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First avalanche death in utah

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Mstchief
Posts: 751 - Karma: 524
women died at snowbird today over on west baldy which is in bounds (scary) . She was under for 40 minutes before they pulled her body out. Be careful out there NS
Dec 14 2008 5:46PM
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fsscott
Posts: 4684 - Karma: 114
Damn that's some scary stuff, but be careful NS!

(Another reason why I'm a park rat!) haha
Dec 14 2008 5:47PM
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LOVEPOW
Posts: 646 - Karma: 15
woah man, I'm not sure where you got that info. But there was an inbounds slide today and one person has been found and airlifted to the U of U medical center. There still searching and probing the debris. There was also a slide in the bcc backcountry today where someone was caught, buried and injured... Vibes to everyone involved++++++++++++. Everyone pray....
Dec 14 2008 5:49PM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
In bounds?  Yikes, that's never good...
Dec 14 2008 5:58PM
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Eastcoastskier09
Posts: 197 - Karma: 8
rip
Dec 14 2008 6:00PM
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laurence^
Posts: 1575 - Karma: 19
RIP and + vibes
Dec 14 2008 6:02PM
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WILCOX
Posts: 1259 - Karma: 108
thats a big bummer RIP
Dec 14 2008 6:07PM
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Way*Mo
Posts: 623 - Karma: 1,917

That's kinda true. She didn't die though. She is at the U hospital right now in critical condition.

Dec 14 2008 6:09PM
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Mstchief
Posts: 751 - Karma: 524
Good news!!! despite being under for more then 40 minutes they manage to revive her at the U of U hospital. Sorry for the false alarm, i work up at alta and when we heard she was under for 40+ minutes we assumed the worst.
Dec 14 2008 6:10PM
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LoLo913
Posts: 600 - Karma: 29
oh shit... I'm going there in 3.5 weeks!
Dec 14 2008 6:43PM
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yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,217
sketchy mt baldys fucking inbounds i was there today
Dec 14 2008 6:58PM
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
damn. RIP.... in bounds, thats scary. ill be out there in 2 weeks.
Dec 14 2008 7:22PM
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cj
Posts: 4032 - Karma: 469
Did you not read the entire thread? Apparently she is in critical condition. Read first.

Hope she recovers quickly!
Dec 14 2008 7:24PM
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allornuthin
Posts: 5 - Karma: 10
Avy at Vail today, in bounds at Blue Sky.  Buried 1 around 11, but he dug his way out. 
Dec 14 2008 7:26PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
Hope she recovers fast and is able to ski again soon.

I'm taking a level 1 avvy class soon and I just got all my BC gear which I'm gonna use inbounds at Baker and other high risk places I go this year.
Dec 14 2008 7:27PM
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skiminnesota
Posts: 9093 - Karma: 429
my mistake. i missed the revived part.

either way, scary stuff.
Dec 14 2008 7:28PM
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1440ski
Posts: 2049 - Karma: 1,110
Here is a little info.

An avalanche occurred Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008 at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort on
High Baldy, hike-to terrain on the east side of the resort.
One person was recovered from the debris at 1:18 p.m. and was transported to University
Hospital via Air Med in critical condition.
A witness reported the avalanched at 12:24 p.m. using a cell phone. The terrain opened at
9:30 a.m.
Snowbird has received 9” of new snow in the last 24 hours, 13 inches in the last 48 hours
and 93 inches so far this season.
Ongoing searches of the debris field using dogs, avalanche beacons, probes, Recco (recco
transmitters inserted in ski boots, jackets).
Also assisting are crews from: SL County Search and Rescue, Alta, Solitude, The
Canyons.
Dec 14 2008 7:29PM
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Caveman.
Posts: 9067 - Karma: 330
That sounds impossible unless it was a tiny sluff
Dec 14 2008 7:39PM
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Scott~
Posts: 2551 - Karma: 49
It definitely does happen, even with big slides, but not often~
Dec 14 2008 7:44PM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,086
Wearing a beacon in bounds is a really good idea that looks better every year. But they have no place in the park.
Dec 14 2008 7:50PM
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JesseWest
Posts: 882 - Karma: 27
definitely was eery up there today with that huge probe line. i hope she pulls through
Dec 14 2008 7:50PM
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XxECskierxX
Posts: 66 - Karma: 10
Thats kinda scary. Hope the person who died liked to snowboard or did u say ski. Cuz if i died i would like to die doing something I love (skiing)
Dec 14 2008 8:23PM
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Rogge
Posts: 5772 - Karma: 3,867
These stories are heart wrenching. Be careful out there NS.
Dec 14 2008 8:25PM
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mokeefe257
Posts: 405 - Karma: 10
thats pretty scary and sad
Dec 14 2008 8:26PM
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Alex_G
Posts: 11902 - Karma: 1,018
this is gonna be my first meaningful and mature post in a long time.

and to think that i was at alta yesterday...wow this is scary and positive vibes for sure. its scary knowing that you could be skiing the best 2 feet of snow ever one second, and then being overtaken and engulfed by it the next. it's just fucked up.
Dec 14 2008 8:32PM
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C-Burg
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 130
yeah we were about to go back there today and ski patrol had just closed it. redic
Dec 14 2008 8:40PM
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JustSkiBumps
Posts: 20 - Karma: 10
That really scares me. I was skiing High Baldy earlier that day and was on the cirque traverse when it happened, just as easily could have been me that got caught up. Just proves to show that even in bound skiing is dangerous. You got to respect the mountain and the recognize the consequences that could easily change your life forever.
Dec 14 2008 8:41PM
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yourthemannowdog
Posts: 4541 - Karma: 313
Damn it wasn't in the backcountry

i'm glad it wasnt me
Dec 14 2008 8:53PM
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yourthemannowdog
Posts: 4541 - Karma: 313
wow that last line sounded selfish. I mean like glad i use the proper ecuipment the one time i have skied avalanche prone areas in the east coast.

AND GOD DAMN IT WHY DOES IT LINK TO BACKCOUNTRY.COM
Dec 14 2008 8:55PM
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yourthemannowdog
Posts: 4541 - Karma: 313
wow that last line sounded selfish. I mean like glad i use the proper ecuipment the one time i have skied avalanche prone areas in the east coast.

AND GOD DAMN IT WHY DOES IT LINK TO BACKCOUNTRY.COM
Dec 14 2008 8:55PM
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Larz-the-Ninja
Posts: 2976 - Karma: 14
damn thats scary.  avalanche inbounds, very unlucky
Dec 14 2008 8:56PM
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SkierJulie
Posts: 2495 - Karma: 101
The woman, named Heather, in the Snowbird slide DID die. So sad. RIP and vibes to family and friends.
Dec 14 2008 9:07PM
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hellomynameisjef
Posts: 5794 - Karma: 167
no it says "body" implying "dead"
Dec 14 2008 9:11PM
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Bo_bot9
Posts: 1437 - Karma: 275
So sad to hear. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. R.I.P.

Be careful out there everyone, we all want to ski tomorrow another day... check out Recco's free dvd in latest issue of Freeskier it'll help you equip your quiver with some good safety tools that could save your life.


Dec 14 2008 9:32PM
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spudz
Posts: 2564 - Karma: 5
Rest in peace..

ill be there in 3 weeks approximately
Dec 14 2008 9:57PM
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VTtreeskier
Posts: 1833 - Karma: 64
Yeah that was sketch, i was soooo excited to ski blue sky today but the closed it after that
Dec 14 2008 10:00PM
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Billiards.
Posts: 6853 - Karma: 816
Rest in peace my friend. Lets stay safe NS.
Dec 14 2008 10:06PM
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OneLove_skier
Posts: 1175 - Karma: 135
Avalanche today in vail inbounds
luckily no1 hurt
Dec 14 2008 10:18PM
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LOVEPOW
Posts: 646 - Karma: 15
RIP vibes to everyone involved. It could have happened to anyone...
Dec 14 2008 10:24PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
In light of this...

I know it sounds strange, but if you have a beacon, wear it in bounds on pow days. Get your friends to do the same. At the very least, they can locate you before people show up with shovels.

It might sound unnecessary... but stuff like this happens every year. Using up battery power and wearing a beacon (which I always forget I have on once i start skiing anyways) is a small price to pay.



RIP Heather
Dec 14 2008 10:32PM
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DrStrangelove
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3
i broke off a pretty good sized slab in vail last year but managed to stay above it...i have a new respect for that shit though, im gonna try to get all my BC gear this year and get some serious training
Dec 14 2008 10:32PM
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HeathR
Posts: 4357 - Karma: 1,379
thats so sad. This thread playes with ur emotions. First it said she didnt make it. Then she might and then she didnt.    RIP    I took my level 1 last year and want to take my level 2. Mostlywhat learned was to be scared as fuck, you can never be sure, and how to use the gear. I am definatly not confident enough to asses avalance risk myself. I cant belive it was inbounds. Its pretty rare. Shows how good ski patrol usually is. Its so hard cuz if ur too conservative people get upset but then shit like this can happen. Its sad but unavoidable if we wanna ski in the mountains. !-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -->
Dec 14 2008 10:42PM
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SkierJulie
Posts: 2495 - Karma: 101
To add a little to this... temperature changes and wind changes throughout the day change the way the snow behaves. So, if they bomb the shit out of something in the morning, the snow will be different hours later. The same goes for slope aspect, although I would assume they're blasting on multiple faces and pitches. You lose nothing by wearing your beacon.
Dec 14 2008 10:44PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
exactly.

There was a climax slide at mammoth last season or the season before that was 3-6 feet deep and several hundred feet across, inbounds, after it had been bombed to hell and it had been skied on for 2 hours.

you never know what is going to happen
Dec 14 2008 10:56PM
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IceCreamer
Posts: 1587 - Karma: 27
r.i.p.
Dec 14 2008 11:03PM
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Caveman.
Posts: 9067 - Karma: 330
Word. If you have the thing you might as well wear it. My beacon is comfortable enough I usually forget Im wearing it. Just because its the ski area's responsibility to keep open inbounds area's safe doesnt mean they can reverse you or your buddies death or serious injury if you do get buried inbounds.
Dec 14 2008 11:43PM
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eheath
Posts: 61098 - Karma: 118,241
Might be using my beacon in bounds...
Dec 14 2008 11:48PM
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Static
Posts: 8491 - Karma: 4,058
No place in the park? What if this bad boy collapses!?!?!
Click for larger image
Dec 15 2008 3:03AM
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marc_sncl
Posts: 612 - Karma: 16
does anybody know where i can get a decent bacon for a good price? some sales going on right now maybe?
Dec 15 2008 4:03AM
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SFBv420.0
Posts: 2539 - Karma: 3,124

 RIP heather I didn't know you but we shared mutual friends this is an old photo of a tribute to a friend and fellow snow slider who passed in different circumstances but is fitting. May you find endless powfields and faceshots in the afterlife. Vibes and condlolances to your friends and family and props of all those who helped in the recovery. A sad day in the wasatch

Click for larger image

Dec 15 2008 7:55AM
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Twig
Posts: 6335 - Karma: 57,058
Its a terrible thing to happen. R.I.P

To answer your question, I have. In Saas Fee, Switzerland. I think it was in 2000. I was 12 or 13. Killed 2, buried about 15 I think. I was buried but only by about a foot. When I punched upwards there was daylight and air. I was incredibly lucky. Oh and that was inbounds too.
Dec 15 2008 9:18AM
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