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Decreed_It

I'd rather be skiing
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Jan 9, 2019
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905
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Northern Beaches, Sydney, Australia
Prayers for the victims, their families, the rescuers, Patrol, volunteers and folks there to witness all that today.

Saw this story on Twitter feed from Outside and my heart sank. We're headed there tomorrow night. I wont mention this to the wife . . .

I believe there've been 2 in bounds avys in Jackson this year as well. I don't know, probably naive but I am shocked by in bounds avy, I think we are lulled into complacency and think only backcountry is deadly . . . :(
 

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
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Kachina is most definitely inbounds. Finding people without beacons in terrain like that is a damn miracle. Hope worse news doesn't surface.

Twitter shoes a probe line across a huge avy path. Yikes.

DxJDGWGUwAA1Xwo.jpg
That is an incredible shot.




I noticed that earlier. Very strange, I thought.

I also noticed that this article and TSV's twitter called it a "shoot" rather "chute." I know, it is trivial after something like this, but ugh.
Maybe they used Siri dictation to write it.

Sounds like one of the guys didn't make it.
This is incredibly sad
Condolences to the friends and family.
 

KingGrump

Most Interesting Man In The World
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I'll be curious to learn what method located the victims (beacon, Recco, probe line, dogs, etc.).

My brother-in-law told me one of the buried skier by probing. It was on the left side of his line.
TSV also have several patrol dogs. I see them come in for the treat in the locker room at the end of day.
Don't believe beacons are popular in TSV. May have to rethink that.
 

James

Out There
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Dec 2, 2015
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24,455
Interesting to hear that former governor and presidential candidate Gary Johnson was actually there and helped in the search. I went to high school with his kids (and frankly am not a fan of his for personal reasons) but didn't realize he was a big skier.
After NH primary he skied Tuck's

“I was kind of a ski bum ski instructor when I was younger,” he told me on our way to Mount Washington. “I’ve been trying to convince myself that there’s something better in life than skiing, but I can assure you, after years of looking, there isn’t.”

https://www.outsideonline.com/1895511/gary-johnson-smokes-new-hampshires-tuckerman-ravine
 

KingGrump

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Interesting to hear that former governor and presidential candidate Gary Johnson was actually there and helped in the search. I went to high school with his kids (and frankly am not a fan of his for personal reasons) but didn't realize he was a big skier.

If I am not mistaken, he has a place along the return trail.
 

SBrown

So much better than a pro
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Interesting to hear that former governor and presidential candidate Gary Johnson was actually there and helped in the search. I went to high school with his kids (and frankly am not a fan of his for personal reasons) but didn't realize he was a big skier.

You just forgot. He is the BIGGEST skier. And hikes like a maniac. Everyone who's been to Taos has been passed by him at least once. :) His ski quotes are my faves:

HARWOOD: Now, given your passion for athletics, I'm surprised you're running for president of the United States.
JOHNSON: If I'm not elected, I will probably ski somewhere in the vicinity of 120 days next season.

“I’ve been trying to convince myself that there’s something better in life than skiing, but I can assure you, after years of looking, there isn’t,” Gary Johnson told Outside in 2011.

(James and I jinxed.)
 

Pequenita

Making fresh tracks
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Interesting to hear that former governor and presidential candidate Gary Johnson was actually there and helped in the search. I went to high school with his kids (and frankly am not a fan of his for personal reasons) but didn't realize he was a big skier.

I thought I told you that when I ran into him and his entourage hiking up Tux in a storm during the presidential campaign (and I thought he was totally nuts for hiking that day)?

lol. we all jinxed. Sorry for dogpiling on you @coskigirl !
 

coskigirl

Skiing the powder
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I probably just blocked it all out due to my personal feelings which I won't go into here because they are political in nature and I pay money every month because of it.
 

newfydog

Making fresh tracks
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"according to the hospital employee who asked not to be named as he was not authorized to speak to the media."
Why can't people shut up if they're not authorized? That's one way misinformation gets spread though, in this case, it was apparently accurate. Hoping the other victim fairs better.

Yeah, but I've seen the other side, where a ski area muzzles everyone and downplays the event. I was in an inbounds avy where numerous people were caught, some severe injuries occurred, and management convinced many guests it was really nothing. I was even told on a forum by someone who claimed "he was there that day", and it was more like a boot-top slough. If your info is accurate, speak up!
 

tball

Unzipped
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What really hits me are the accounts from multiple reporters that Gary Johnson was in tears. In addition to the victims and their families, God bless the large number of people on the probe lines today, and especially TSV Ski Patrol.
 

Brock Tice

Out on the slopes
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Gary is an amazing athlete, I've had the pleasure of riding the lift with him and drafting/pulling with him in bike races. He's stronger and faster than me despite being almost twice my age.

Politics aside, he's a real doer more than a talker, I'm not surprised he was there and helping.
 

clong83

Stauffenberg!
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180
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New Mexico
Interesting to hear that former governor and presidential candidate Gary Johnson was actually there and helped in the search. I went to high school with his kids (and frankly am not a fan of his for personal reasons) but didn't realize he was a big skier.
He is indeed an avid skier, and a remarkably good one at that. When I heard about this avalanche, my first thought was actually about him. He is well known for being up there pretty much all the time and continually hiking laps up Kachina. He has been known to get in 5 or so hikes in to the top in one day, which is way more than I can claim for myself. Wasn’t at all surprised to hear he was on the scene in minutes.

Condolences to the families. I hope the other skier pulls through and recovers quickly.
 

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
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Yeah, but I've seen the other side, where a ski area muzzles everyone and downplays the event. I was in an inbounds avy where numerous people were caught, some severe injuries occurred, and management convinced many guests it was really nothing. I was even told on a forum by someone who claimed "he was there that day", and it was more like a boot-top slough. If your info is accurate, speak up!
Weren't you shushed about that back then?
 

raisingarizona

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Yeah, but I've seen the other side, where a ski area muzzles everyone and downplays the event. I was in an inbounds avy where numerous people were caught, some severe injuries occurred, and management convinced many guests it was really nothing. I was even told on a forum by someone who claimed "he was there that day", and it was more like a boot-top slough. If your info is accurate, speak up!

Yeah but this was a hospital employee and they are required by law to protect patient privacy, alive or dead.
 

newfydog

Making fresh tracks
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Nov 23, 2015
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Yeah but this was a hospital employee and they are required by law to protect patient privacy, alive or dead.

Yeah, but I break numerous laws, regularly. I would have kept my mouth shut about the avy if they had given the straight scoop. I agree though, a patient's right to privacy is not to be taken lightly, Neither is public awareness and info about inbounds avalanches. I followed my conscience.
 

Analisa

Making fresh tracks
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My brother-in-law told me one of the buried skier by probing. It was on the left side of his line.
TSV also have several patrol dogs. I see them come in for the treat in the locker room at the end of day.
Don't believe beacons are popular in TSV. May have to rethink that.

I get why beacons aren't super popular with inbounds riders. ~$300, batteries, recommendations to replace every 5-10 years or get polarization checked every 2-3 depending on the manufacturer. For resort riders who aren't out every weekend, I can see how it's a big expense for somewhat of a freak accident.

Recco, on the other hand, sells a single adhesive reflector for $28 direct-to-customer, and I assume that a wholesale business that isn't working with packaging or processing orders for single units would get costing less than half that. Looking at the seaming work in my pants and jacket, I don't think the stitching would add more than another dollar or two. I just don't see it adding that much to the cost of the garment/final price to the customer. Maybe I run a brand for an extremely customer-obsessed company, but I can't imagine reading this story as a product line manager for Columbia or Flylow or Norrona or Strafe and not being adamant that your customer should have it. Sure, it doesn't guarantee a skier will survive a slide, but it gives them a hell of a lot better odds compared to waiting for a probe strike.
 

newfydog

Making fresh tracks
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Recco, on the other hand, sells a single adhesive reflector for $28 direct-to-customer, .

If any one gets one DO NOT put it on a ski. Stick it in a pocket or on your helmet. We don't want any time wasted digging out something with no human attached to it.

Seems elementary, but I saw a post one time with someone asking if they Recco'ed their skis would the patrol help them find a ski lost in the powder. I replied they would probably just kill you.
 

Ken_R

Living the Dream
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Feb 10, 2016
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5,775
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Denver, CO
I get why beacons aren't super popular with inbounds riders. ~$300, batteries, recommendations to replace every 5-10 years or get polarization checked every 2-3 depending on the manufacturer. For resort riders who aren't out every weekend, I can see how it's a big expense for somewhat of a freak accident.

Recco, on the other hand, sells a single adhesive reflector for $28 direct-to-customer, and I assume that a wholesale business that isn't working with packaging or processing orders for single units would get costing less than half that. Looking at the seaming work in my pants and jacket, I don't think the stitching would add more than another dollar or two. I just don't see it adding that much to the cost of the garment/final price to the customer. Maybe I run a brand for an extremely customer-obsessed company, but I can't imagine reading this story as a product line manager for Columbia or Flylow or Norrona or Strafe and not being adamant that your customer should have it. Sure, it doesn't guarantee a skier will survive a slide, but it gives them a hell of a lot better odds compared to waiting for a probe strike.

Just checked and my Marmot Jacket and Outdoor Research Pants both have a Recco reflector in them.

I was in an inbounds avy once and it really surprised me. I triggered it at the top of a chute on a shallow part of the slab right over a large rock I couldnt see. Thankfully it was a very small storm slab since Patrol had been there hours before but still, it took me for a very fast ride.

If I had a smaller beacon I would use it inbounds but I have the old school BCA tracker2 which I love but it is not exactly small and compact.
 

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