

While the report is fairly dull there are definitely some revealing thoughts from the guy and a significant plot twist at the end that demonstrates how he thinks and operates in the backcountry

[grinch]

He must have SAR on speed dial. 10 bucks says he asked if they could bring pizza

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[Dexter Rutecki]

Massive failure of basic navigation. Beginner with beginner.

Yes to huge nav failure, but I don't think I'd call the guy a beginner (obviously it's all relative, but...)--took a quick glance at his blog thing and it looks like he's been at this for a little while (a couple of years?) and has at least been out there a number of times (not sure if he's blogged about all his attempts, but there are at least a dozen trips he's documented, I think). It would sort of be better if he were more of a beginner because you'd assume that he would make progress...

While I can relate to the effects of fatigue and rushing on decision making, I still have trouble understanding how he came to be in that situation on Wedge. He was guessing at a non-existent shortcut? Not really the place to be messing around with that, IMO, regardless of fatigue/time pressure.

From the Whistler thread comes a previous TR from the guy who took this big fall on wedge:

https://tareef.tech/blog/metal-dome/

While the report is fairly dull there are definitely some revealing thoughts from the guy and a significant plot twist at the end that demonstrates how he thinks and operates in the backcountry

Yeah, definitely makes the guy seem like a loose cannon. That one is almost as crazy, but for very different reasons.

Maybe I missed it, but what do we think the vertical on his fall was? I'm thinking 120 feet minimum.

edit: looked again and he thinks his total was 150m. If that's right, then based on the photo you have to think it was a 75m drop...over 240 feet.

[Dexter Rutecki]

I also really don't understand what caused him to fall in the first place...he said the snow was 'unsupportive' and he 'failed to get an edge.' I wonder if he just means he punched through the snow and fell over. I just can't figure it out between the description and the photos.

[mcski]

This guy is unrepentantly bonkers. How many more SARs calls will he be able to make before he inevitable dies? Just wow

[bennymac]

The friend throwing up from bonking

leading to the hair trigger SAR call

then going out for dinner after

then asking someone to drive him back to his vehicle (jeep brand at that)

Is this some elaborate troll? Performance art?

[jono]

I wouldn't blame him if he doesn't, but I hope Logan signs his cast.

[gramboh]

I also really don't understand what caused him to fall in the first place...he said the snow was 'unsupportive' and he 'failed to get an edge.' I wonder if he just means he punched through the snow and fell over. I just can't figure it out between the description and the photos.

I think he had to literally drop/jump down onto the pitch and fell as soon as he landed and then slid/tumbled down to the cliff. Assume he was surprised by the snow conditions or something? Dunno if they had rope to get down and test it or what. The whole thing is just mind boggling. Just saw the video of the snowboarder descending (thanks Norton) and wow that was also sketchy as fuck.

He said he started touring in 2022 but has been skiing a long time. Doesn’t seem like a highly skilled skier from what I’ve seen. He seems to have gotten out a ton but less than a year of experience and tackling complex objectives with people he’s meeting off Facebook groups inside of a year of starting is insane to me.

[mcski]

Where’s the snowboarder video?

[Dexter Rutecki]

I think he had to literally drop/jump down onto the pitch and fell as soon as he landed and then slid/tumbled down to the cliff. Assume he was surprised by the snow conditions or something? Dunno if they had rope to get down and test it or what. The whole thing is just mind boggling. Just saw the video of the snowboarder descending (thanks Norton) and wow that was also sketchy as fuck.

Yeah, well, like I said between the photos and his description I just can't figure out how he initially fell. Looked like he might have had to drop a few feet to land on that slope. The unsupportive and not getting an edge thing...again, my guess is that he punched through and then fell over, more or less. Doesn't really matter, but I did take a good look at the photo and had trouble imagining getting into trouble the way he did...'failed to get an edge,' weird IMO.

He said he started touring in 2022 but has been skiing a long time. Doesn’t seem like a highly skilled skier from what I’ve seen. He seems to have gotten out a ton but less than a year of experience and tackling complex objectives with people he’s meeting off Facebook groups inside of a year of starting is insane to me.

Yes, insane, but we know he's off the wall--I'd really have questions for his partners. Although I guess crazy attracts crazy.

[LeeLau]

Not sure if this has been posted re the Wedge Fail

https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/lo...untain-6849222

Per another FB group (SW BC Peakbaggers) trip partner of blog author intends to remedy Wedge fail by getting a drone

[Dexter Rutecki]

Can the drone carry him so he no longer has to rely on SAR air support?

[mcski]

Cant he just use SAR as a drone?

[Dexter Rutecki]

That's what he's been doing, it seems.

'My tummy hurts, let's call a heli...'

[ironhippy]

The unsupportive and not getting an edge thing...again, my guess is that he punched through and then fell over, more or less.

Also guessing, but to me it sounded like he landed on basically a sheer slope that had some fluff on top, as soon as he landed, the snow disappeared and he was hurtling down the cliff. It doesn't seem what he was trying to ski would have ever worked?

[nortonwhis]

Not sure if this has been posted re the Wedge Fail

https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/lo...untain-6849222

Per another FB group (SW BC Peakbaggers) trip partner of blog author intends to remedy Wedge fail by getting a drone

I mean, the drone idea isn't a terrible one. I know there are lots of places around that they would be very useful. Steep Peak wall, decker north face or basically anywhere with corniced ridges with some breaks. I know we backed off of Steep Peak cos we couldn't find the break we saw from the bottom and weren't comfortable roping up to find it incase we endangered others below if the cornice broke.

That pique however article makes me like the guy even less.

I'm not sure that people realize how much of a test piece of mountaineering skills this line is. Its a huge steep couloir, on the highest peak in the range and while the skiing is fairly basic in good conditions, it would be very challenging in shit conditions. I remember booting up it, with just front point crampons going in, ice axes doing nothing, gripped as fuck, when one of my crampons blew off my toes. Luckily i had someone behind who caught up and reattached it, but if i had of fallen, I was fucked, 500m of tomahawking down the couloir. He also mentions the corniced entrance, but there is a proper entrance, that never cornices, that provides very easy access to the couloir, and allows some turns on supported snow before entering the couloir proper to get a feeling for stability. Not having mentors, and pushing into terrain like this too fast is likely what bit him here.

[bennymac]

Did the snowboarder not also drop in to the same slope fall guy did? The picture makes it seem like he did and then traversed over to the chute he slid down (although possible that he stayed on top and entered that chute from the very top)

[Dexter Rutecki]

Did the snowboarder not also drop in to the same slope fall guy did? The picture makes it seem like he did and then traversed over to the chute he slid down (although possible that he stayed on top and entered that chute from the very top)

I'm not going to go back to verify, but my understanding (initially and after reading--quickly--his blog post) was the boarder took an entirely different entrance, but yeah, coulda been the same. Either way, I'm pretty sure this dude is not much of a skier--not that a lack of skiing ability has kept too many people from ski touring or explains his decision making.

It has occurred to me that he, like some other people I've heard of, is probably lacking a certain sense about things that most people would consider normal. That's why his actions seem so bizarre/fascinating. Knowing how fatigue and other factors can affect decision making I was tempted to cut him some slack at first (not knowing what had actually happened I thought the comments were too harsh when I first saw this thread), but the guy really just seems off in certain ways that make him a menace in the backcountry.

edit: I did go back and look at the photo again which clearly says they both dropped in off the ridge, but then it seems weird he would've had his skis off again, so I'm not sure. Someone else can read his post and let us know about the snowboarder traverse.

[dmcd]

It has occurred to me that he, like some other people I've heard of, is probably lacking a certain sense about things that most people would consider normal.

There's a definite over-estimation of ability, over confidence in knowledge, and a lack of care for risk and consequences to himself and everyone else. He's called SAR multiple times in under a year. This is the exact kind of person that ruins things for the rest of us. This is how areas get closed to access and how back country travelers get a bad rep.

[nortonwhis]

There's a definite over-estimation of ability, over confidence in knowledge, and a lack of care for risk and consequences to himself and everyone else. He's called SAR multiple times in under a year. This is the exact kind of person that ruins things for the rest of us. This is how areas get closed to access and how back country travelers get a bad rep.

100% agree.

[mcski]

Based on the pic, I’m fairly certain the snowboarder went down the ridge and entered the other chute from the top. Otherwise , if he did enter and the decided on traversing skiers left in the chute his friend fell on he’s even more insane than the OP. Definitely both have the make up of a irresponsible menaces to the backcountry

[bennymac]

Yeah you’re likely right now that I zoom in on the photo - you’d have to be crazy and lucky to drop in and traverse skiers left to access that chute. Instead he’s just crazy (to go down that chute rather than go around)