"What a Fuc*ing idiot"

How many times have I said that regarding a news report of someone falling above a waterfall; someone getting caught in as storm that had been predicted for days; or someone getting avalanched after going into some steep gully during a period of high avalanche danger?

More than half way through a life filled with skiing, climbing, rafting...I've said that many times. Yesterday I was the idiot - but it won't be in the news - because of my usual dumb luck.

After a beautiful Saturday in Paradise, I pretty much knew that Sunday would suck. The soft snow over the hard crust would re-freeze and the days previous tracks would also become a hazard. The forecast called for clouds so I considered buying some wands but dismissed the idea because I knew the area soooooo good. When we got to the parking lot there were very thick clouds just a few hundred feet up. My wife (who is not a backcountry skier or mountaineer) and I headed up the wide snow shoe track towards Edith Cavell Basin. We soon crossed the buried creek at the big dip and headed up into a quickly worsening whiteout. My idea was to skin up the track to the first knoll and ski down and right thru the small trees and then back up the road. The crust in the trees was as hard as water ice, and the whiteout was about a 9 on a scale of 1-10 so my wife (being smarter that me) soon demanded we go back. I said something about how she "never listened to me" and took my skins off. She wanted to stay on the track but it was so hard and full of ruts I opted for the smoother crust just south of the track and had her follow closely. Controlled side slipping with an occasional snowplow turn soon brought us back near the big dip and the buried creek crossing. I could see tracks to my right so I kept my eye on them so I wouldn't lose the trail. Visibility was just a few feet. When Kathy joined me I looked around and realized we were standing on sloping, frozen crust about 5 feet from the top of Myrtle Falls. It was an ugly, steep, icy drop that would have certainly been our last. There was a second set of tracks running right along the treeline that day probably by people wanting the better visibility of the trees. The main track (and the buried bridge) was just a few feet upstream but out of sight in the whiteout. In those conditions that day, it was a very bad idea to be so close to the trees (and the drop).

Sooooo......
I didn't get wands.
I skied into a whiteout with a novice backcountry skier (and wanted to continue).
I didn't stay on the trail despite almost zero visibility.
I didn't mention to my partner the obvious danger of the falls being close by.
I didn't remember that years ago I had skied that same bowl back to the Inn and there was a large creek and canyon waterfall right there.
I guess I didn't have a safety meeting either

What an idiot....

Heads up everybody - keep alert

Sounds like your wife came down on you pretty hard... ;D

In all seriousness, thanks for sharing. The Paradise environs can definitely get big time quick.

It didn't really bother her much. I haven't really told her that I've been kicking myself over it ever since. I've been on top and in plenty of places in between, but coming that close to slipping off something (or losing Kathy) in a whiteout (less than half mile from the parking lot) was a really stupid feeling. Shit CAN happen anywhere and I'm usually better about it.

We're all idiots waiting to happen.

A public confession is one thing but a private one to the wife is out of the question. Better lucky than good!

A couple weeks back in a good solid whiteout I was trying to find a line I had skied too many years back. I came slowly up over a wind lip and 10' out in front of me things drop off in a huge way (topo shows 600' of cliff/extremely cliffy terrain). My buddy came by a little too fast (not hearing me chanting No, No, No!) and got an even closer look. Gotta dial it back in the whiteouts I guess.

Ouch! 600 feet would have hurt...I think the problem is I really like skiing. After many years of skiing both good and bad snow - I've become quite skilled at it. For the terrain I normally ski there is little to deter me. "I don't need visibility". "I can side slip anything." "It's not that steep." Optimistic thoughts like that get me in trouble all the time. When I'm dragging others around it can get worse. I guess it kinda figures that the guys and gals who think it's fun to do dangerous stuff - might not have the best judgement.

We're all idiots waiting to happen. 

That's a good one Sky.

Thanks for sharing you story, brings up good-bad memories.
Yup just a matter of time and something is going to happen that either we induced or natures timing.
They call it exposure and if you are privileged enough to get a lot of time on the slopes the numbers game is going to catch you no matter how careful one is at managing everything.
Sometimes we make poor judgments out of the gate and other times what was a perfect day turns into an emergency.
The subject heading could be changed to "Sh*t Happens!"
Kick yourself all you want if it works for you or just trust your gut that you can mange your enjoyment given all the experiences you have gained in the past. Cause either way "Sh*t Happens in the BC!"

It also happens inbounds at resorts. I was down in Tahoe over Christmas for the big dumps there, waist and thigh deep pow and was skiing at Homewood for the firsts time. Came to a section on the cat track that was closed so headed down through the trees where it was open and came to a place with an experts only sign and went that way where it steeped out and the trees opened up nicely, passed two snowboarders and took a right down a pristine virgin trail only to end up 1200 vertical feet later at a lake with no access back to the resort. Not knowing the area my only alternative was to hike back up my ski trail to the place I saw the snow boarders. It took me 9 hours of side stepping up the mountain to get back well after dark. To me it was do that or freeze and I wasn't about to head off in an unknown direction and hope.
I knew I could make it back up no matter how long it took.
I should have been way smarter about where I was heading, but my experience gave me the means to do the right thing after screwing up.
The blisters on my toes and insteps took a month to heal, a small price to pay, all in all for being stupid.

Yea I guess it is a numbers game. Sooner or later...As far as getting lost...If you were at Homewood and got to a lake that wasn't Tahoe you did the right thing. 35 years ago my brother went the wrong way in a blizzard at Sugar Bowl and ended up creating an AP story - and nearly freezing to death. The nights before and after would have been deadly. I was at Whistler cutting over to ski Flute prior to the new Symphony lift. I'd been doing this for years and a little whiteout didn't bother me till the weather cleared for a minute and I was heading down towards Cheakamus Lake! Luckily I didn't spend 9 hours getting out - but I would have. The ability and fitness to be able to reverse yourself is a key to staying alive in many outdoor disciplines! Ask a free soloist!

We're all idiots waiting to happen. 

That is the single best affirmation for being okay about doing dumb sh*t I think I have ever read. That mantra will now be repeated (out-loud if necessary) any time some dip-sh*t move I have done in the past comes flooding into my consciousness. We all have our moments. I am just relieved your moment didn't have the results you feared.

Here is one instance that happened at Crystal Mountain in 1990 that still haunts me to this day. I was looking for the slot entrance at the top Horseshoe Cliffs. I was alone, it was snowing and blowing and any tracks leading to the entrance where gone. I had been there plenty but visibility was poor and I was disoriented poking around the cliff band looking for the entrance. The white edge of the corniced cliff edge blended into the storm and before I knew it I was on the down sloping edge of a cornice trying to stop my self with my poles. When I came to a stop my tips were hanging over the drop and I was looking at the tops of trees below me. I sat there stunned knowing that if just one of my poles gave way I was going become a pachinko ball filtered through trees below. I managed somehow to reverse my way off that lip without slipping or the cornice falling. To this day that moment will randomly enter my mind and my stomach drops. I am not trying to one up anyone here but it is odd to me how my own mistakes can be so vividly recalled sitting on the couch but not as vivid in the field when the ego is involved. Familiarity with a zone and the false confidence it leads to in poor conditions has lead me and others leading me into the some hairballs. Age and experiance has changed that for the better but "We're all idiots waiting to happen"

That is the single best affirmation for being okay about doing dumb sh*t I think I have ever read.  That mantra will now be repeated (out-loud if necessary) any time some dip-sh*t move I have done in the past comes flooding into my consciousness.  We all have our moments.  I am just relieved your moment didn't have the results you feared. 

Here is one instance that happened at Crystal Mountain in 1990 that still haunts me to this day.  I was looking for the slot entrance at the top Horseshoe Cliffs.  I was alone, it was snowing and blowing and any tracks leading to the entrance where gone.  I had been there plenty but visibility was poor and I was disoriented poking around the cliff band looking for the entrance.  The white edge of the corniced cliff edge blended into the storm and before I knew it I was on the down sloping edge of a cornice trying to stop my self with my poles.  When I came to a stop my tips were hanging over the drop and I was looking at the tops of trees below me.  I sat there stunned knowing that if just one of my poles gave way I was going become a pachinko ball filtered through trees below.  I managed somehow to reverse my way off that lip without slipping or the cornice falling.   To this day that moment will randomly enter my mind and my stomach drops.  I am not trying to one up anyone here but it is odd to me how my own mistakes can be so vividly recalled sitting on the couch but not as vivid in the field when the ego is involved.  Familiarity with a zone and the false confidence it leads to in poor conditions has lead me and others leading me into the some hairballs.  Age and experiance has changed that for the better but "We're all idiots waiting to happen"

No oneupmanship going on here. All just embarrassing stories that could cause someone to stop and think - always a good idea.

Yep. Did the get lost in a whiteout at Paradise in 1987. Spring. About 14-16 inches new and easily slabbing per our pit. But still headed up. Decided to turn around when we walked in to one of the usual snowbanks. And then promptly ended up in the Edith Creek Falls area with slabs breaking all around us.

Yep. Did the ski down to the lake because it sure looked good and no tracks only to sidestep out for 2 hours (not 9).

Yep. Did the get lost in a whiteout at Paradise in 1987. Spring. About 14-16 inches new and easily slabbing per our pit. But still headed up. Decided to turn around when we walked in to one of the usual snowbanks. And then promptly ended up in the Edith Creek Falls area with slabs breaking all around us.

Yep. Did the ski down to the lake because it sure looked good and no tracks only to sidestep out for 2 hours (not 9).

You gotta know that gully has claimed it's share. Gully's suck everything in. I had an old Patroller friend tell me years ago that they find most all the victims in the gully's. The fall line is the steepest place and where more of the bad drops are. Stay high if you get lost.

"Near Miss" works for me. If I could be so bold, it might be worthwhile to share your experience tho with your travel companion so she can learn from the experience. If she is as cool as she sounds from your description, it might help solidify your travel judgement while together and help keep both of you looking at risk management - two heads are better than one.

You're absolutely right - told her!