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Big white inbounds avalanche.

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stevenc
Posts: 162 - Karma: 41

Huge avanalanche inbounds at big white today.  I was caught up in it, I slide all the way from the top of the cliff cahis to the bottom.  basically the most scariest experiance of my life.  Pictures to come soon.

Everyone ski safe!

Jan 6 2008 6:54PM
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fourhundred
Posts: 2760 - Karma: 21
pretty intense I wanna see pics
Jan 6 2008 6:57PM
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Matty_C
Posts: 2598 - Karma: 236
why would you shout about this? if you triggered an avalanche that means you made mistake(s).
i'd keep it to yourself if i were you and learn some lessons.
Jan 6 2008 6:58PM
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stevenc
Posts: 162 - Karma: 41
ahh, i did a drop, landed and it slide.  i dont see how i did anythign wrong.
Jan 6 2008 6:59PM
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Matty_C
Posts: 2598 - Karma: 236
hmmmn, someone's got a lot to learn ^
Jan 6 2008 7:02PM
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Peach.
Posts: 3879 - Karma: 933
hey maybe he didnt  triggere it! at a resort inbounds there are many different things that can go wrong. even if he did shit happens. you can do every thing right and still get screwed over. maybe he saved a life by telling us because someone may not go down a run that looks iffe even inbounds.


dude shit happens glad your ok.
Jan 6 2008 7:02PM
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Matty_C
Posts: 2598 - Karma: 236
meh, i don't agree. if you're skiing powder you you know your shit and put that knowledge into practice rather than relying on ski patrol to hold your hand. period. wherever you are. 
Jan 6 2008 7:11PM
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spacey817
Posts: 38 - Karma: 14
I don't see how it is ski patrols issue even if he is inbounds. it is your responsibility to make sure that you and your buddies are safe in the mountains. on a piste, in the park, in powder, anywhere on the mountain. you wouldn't hit a kicker without checking the landing in the park, same with a cliff off piste...  just in the powder there are more things to think about than if it is freshly groomed i.e. avalanches, crevasses...
Jan 6 2008 7:21PM
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nickmcnutt
Posts: 4396 - Karma: 2,965
this sounds huge, i hope they find everyone! in bounds avalanches can be deadly too
Jan 6 2008 7:22PM
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Matty_C
Posts: 2598 - Karma: 236

fuck that. no offense.

Jan 6 2008 7:25PM
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Matty_C
Posts: 2598 - Karma: 236

whatever, i'm european and over here, people man up and take responsibilty for themselves. in my mind that's what skiing pow is. fuck relying on someone else to do their job- i'd rather the ball was in my court. thats all.

Jan 6 2008 7:33PM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
because you're all knowing, right?


asshole
Jan 6 2008 7:34PM
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stevenc
Posts: 162 - Karma: 41
Ps.  I would like to thank ski patrol for thier speedy response, and well organized search.
Jan 6 2008 7:37PM
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spacey817
Posts: 38 - Karma: 14
being european  i also don't get the whole inbounds out of bounds debate. if you are in the mountains it is your own responsibility to stay safe. mountains are inherently dangerous and anyone going into them should accept the risks.
Jan 6 2008 7:39PM
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Adrenaline
Posts: 1264 - Karma: 552
The whole point of a Ski Resort is to make money and draw business.  Therefore part of the draw is to bring people to the resort for the pow and such.  Skiing inbounds doesn't require that you know anything about snow.  If you are going in terrain that is black and double black terrain then 99% of the time you are an experienced person that has a skill set above average, or are an intermediate pushing yourself.  But that still doesn't mean they need avy knowledge.  That is why resorts have snow safety teams.  Even then, sometimes snowpacks are a bit off, a bit sketchy, and 4 6 pound charges wouldn't be able to budge a face.  They open it to get it tracked out, which helps with the stability of the run but later that day a group of 5 people could set off that same face.  VERY rare but it can happen.  Given everything i've said, if you're in black and double black terrain its always good to keep piling on skills and taking courses, if you're into learning about your sport.  A snow safety team can't eliminate 100% of the threats of a slide, but their job is to trigger to prevent.  and every team i've met is damn good at what they do.  Our team used I believe 143 bombs today and didn't open that terrain, but could go back tomorrow and use a quarter of that and open the same terrain.  It's not the resorts job to babysit it's guests.  There are so many hazards out there.  The guy that died going off the side of a run at the canyons, people were all up in arms about the side of the run not being marked and were calling for the embankment to be marked.  So should we mark tree stumps? branches? should we boo the boo?  nerf turf fencing along every run?  No.  It's a sport with risks, but training isn't something to require for inbound terrain use.  A resort is a business, not a club.
Jan 6 2008 7:40PM
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iamdan.
Posts: 1146 - Karma: 11
I just left Big White on Sunday, that is some scary shit, cause I was skiing back there all week. Hope they find everyone safe, and alive.

Love how all you guys do is argue and don't see through the political bullshit, but people are still missing. Wrap your shit up and give it a break, peoples lives are on a scale, and all you can do is argue... sad.
Jan 6 2008 7:40PM
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ijibgoremtn
Posts: 4221 - Karma: 13
that sucks when youre inbounds you shouldnt have to worry about that, thats why youre inbounds you dont want to risk anything, how big was it exactly? i set a small one off at gore mountain one time and got burried, it was small so it was hysterical but serious avalanches are nothin to joke about
Jan 6 2008 7:41PM
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king.tubby
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 122
anyone who disagrees with this is, well, stupid.
Jan 6 2008 7:44PM
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Matty_C
Posts: 2598 - Karma: 236
no. but when i'm skiing pow i man the fuck up and take responsibilty for myself and those i'm with.
i just think there's never such thing as "safe" in the mountains and that the american propensity to disown all resposiblity and blame someone else is very dangerous when applied to skiing pow.

you guys should come to europe and see whats up. actually on reflection, for your own safety you probably shouldn't.
Jan 6 2008 7:44PM
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GangstaKid
Posts: 464 - Karma: 3
did you even have a transceiver,shovel and probes
Jan 6 2008 7:44PM
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Adrenaline
Posts: 1264 - Karma: 552
For your own safety you should probably go home.  We let people make their own decisions here.  We don't have massive expanses of countries that are resorts.  We have snow safety teams for inbound terrain.  Inbound terrain provides less than one percent of avalanche deaths.  for you to be so cocky as to put everyone down as an asshole for not agreeing with you is proposterous.  Resorts are very safe places to ski, and have been for ages.  They draw in customers, draw the tourists, who in turn, like everyone else is saying, want to ski inbounds and not out of bounds.  Go back to europe if you don't like people enjoying themselves with inbound powder.  That's what patrol is there for.  prevention.  and rescue when shit does hit the fan.
Jan 6 2008 7:50PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
this is just like the RCR thing...some dumbass is blaming the resort for a risk that he took on his own. i dont c what the problem is...skiing isnt a "Safe" sport and you do what u want and take ur own risks
Jan 6 2008 7:50PM
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spacey817
Posts: 38 - Karma: 14
no it is not expected for everyone to have avalanche skills and the gear and resorts should try to do their best to stop avalanches around major pistes. however it seems that in america pow skiing in the bowls is marketed as 'safe' as it is inbounds. in europe this does not happen, you either stay on the marked and groomed runs or accept responsibility off the marked trails.
Jan 6 2008 7:53PM
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ride-rider
Posts: 1761 - Karma: 20
I was cracking some slides on saterday too.  I never got cought up in them, but i could have been burried.  They were only like 5 inch slabs though.
Jan 6 2008 7:58PM
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ShreddingthaGnar
Posts: 454 - Karma: 18
Theres a deep rain crust in the backcountry of Alpental and it left a 6foot crown last week. That explains why the b.c hasnt opened yet. But avy danger inbounds? on a mountain like Big White? Wtf ski patrol, wheres your snow study?
Jan 6 2008 8:03PM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
louise got like a foot and a half of snow yesterday and the platter was lined up all day.
i'm pretty suprised there were no avalanches.
and at one point in the day i was skiing trees by myself (dumb i know) and with all the new lately of people getting cause in tree wells i was actually kind of panicking.
Jan 6 2008 8:05PM
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stevenc
Posts: 162 - Karma: 41
Look guys, there is nothing to argue about here.  It happened, nothing can change that.  I pray that no one is missing.  I love big white and will continue to ski there.  And i suggest that everyone makes a stop to ski there one day.  Just everyone ski safe, and enjoy skiing.  As i said before I apreciate ski patrols speedy responce and to all the volenteers that helped prob for possible victims.
Jan 6 2008 8:08PM
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*rkp*
Posts: 8198 - Karma: 257
yeah     that was fucked   sooo many people there watching and searching and helicopters and dogs and wooah....   i went to the park     haha
Jan 6 2008 8:10PM
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stevenc
Posts: 162 - Karma: 41
this is just like the RCR thing...some dumbass is blaming the resort for a risk that he took on his own. i dont c what the problem is...skiing isnt a "Safe" sport and you do what u want and take ur own risks


Assuming this was writtin to me I never blamed big white. 
Jan 6 2008 8:12PM
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SEskier
Posts: 570 - Karma: 115
If the snow was actually "cracking"  and falling away in pieces then it was a slab.  They don't have to go very deep to be considered a slab.  A sluff is when loose snow falls away and takes more snow with it with no real unifrom shape.
Jan 6 2008 8:12PM
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quebecfreestyler
Posts: 13040 - Karma: 1,418
IN BOUND means it's operated by the resort.

They are responsible for what happen and pay insurance for that. Unless there was a sign saying there was avy chances  near the place he dropped in and triggered the avalanche or that the skier didnt respect the skier code, the mountian uis responsible for the avalanche.

If there is a big rock right after a groomed trails andf that someone hit it really hard and die, it's the mountains fault for not putting any signalisation saying there is a rock on the slope.
that's how it works. It's kinda lame sometimes but thats how it works.
Jan 6 2008 8:21PM
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BravoWhiskey5280
Posts: 4020 - Karma: 520
a couple of years ago at a-basin a slide was triggered inbounds...it killed the guy..i think it was either off the east wall or palvacini....but if it was of east wall it would of ran into a bunch of groomer runs.... Should people on the groomers be aware of the fact that a slide could hit them?  that should be the resorts responsibility to close the run or blast the area... Also a couple of years ago a couple of guys went on a closed run and got caught in a avy...that is there fault because it was closed
Jan 6 2008 8:26PM
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par_ker
Posts: 120 - Karma: 17
wow, thats sketch,


Want to see some pics
Jan 6 2008 8:29PM
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stevenc
Posts: 162 - Karma: 41
http://gallery.castanet.net/albums/2008/January/album/
Jan 6 2008 8:34PM
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Ben.
Posts: 21463 - Karma: 683
Could he sue? Yes but that still doesnt mean he should be bragging about it. You shouldnt be proud that you triggered a slide. I skied a day in Breck last year when it was rediculously windy, and consequently some slopes were super wind loaded. U have to use judgement and realize whats safe and what isnt safe to ski. Ive never skied out of bounds but its just common sense. If it looks like its gonna rip out, dont ski it.
Jan 6 2008 8:35PM
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sirskizalot
Posts: 4370 - Karma: 161
inbounds??
Jan 6 2008 8:41PM
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stevenc
Posts: 162 - Karma: 41
in what way am i proud and or braggin about it!  it was the scarriest moment of my life.  I pray that this never happens to anyone again!
Jan 6 2008 8:53PM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,168
yah lets hope for the best for the search
Jan 6 2008 8:57PM
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Aenigma
Posts: 11256 - Karma: 424
I've started 2" slabs and 15" sluffs before, you can't really generalize them by depth.  A slab will have a crown, and sluffs will just be loose snow.

And as far as in-bounds slides go, it's the resorts responsibility to take care of those for the most part.  Granted there's places like Bridger and Big Sky where certain areas of the mountain require a beacon, shovel, and partner because they are avalanche terrain, but for the most part resorts on this side of the pond are considered controlled terrain.  In-bounds slides will happen from time to time though, there's no way to be 100% on snow stability short of closing everything.

You can't compare Europe's avalanche policies to the United States' either, we're just too different.  Just think of drinking ages, driving restrictions, and a ton of other things and you'll see why.  Saying things should be the same here because they work somewhere else is incredibly flawed.
Jan 6 2008 9:08PM
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~auddie~
Posts: 757 - Karma: 24
only one person missing now

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/01/06/big-white-avalanche.html?ref=rss
Jan 6 2008 9:09PM
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SSteezle
Posts: 9221 - Karma: 9,939
i don't think this kid is bragging about causing an avalanche. He's happy he got out of it and awaring us that there are avalanches that can happen in bounds. I'm glad you made it out ok, and im sorry that only me and nomensteven understand what you were trying to say. way to many assholes on this site it's ridiculous
Jan 6 2008 10:20PM
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FartBoy05
Posts: 1306 - Karma: 9

you cant excpect everyone who skis at resorts to know about avalanches. i just moved to tahoe from ny and there was a small one at squaw yesterday and i will take a class but skiing inbounds you figure that shit is relatively safe.

Jan 6 2008 11:22PM
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Roy
Posts: 1982 - Karma: 1,240
haha funny enough I'm from Ontario and 2 years ago I was on vacation there and me and a buddy were skiing that bowl. I was guiding him of a cliff drop, and he mad a jump turn and a nice slab broke lose, I got the fuck outta the way but it woulda been enough to drag me down the hill, luckily it dissapated tho when it hit the heavily skiied out sections.
Jan 6 2008 11:33PM
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
you hit the nail square on the head..        when i ski out west, not often:(     i dont know anything about avalanche safety..    plus isnt  my lift  ticket  paying for  the ski patrol?     so basicaly i am paying them for a service.

to the thread creator glad to hear you are safe.
Jan 6 2008 11:46PM
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joly.sp
Posts: 2305 - Karma: 585
I was gonna go to that bowl with a buddy on saturday but the visabliity was shit. Then I heard about this one my way home today. I believe that the Cliff Chair (chair that caters to that zone) opened on like friday or something.
They have been doing avvy testing there and it is not the skiers fault that that happened.
Jan 6 2008 11:48PM
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tele_tom
Posts: 135 - Karma: 10
it's good if people have the avy skills if they want to ski pow. but if the resort/ski patrol says they're gonna take care of the avalanches and it's safe, then you can't blame anyone for believing them.

but I agree with trickstaj14$, and there's no point arguing about who's fault avalanches are.
Jan 6 2008 11:55PM
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bigwhite.steeze
Posts: 8227 - Karma: 1,030
it sucks, i was sketched when i heard about it. theres usually avies there throughout the year but not on this scale. its a big bowl, theres no way they can test every part of it every day. the conditions change to rapidly there on the different walls. its in no way the skiers fault, it is of the mountain. i dont belive they can sue because theres probly something in the waver stating of such an occurance. and for everyone who doesnt know what the cliff looks like i'll post a pic.

  [/IMG]http://gallery.castanet.net/d/40813-1/Bruce+_amp_+Annie+McTavish+_3_.JPG[/IMG]

Click for larger image

[/IMG]http://gallery.castanet.net/d/40821-1/Bruce+_amp_+Annie+McTavish+_7_.JPG[/IMG]

Jan 7 2008 12:13AM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,086
Gnarly.

One more reason to wear a beacon on pow days inbounds.
Jan 7 2008 12:24AM
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fivefourtwo
Posts: 358 - Karma: 122
This is really sad, people go skiing at resorts like this expecting a safe and fun time without having to worry about avalanche danger. People should be taking notice with the deaths in whistler, Revelstoke and now possibly big white already this season, where in revelstoke i believe it was inbounds as well. Invest in a beacon, take some courses ... Ski patrol should have had that area closed without a doubt but it is better to take your safety into your own hands especially after the frequency in these incidents.
Jan 7 2008 1:46AM
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mattster
Posts: 4120 - Karma: 41
that's pretty scary stuff.
ive skied right where that happened countless times and never even thought i was in any danger.
im stupid...
Jan 7 2008 2:52AM
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stevenc
Posts: 162 - Karma: 41

Click for larger image

Heres a pic of the slab that i took the search and problines.  possibly the best to see how bit it really was.

Jan 7 2008 3:21AM
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