An incredible article that I am going to use as an educational tool in my Avalanche Education Courses here in British Columbia. As always, RU-vid comments show just how sad a world it is with people commenting and criticizing others as if they know better. No one deserves to die and the families were left to deal with the aftermath. Leaving comments blaming the victims is a sad way to live a life and does little contribute to the educational value of such a video. I wish people would think before they left trolling like comments on videos that deal with tragedy, maybe ask yourself "is this comment meant to make the world a better place?" Otherwise, you are probably doing the opposite.
Scott Gibson clearly none. These people act like you could survive any disaster if you knew whatever arbitrary thing they think they would have done better. I definitely question how many of these insensitive jerks even ski at all. They seem to not understand the weight of an avalanche and what that can do to you
A great interactive article to which this is just a short video. The first time i skied the backside of Stevens I was with a group of 8 including 4 ski patrollers. One of the best runs of my life. Condolences to all that were lost.
I just read the full article. Incredible journalism, sad story. Thanks for the work that went into this. Anyone considering backcountry skiing should read the full article.
Backcountry boarding on fresh snow is like strolling through heaven. Danger and all it’s one of the greatest joys in life. This is sad, but rarely happens. I don’t wanna say if mistakes was made or not, I wasn’t there. Rip to all who lost their life.
After 16 years in the ski industry, I've actually come to a place in my life where I don't blame ignorant people like tillallareoneluv for their interesting comments. This person can't help that they have no idea what they're talking about. "locator beacons"... really...?
bdb3011 That’s what they’re called in Alaska. State troopers recommend you stop by their office and sign one out any time you’re planning on taking a trip like this, boat, plane what have you. PLBs, EPRBS.
Lack of knowledge, I ran into a snowshoer last season at Stevens Pass,WA going backcountry (skyline) with 6 other women,her Transceiver was in her backpack turned off.No Avalanche coarse,none of them,no training of anykind and she had asked me if there are any signs (imfomation) in the backcountry, I told her,"No, your on your own"! There's no nothing! She said if they need any help they can get it from Stevens Pass Ski Patrol and I said true but they also can charge you ,$1,000.00 and that's for starters,they just walked away. The season was January 2021.
From the NYT article they all did beacon checks at the top and all of them beeped on except one lift worker, so he must have had it switched on in his backpack which is better than it could be. That's still not such a good idea if your backpack gets ripped off.
That's one thing I'll NEVER understand in life, carring your AVALANCHE Transceiver in your backpack and it turned off. Just having it in your backpack is bad 👎 enough. You wear it under your 1st layer, in the harness, period.
Please don't get me wrong: I feel much compassion for them and their families and friends. Yet, the quote: "We weren't looking for the extreme thrill. We weren't looking to defy the odds." They saw the signs, went past the warnings, knew the extreme danger and wen't anyway. Extreme sports takes a certain psychological mind.
I was at Stevens 5 days after the avalanche and it was weird without Chris on the mountain!!!! RIP to all that died that day!!!! I'm going to Stevens & Mt. Baker this weekend!!!!
Unfortunately, several of these people are not skiing professionals as claimed, avalanche beacons are to be worn on your person, (this is not negotiable and are to be tested). Now days avalanche packs are an absolute must for back country or out of bounds travel. And one person in the group was saved by her pack! A quick snow pit would most likely have averted this disaster which again is standard before going onto an unknown slope out of bounds with deep fresh snow. Sad lessons to learn! My condolences and prayers go out to the wives and children of the survivors.
@@bennettwilliams6628 the avalanche was 7 years ago. Regardless, the people who passed away would not have survived. Their bodies were contorted and Jim died within seconds
@@KyleMoran626 we can’t say they would have survived but we can also not say they would have died. If they floated higher in the avalanche they could have possibly avoided being crushed. Terrain traps are still always there though.
The crew that went right tempted fate, and fate won. Anyone familiar with mountains knows that steep, long couloirs are swept tree-free by avalanches, rockfall and rushing flood water.
Sorry but the time me and my friend went to TUNNEL CREEK (98-99) my friend had snowboarded there 6-10 times,so I remember vic going to the right.Vic had checked the avy forcast and we made 2 snow pits and everything checked out a.o.k.- but we went to the right and never saw any creek but would go one at a time.Made it to the bottom,snow was close to 3 feet deep,had avy equipment everything.We did a total of 3 tunnel creeks that season.And to this day, I still remember the route and going to the right,if I did it right now, I would go to the right.
@2.44 '' ...we knew it was higher avalanche danger but we decided it was OK...''. Keep on knocking on deaths door and eventually it will open. I sympathise with those families who have lost loved ones but we're all accountable for our actions and the decisions we make. Ski back country in ''high avalanche'' periods then the odds are stacked firmly against you.
Please don't get me wrong: I feel much compassion for them and their families and friends. Yet, the quote: "We weren't looking for the extreme thrill. We weren't looking to defy the odds." They saw the signs, went past the warnings, knew the extreme danger and wen't anyway. Extreme sports takes a certain psychological mind.
Nope, the resort should not be responsible as long as the information they supplied was accurate (e.g. dangers, etc of venturing into the backcountry).
well this is the risk u take for ur passion, NAture is beutiful and i needs to be respected more, if u care about ur life, so no cry for this people, no RIP, is theyr choise to live or die. and they choose to die.
It was a foolish behavior that killed them and not a conscious choice. They obviously didn't think it was as dangerous as it was. Otherwise they wouldn't have done as they did.
What a horrible thing to say. No good person deserves to die. We all do something foolish grom time to time. I wonder how ud react if one of ur loved ones passed and someone said, "dont mourn them". Ur the problem with the world.
Ronnie Liss Eh you’re putting words in his mouth. He didn’t say anything about deserving to die- that’s your emotions, not his words. He simply stated they knew the danger and went any way. So yes in a way they chose to die.
Ronnie Liss PS. You are the problem with the world. You lead with your feelings instead of the facts infront of you. Like his words; you twisted them into what YOU wanted to see and not what was said.
Could an air bag have made it survivable? Kept him on the surface above the main violence? The female pro skier was found near him so presumably went through a similar experience but had deployed her avie bag and survived.
You walk past and hear the beep, you ARE in extreme skiing. I gave up motorcycles when I got married and had kids. One side says don't judge. The other side says it's your family. And don't give me this bull...that they died doing what they loved.
Weather you ski or snowboard,snowshoe,snowmobile or whatever, Backcountry is Backcountry is Backcountry,It's all the same philosophy,the same SAFETY EQUIPMENT the same snow pits, it's no different, there's a right way and wrong way.
No, just because a person or a group of people goes backcountry doesn't mean there's going to be a avalanche, that's why people that go backcountry ALWAYS WEAR a backpack with a avalanche probe, shovel, snow saw, snow study kit AND WEAR A AVALANCHE TRANSCEIVER AND EXTRA BATTERIES AND KNOW HOW TO USE YOUR EQUIPMENT.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. They knew the risk of going that dangerous route and paid for it. Is it really worth going down a dangerous mountain if you can easily die there? Idiots don't value their lives very much.
gotta agree tbh, middle of nowhere back country. they knew the risks. this is like going to helmand afghanistan and being surprised that you end up shot.
