Whooooooops that comment is in the wrong thread!
Whooooooops that comment is in the wrong thread!
Originally Posted by blurred
I learned a lot from that report, (sobering as it always is to read these things). One thing I learned is it reemphasized that I like to ski the same areas a lot. I get to learn them from seeing them in so many different conditions. I have a mini golf area that I ski a lot and I mean, it’s amazing how 20-30 yards makes a huge difference. Nothing’s perfect, I just like to try to reduce my exposure.
Well maybe I'm the faggot America
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda
It seems like I've read at least several accounts of a victim having an airbag pack but not deploying it during the avalanche.
In this case, I can see that it might have happened so fast (and maybe he was knocked off his feet suddenly) that he was unable to pull the trigger. It's especially tragic since airbag deployment might have saved him in this situation.
Note that I am neutral on the use of airbag packs, but this incident provides another example that you shouldn't let the airbag pack (or any other avy rescue gear) give you extra confidence or perhaps help you rationalize your actions in a certain situation, especially if you are solo.
P.S. I am certainly not implying this was the case in this tragedy. As per the CAIC report, I think "familiarity" probably played a role, as it has for many of us.
Re Airbags- I think it reinforces to me that electronic airbags that you can practice with are the way to go, and I should probably pull my trigger for practice more often than I do.
The other thing that jumped out at me was the age. Maybe it's just me but it sure seems like there are a lot of older victims lately. It's not just the 20 year olds.
At the top of every line, I grab at my trigger once with each hand before dropping in to prime the muscle memory.
Originally Posted by blurred
I to ski alone majority of the time. I wear an airbag and stick to low angle terrain. I think the key is no matter how many times you go to the same spot, you treat each time like it's the first time. Said another way keep a beginner's mindset, keep an open mind, have a plan, have a backup plan, stay flexible and open in case you need to modify/change plans. This accident really bothers me because it's a place I have gone alone as well. If he deployed his airbag or had a partner that day it's hard not to think he would have survived.
Re: Age I think our demographic is a big part of the user group. BC skiing really started to get more popular in the Tracker 1/Fritchi Freeride/Fat Ski time in the mid 90s. And we are still doing it. And the Cost of Living thing is seeming making the average age of ski towns older.
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