"A Dozen More Turns"

In case you haven't seen it yet, there's links to a 3 part video called "A Dozen More Turns"   on Telemark Tips.
I'm of the opinion it's a "must watch" for any backcountry skier.

Check it out and see if you agree.

Thanks Ron,   I watched all three segments.   I like the part about about next time giving any member of the team a veto.  It is hard to step on someone else's exuberance. 

I like the part about about next time giving any member of the team a veto.

Good example on our recent trip

The dynamics of go or no go can get blown out of the water by many things.
It is difficult to keep them all in check.
Familiarity, ego, awesome conditions etc..

Thanks fo the link Ron.
Joe

Thanks for the link Ron. 

Wow, another scary and tragic story in which so many elements are very real and typical.  I think any of us who have been skiing the backcountry for a few years or more can relate to how easy it is to be pulled "a dozen more turns" into an unsafe situation, especially when things are going well and the "spooky factor" is fading.

I am convinced that the group dynamic is the single most dangerous element in this sport.

A rule of thumb I try to use and hope to stick with is: am I willing to put my skiing partners' lives at risk to ski this line, mine?

The key is to ski with people who are thinking the same thing.

A couple personal avy experiences in trees.
Once skiing in Brighton Utah BC. the avy danger was moderate. We were skiing in the trees just like these guys.
I skied trough some tight trees that occasionally opened up to small glades. Very nice 10" deep snow. One of the glades had a 35 degree rollover before it flattend out. Just as I hit the rollover the whole slope broke in deep slabs. Luckily I was at the top of the slide and was able to grab a tree and hold on while being pulled down and pelted by snow from above. Same thing happened to me at Whistler inbounds in trees.
Lessons learned-Never assume that skiing in trees is the safe.
Besides my experiences this video is valuable case study.
Joe

Lessons learned-Never assume that skiing in trees is the safe.
Besides my experiences this video is valuable case study.
Joe

Great points, Joe.

The message for me with the video is how easy it it for the group dynamics to lead you into an imperceptible slip-up... one with HUGE consequences. 

The guys in the viddy were smart and well trained, highly competent.... a chilling realization.  And they were doing what they needed to be doing -- skiing low angle slopes; looked to me like 20-25 degrees in most cases.  You could tell that some of the slope angles were so shallow that they had trouble maintaining speed at times. 

They stayed on the low angle slopes right up to the time that the best trained of them decided to get that dozen extra turns on the steeper slope.   Why?  Who knows.  I'd guess the fact that NOTHING had moved on them in two days of frolicking must have had some bearing on that decision.

I believe the Producer Amber Seyler likely saved some lives by her efforts in creating this video.

The thought also comes to mind (as I also thing through some of Tremper's recommendations) that had they had a female ski partner along coupled with their "one person veto" rule the outcome may have been different.  From what I could see there was a whole lot of testosterone in the air on that trip (not that it is necessarily a bad thing ).

The one person veto rule is a good one and one that I've subscribed to for years.  I was glad to see Sam recommend it.

Definitely a vivid reminder. Obviously we know the power of snow given it can demolish buildings; however, I think it's also important as it serves to highlight the potential injuries which can be sustained by survivors (i.e. like Sam, from the point it occurs, potentially having to survive through a night or more in the wilderness and the potentialy "loooong" road to recovery). In other words, how many people think about the potential of being all broken up and surviving versus dead? This, of course is in addition to, any emotional scars/damage left by the loss of friends/family members.