Head Wall Slid in Jackson

[Black Market]

Wow, that's bullshit.

Does anyone have the photos saved or in their cache? I'll have to check at work tomorrow.

Theres links to the photos on the jhunderground site in the comments section.

[Mannix]

I snagged the photos before they disappeared, pm me with email, will forward.


Iain

[SchralphMacchio]

Theres links to the photos on the jhunderground site in the comments section.

Just found them right before you posted that ... they're on imageshack for now, copy em down in case they get pulled if you want them

[bean]

Theres links to the photos on the jhunderground site in the comments section.

Thanks, got 'em saved.

It's absolutely ridiculous that JHMR is trying to pull back info that's already out there, and is something that we the people have the right to see, seeing as how the ski area is on public land.

[3d3vart]

I just saw that TetonAT has pulled the photos down to "respect the privacy rights" of JHMR.

Like photos of avy debris coming through the second floor windows will do any more to hurt tourism to JH than will the fact that a local was killed INBOUNDS. What a joke.

[ono]

come on now... its obvious in hindsight (and some had the foresight) that the top-o-gondi spot is sketch. i remember 10 years ago when i first skied here that the hike above was steep, before the restaurant, and not to be taken for granted. it was NOT a responsible place to put such a facility. BUT JHMR is a business, and they're trying to do business.

now, it's damage control. but folks at the village are doing what they can. nobody, from the top down at this point, wants to put anything above safety. at least, i hope and believe at this point. we gotta give props to the patrollers who are out there everyday busting ass. gotta respect them. don't poach these days.

the vibe in the village was really weird today. really weird. this is not a good year, safety-wise. and we need to be vigilant and mindful of just that.

[truth]

These won't go anywhere...

[Patnode]

Its a miracle no one was hurt in this event...

Vibes to the JHMR patrollers, they got a tough job at a real gnarly mountain...

[Bart T]

TCSAR is under jurisdiction of the sherriff's department. So if Zimmer says no pix, it's ultimately his call.

He probably is getting pressure from JHMR to avoid the negative publicity. And there is some precedent where news organizations have crossed the line while doing ride alongs with first responders. The case I remember involved a news team that shot video of some horribly injured person and the fire department sawing his leg off to extricate him from a wreck, and while they didn't show the gory bits, they did broadcast the audio of the person screaming in pain and begging to be allowed to die.

Not that Randosteve has crossed the line, at all. I think he's kept his posts on tcsar informative and respectful. But I can see where the sherriff might want a blanket policy of respecting the wishes of the victims.

[Lone Star]

the ski area knew better, it is fortunate that lives weren't lost because of the nearsighted placement of that structure. too bad it wasn't a total loss (with no human loss), that's what they deserve for putting $$$$$ ahead of safety.

[SuperGaper]

Unless this is a criminal investigation why is the sheriff involved?

Teton County SAR is run through the Sheriff"s Department, so he has some say.

JHMR might be a private entity, but they operate on public land so this should be in the public record.

Rando Steve is probably digging the hits on his site-

From PlanetJH's feature story on online media here:

“I feel having a core focus is extremely important – it attracts a core group of advertisers,” Romeo said, explaining his relationship with each advertiser varies. “Some of them care about me posting really positively about their gear. Some of the larger companies that have contacted me say ‘You need to guarantee this many [page views featuring an ad] and when you do, you get a paycheck.’”

Romeo has the advantage of working with national and international companies with much larger budgets as advertisers, and because of this, he does not often court local businesses for their ad dollars. So might he really one day hope to leave his job as a gear authority at a local shop?
“The goal is to have Teton AT support me 100 percent. I definitely see it as doable.”

Everyone has their own best interests in mind.

Just happy no one was hurt. I know all 3 patrollers who were involved up there.

BTW Jerry Blann was up there this morning, so if he wasn't completely aware of what was going on with the snow pack I am sure he is now.

Glad they sent the guides/gondola locker owners down before the second round of bombs.

Sorry I missed the howitzer show this afternoon, sounded like they were dropping the hammer.

Finally, it is the tourists who are oblivious to all this that drive me crazy- I sat in the repair shop this morning with my head in my hands, wondering if I would know someone who just died and then would walk out onto the shop floor and listen to all the complaints about there being nothing to ski. Just 2 days after an avalanche fatality just yards to South of where they flail down the hill.

A crazy year for sure.

On a positive note, I shoveled the hell out of my warehouse driveway today.

[SuperGaper]

Sorry, you guys beat me to it.

[Jessnjh]

Thanks Teton At for the photos. Holy shit! The reality at the base, 8 ambulances and SAR vans running around, was enough to put your blood pressure through the roof, but the photos made it all real.

And we all should respect the rights of JHMR. They own one of the sickest mountains in the US and we all work for $8/hour to ski there. It will all shake out the way it should. Wow!

Does anyone know the dumbasses hiking up the pass at 11:30? Really? Natural selection at it's best.

"Dude it was sick man. There was nobody up there."

[biggsie]

Oh... Right. I thought that I had read somewhere about somewhere in Cali having an inbounds slide and I just put Squaw up instead of checking. Or did I just dream that somewhere in Cali had that happen?

Nope, you're right. It was Squaw but, from what I can tell, it might be more of a terrain trap thing, not a huge slab giving way (it was below Red Dog, had already been bombed and was still dumping like crazy.)

On a related note, the 5pm Jackson forecast puts danger at "High". What exactly warrants "Extreme"? Sounds like it's continuing to blow and dump tonight. Shouldn't it be Extreme for the sheer fact that it's such a tricky and difficult to assess snowpack and not many observations have been gathered?

[Lance_K]

fuck censorship. this is knowledge that the people should see.

[randosteve]

I...like you...am not happy about the current situation, but unfortunately since I was wearing my TCSAR hat while I was there, and we were called to help by JHMR, I feel the need to respect their wishes. It is a very small town and I try to do what’s right. I know the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t like it when I post TCSAR related photographs, but I felt the need to get these images out so strong, I couldn’t NOT post them…even risking my membership to the TCSAR organization in the process. Skier’s, both backcountry and resort, HAVE to see the power of avalanches and the resulting devastation…especially when it is currently under our feet when we go into the mountains. Unfortunately, I began to get some heat from some of the ski patrollers and JHMR itself, never mind the SO, so I pulled the pictures. It’s hard to please everyone in life and a small town makes it even harder. If I have offended anyone in the process, I am sorry. -Steve

[Lance_K]

steve respect to you. i understand your situation. i think that the pressure you received speaks volumes as to how the authorities and JHMR is handling this situation... much more than even the photos themselves.

[SuperGaper]

Steve,


I whole heartedly agree with you posting the pics, and didn't mean to imply you were looking for more hits at Teton AT (though it was a coup). I was more trying to point out that everyone has to protect their interests- especially in a small town as you have pointed out.

I guess it's up to Stanford to take the ball and run with it (football-JHblog double entendre, natch.)

And can't agree more with people needing to understand the power they are dealing with- been there, done that, not doing it again. (I'm talking about avalanches, not big bad resorts.)

Probably a week that Jake Elkins won't soon forget.

[Tye 1on]

SR- it's tough when you are skilled enough to have to wear several hats, which sometimes conflict. Thanks for your work on the sar team, and thanks for not poking at jhmr and the so for their preference to not have photos published that were not taken by the general public, or themselves. Yeah, it can be viewed as them trying to 'manage the message', but down the road it may make sense that those entities want pics like this to be published in a more wholistic fashion, not as what could be perceived as a 'sensationalist' perspective.

And yes, thanks, those images do more fully paint the picture of the potential we local skiers have to be aware of in a big way.

And yeah, SG, prolly a week that J.E. will not sleep a whole lot at all...props, again, to him and the patrol/snow safety/control peeps...

[TG]

Does anyone know the dumbasses hiking up the pass at 11:30? Really? Natural selection at it's best.

It's only natural selection if whoever it was chose up or down routes that were dangerous. Do you call it natural selection when the ski patrol hikes into avy terrain on high hazard days? Or are you just glad they're making your freshies safe for you?

Even in extreme conditions you can find safe lines. The pass is a huge area. There are steep shots , there are mellow shots. There are ridge tours which involve no avalanche exposure at all. Making the blanket assumption that everything on the pass is bed-wettingly dangerous only displays your own fear, panic and absolute ignorance.

[SuperGaper]

SR- it's tough when you are skilled enough to have to wear several hats, which sometimes conflict. Thanks for your work on the sar team, and thanks for not poking at jhmr and the so for their preference to not have photos published that were not taken by the general public, or themselves. Yeah, it can be viewed as them trying to 'manage the message', but down the road it may make sense that those entities want pics like this to be published in a more wholistic fashion, not as what could be perceived as a 'sensationalist' perspective.

And yes, thanks, those images do more fully paint the picture of the potential we local skiers have to be aware of in a big way.

And yeah, SG, prolly a week that J.E. will not sleep a whole lot at all...props, again, to him and the patrol/snow safety/control peeps...

Can't agree more with everything you have said. And patrol always gets my respect, they have to make some very tough calls and do some some very hard work. This week more than I have ever seen.

They tried to get the Headwall to go everyday since Christmas, just took a little help from mother nature (rising temps).

[TG]

Steve, good for you. Glad you posted those pics. I'd understand if they were concerned with you posting pics of a body recovery, but it was debris in a fucking restaurant. WTF are they afraid of? WTF problem would the patrol have with those pictures?

[SuperGaper]

It's only natural selection if whoever it was chose up or down routes that were dangerous. Do you call it natural selection when the ski patrol hikes into avy terrain on high hazard days? Or are you just glad they're making your freshies safe for you?

Even in extreme conditions you can find safe lines. The pass is a huge area. There are steep shots , there are mellow shots. There are ridge tours which involve no avalanche exposure at all. Making the blanket assumption that everything on the pass is bed-wettingly dangerous only displays your own fear, panic and absolute ignorance.

Have at it my friend, at least you won't be fighting for a parking spot up there for while.

[Trackhead]

the ski area knew better, it is fortunate that lives weren't lost because of the nearsighted placement of that structure. too bad it wasn't a total loss (with no human loss), that's what they deserve for putting $$$$$ ahead of safety.

Peruvian lodge at Alta?

[Rubicon]

Steve, good for you. Glad you posted those pics. I'd understand if they were concerned with you posting pics of a body recovery, but it was debris in a fucking restaurant. WTF are they afraid of? WTF problem would the patrol have with those pictures?

It doesn't really matter their reasoning. Steve was asked to pull them and I think he made the right decision, both in posting them in the first place and in pulling them when he needed to. As has been said, Jackson is a small town. Sometimes you have to go along to get along. People who don't(or can't) do that don't live in small towns for very long.