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Topic: From TGR: Mt Baker avy # 2 (Read 973 times)
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Jeff Huber
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Posts: 764
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I know a lot of us also read TGR, but for those that don't, I believe this story is worth a cross-post and a copy-and-paste:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38862
My buddy Brad and I were about to ski this one run a little ob of chair #6 i think it was when we see this one guy screaming and yelling frantically. Brad goes down to check it out and yells back at me that we have a burial. The guy was digging around frantically with his snowboard which gave us the indication that neither of them had transceivers. fortunatley they did, however either this guy was in a daze or he didnt know how to use his equipment. brad took charge as group leader and after wading in 8 foot snow we were able to locate him with a probe after about 10 minutes. he was 8 feet buried according to the probe. as we dug at about 6 feeet we sawa a hand and as soon as that was uncovered it the hand started frantically waving. thank god for we knew the guy was alive. however we tried yelling at him with no avail to stop as to conserve his engery. we got his face uncovered at about 15minutes and he was alirght. crazy sequence. brad and i have done a lot of training but never been involved in an avi. the guy at first was so stoked to be out, then started crying for about 5 minutes then got stoked again and hugged us both real hard and then started crying again for another 5 minutes. he said while he was under he was making amends, wanted to tell his parents that he loved them and he said that when my probe hit his teeth it was the happiest moment of his life.
needless to say after all that we were in an avi runout and it was another 25 minutes of hell of getting out of there safely.
brad and i are happy that we are 1-0 for pulling out victims alive but never in hell want to go through it again.
after we were shook up and just went and relfected in the lodge for about an hour before deciding to make some turns again.
even though we pulled the guy out alive we made a lot of stupid mistakes most likey because it was so early in the season. we learned a lot about the power of the mountains and are truley humbled. we are going to practice a hell of a lot more before we go out again.
-phil
Edit to add: This incident happened Tuesday November 8th.
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« Last Edit: 11/09/05, 04:22 PM by Gaper_Jeffey »
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113 Months (Last Updated: March 2013)
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ron j
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Posts: 2459
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There's certainly a lot to be said here about the wisdom of good, recurring, avy training, and lots of recovery practice. I'm sure glad it was a successful recovery.
Thanks for the cross post, Jeff.
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"When I stop having fun I'm turnin' around"
“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.” - Niels Bohr
"If a given person makes it a priority not to die in an avalanche, he or she stands a very good chance of living a long, happy life in the mountains." - Jill Fredston
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Larry_Trotter
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Posts: 582
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Correction Edit: I had thought that this report was regarding Baker Avy #2, the subject of this thread. I now stand corrected - the below avy report would be Baker Avy #1. Anyway, with all the heavy snowfall, that Baker got, it looks like it is just made for avalanche conditions. - Rux
From: http://www.avalanche.org/av-reports/proc-show.php3?OID=8950169
Date: 11-05-2005
Submitted By: NWAC
Place: Table Mountain near Mt Baker
State: WA Country: USA
Fatalities: 0 Activity: SNOWBOARD
Summary: 1 Snowboarder caught and totally buried. Found with beacon
Avalanche Incident on Table Mountain near Mt Baker
~0930 AM, Saturday, November 05, 2005
Location of incident: Table Mountain near Mt Baker, WA
Number in party: 3; 1 caught and totally buried. Found by beacon within ~10 minutes
Type of activity: snowboard
Elevation: 4800 ft
Aspect: North
Slope angle: 40 degrees
Preliminary Avalanche classifications: SS-AR-R3-D2
Other avalanche information: 12-18 inch soft slab, approximately 40 yards across. Slide descended about 75-100 yards downslope before reaching shallow runout.
Preliminary Incident Narrative:
A group of three snowboarders were riding in steep avalanche terrain in the Table Mountain area near Mt Baker ski area when they triggered a 12-18 inch soft slab. The slide caught and totally buried one of the boarders. Two skiers who had witnessed the event found the victim by beacon within about 10 minutes. The victim was buried about 4 feet deep and was still breathing when initially uncovered, however he was unconscious and beginning to turn blue. Apparently the victim recovered consciousness by himself within about 4 minutes of rescue with only minor bruises initially reported.
The party had apparently done some stability tests, and had triggered a smaller slab enroute to the slope that subsequently caught the snowboarder. They had left a larger slope that they felt uncomfortable about when the incident occurred on the smaller slope. At the time of the incident, the Mt Baker Ski Area had not yet opened for the season, with opening day planned for Tuesday, November 8th.
Reported compiled from information provided by Mt Baker Ski Area by Mark Moore, NWAC
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This is from the Mountain Weather Forecast statement on Nov 5:
.....As an indication of this generally increased danger, one avalanche incident has already
occurred Saturday morning near Mt Baker on Table Mountain.
Preliminary reports indicate that a group of back country riders
released about a 12 to 18 inch soft slab on a 40 degree north
exposure around the 4800 ft level. Although the party had
apparently assessed the danger through stability tests, had
already triggered another small slide, and were in the process of
leaving the larger slope for a smaller one, they triggered a
second slab that caught and totally buried one of the riders.
Fortunately the victim was found within about 10 minutes through
a beacon search by companions and initial reports indicate no
serious injuries resulted. As a result of the expected weather
and related increased danger, back country travelers are urged to
use increasing caution in steeper avalanche terrain on Saturday,
apply safe travel techniques, assess route selections wisely and
perform stability tests often.....
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« Last Edit: 11/09/05, 04:45 PM by Ruxpercnd »
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Scole
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Posts: 164
WWW
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Jesus. Those rescuers are flat out STUDS. Props to them.
I think it's time to play "hide the beacon"..
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Jeff Huber
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Posts: 764
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Avalanche Incident on Table Mountain near Mt Baker
~0930 AM, Saturday, November 05, 2005
You understand my post is about a different incident, right?
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« Last Edit: 11/09/05, 02:21 PM by Gaper_Jeffey »
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113 Months (Last Updated: March 2013)
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Larry_Trotter
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Posts: 582
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I am not that familiar with Mt. Baker... Perhaps the avy report is incident #3?
When did Avy #2 happen?
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Jeff Huber
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Posts: 764
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The burial you posted information about happened Saturday November 5th. That's what is being suggested as Mt Baker "avy #1". The incident I posted information about, another full burial but a different incident, occurred Tuesday November 8th (yesterday). Hence why they called it Baker's "avy #2".
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113 Months (Last Updated: March 2013)
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