MONTANA COOKE CITY AVY DEATH

Impatientforsnow · Nov 26, 2014

http://billingsgazette.com/snowmobi...ial&utm_campaign=curated&utm_content=BGKarenS

Not sure of the circumstances but Extreme avy danger right now !!
Please People if you haven't had any Avy training and Don't know what to look for
STAY OFF THE HILLS!!!:face-icon-small-sad

RIP Sled Brother...:face-icon-small-sad

MT boondocker · Nov 26, 2014

It's way to early in the season to start hearing about these!!!!!!!!!!!
One is way to many for the whole season.

Pro-8250 · Nov 26, 2014

MT boondocker said:
It's way to early in the season to start hearing about these!!!!!!!!!!!
One is way to many for the whole season.

Amen brother.

RIP.

TURBOXP09 · Nov 26, 2014

Seriously!!! Come on guys this is ridiculous and an absolute shame. If you don't know what you are doing or know the conditions stay the hell away from Cooke or any hills for that matter. You guys that are in Cooke for the weekend keep a smart head and stay off the hills and read the damn warnings before going out!!!

FirstPlaceParts · Nov 27, 2014

I heard about this just after it happened. My 16 year old son and his friend were the ones to dig him out. My son said the guy had an avy pack on but it was not deployed, he thought that it caught him as he was coming down the hill and maybe didn't even know that he had triggered the avalanche. His helmet was also not on when they uncovered him, buckled or un-bulckled it just goes to show the power behind an avalanche.

Really sorry for his family, I know I was shook up when my son called and had to tell me that he dug someone out of an avalanche and the guy did not survive.

FirstPlaceParts · Nov 27, 2014

Can I say one more thing. It's hard for me to make these post because I sell the stuff and people may think I trying to market but in this case I am not.

Buy Avalanche Gear, I don't care if you get it from SnowBigDeal or BlownMotor just buy it. A sled is almost $14,000 now days, avy gear could save your life.

Another thing people forget about is, everyone in your group needs to have all the avy gear also. It does no good for you to have all the avy gear if you are buried and none of your buddies have the gear, they cannot find you or dig you out.

Avy Bag
Beacon
Shovel
Probe
Spot Beacon

Then Take an Avalanche Class or Two.

bobback · Nov 27, 2014

Avy gear isn't going to (necessarily) save a life. And I almost wonder if having an avy bag gives some guys a false sense of security.

The avy danger was OFF THE CHARTS yesterday, and as sad as it is; no one should have been on that hill or really any hill yesterday...period.

bobback · Nov 27, 2014

FirstPlaceParts said:
Can I say one more thing. It's hard for me to make these post because I sell the stuff and people may think I trying to market but in this case I am not.

Buy Avalanche Gear, I don't care if you get it from SnowBigDeal or BlownMotor just buy it. A sled is almost $14,000 now days, avy gear could save your life.

Another thing people forget about is, everyone in your group needs to have all the avy gear also. It does no good for you to have all the avy gear if you are buried and none of your buddies have the gear, they cannot find you or dig you out.

Avy Bag
Beacon
Shovel
Probe
Spot Beacon

Then Take an Avalanche Class or Two.

Key point you missed...

KNOW THE CURRENT AVALANCHE DANGERS!!! Read the local advisory.

And even if a person doesn't know the local advisory; anyone in Cooke on Wednesday knew it snowed a sh*t load the previous day. And with any sledding experience in the mountains, a person would have known the avy danger would be high.

revrider07 · Nov 27, 2014

I agree with boback that having bags and gear sledders are taking more chances . They are depending on that more than common sense and knowledge. Sled capabilities also factor into this equation also most sleds could never climb these chutes after a fresh snow thus letting the danger go down after a few days with older sleds. be safe out there.

Slick · Nov 27, 2014

bobback said:
Avy gear isn't going to save a life. And I almost wonder if having an avy bag gives some guys a false sense of security.

The avy danger was OFF THE CHARTS yesterday, and as sad as it is; no one should have been on that hill or really any hill yesterday...period.

Totally wrong on the first comment, wasn't there so can't comment on second part.
Avalanche gear can totally 100 % save a life, especially after people make decisions that turn out bad. Lots of examples where the use of beacons , probes and good shovels have allowed rescuers to find and recuperate buried people.
And I've seen an awful lot of guys make some pretty dumb decisions without any bags also, so if you believe majority of people are risk takers or inexperienced, I suggest it's even more important to have bags and gear.
Why the hell would you not ?????

Chadx · Nov 27, 2014

And let's not roast the guy when we don't have the details. From first reports, he triggered it from down where it was flat and it came down on him. They may have been hitting the steeps before that or may not have. Avalanche center guys went there yesterday and are working up a report. Let's not assume a rider was doing something totally crazy without knowing the facts. There have already been comments in various threads that imply the rider somehow deserved it because of a speculated "something he did wrong". Well, maybe he did and maybe he didnt and most comments are based on speculation. Here is what we know so far....

------

AVALANCHE FATALITY

I am saddened to report that a snowmobiler died in an avalanche outside Cooke City yesterday. The victim, a 31 year old male from North Dakota, remotely triggered a slide on the southwest side of Henderson Mountain in the Miller Creek drainage. He was a very experienced rider and had been coming to Coke City for the last eight years. The victim remotely triggered the avalanche from a flat are and was buried about five feet deep when the steeper slopes above him released. He and his partner had rescue gear and the partner made a heroic effort to dig him out, uncovering his head in about 20 minutes. CPR was unsuccessful and Cooke City SAR responded within 10 minutes of the call-out and helped evacuate the victim. The avalanche broke on facets at the ground. The crown was 37 degrees steep and broke two to three feet deep, 300 feet wide and 500 feet vertical. Mark Staples was able to do a site investigation late yesterday afternoon and will write a detailed report in the coming days.

bobback · Nov 27, 2014

Correct slick, my bad. Gear can save a life and corrected the post.

And correct chadx...shouldn't make assumptions that anyone was on a hill.

capulin overdrive · Nov 27, 2014

Sobering report.

Vibes to family and friends. Be safe out there!

AKtoad · Nov 27, 2014

The biggest problematic thing I see in the mountains is people don't know when to back off and call it a day early because of the conditions. They feel they have to go because they drove all this way and paid all this money so they are going no matter what. Moving from Montana to Alaska I had a big learning curve dealing with mountain terrain and conditions. I had to learn a great deal of patience to step into the mountains here and that drove me to learn how to travel in the mountains as safe as possible. The news from Montana is very sad and I send my condolences to the family of the gentleman lost.

Big mountain skills, hospital bills or mortuary bills you decide.

cowboy181d · Nov 27, 2014

Very sad to hear of another rider passing on. Condolences to his friends and family, At least he went with his boots on doing something he enjoyed.

Solarguy · Nov 27, 2014

A good reminder to all who travel in avalanche terrain, many times we are exposed to dangers above us that we may or may not see. In extreme avi conditions it is difficult to travel in the mountains without exposing your self or your party to hazards above no matter how safe a route you think you are choosing. Very difficult after a big dump to "stay home", many or most of us go with the mind set that we will "stay off the big stuff" attitude. Sometimes we need to "stay home" if we really want to avoid avi exposure. Those of us who choose to play in the mountains do and will expose ourselves to avalanches even with a lot of training, experience and smart decision making. We all need a little luck to avoid tragedy in the mountains we play on. God bless our fallen friend and his family.

Summit74 · Nov 27, 2014

If we are honest with ourselves, most can probably say you have been in that position of making the decision to ride or not ride. You tell yourself I will play it safe and etc. Ex. Last season we were in the gas station parking lot as usual In the am. Question of the morning "where we going, where got the most snow, who checked snotel's and etc." Well that day Avy danger was high to considerable. Where did we go? We went to where we had been a few days before in the high danger zone. Stupid right, everyone that day completely ignored the report, but had read it. I still question why we made the decisions we did that day and it all started in the parking lot. Long story short another group that day in the same zone triggered a slide and 2 were buried and one man list his life. Life is short, let's live to ride another day. Talk w/ your group, make proper decisions. RIP brother sledder.

Readymedic · Nov 28, 2014

All of us riding in the mountains or hills have an obligation to our selves and any riders who are with us or around us. Yes air bags may save a person but thats not the point. The point is avalanche training, knowledge and the ability to use your head. We all love snow or there wouldnt be a snowmobile industry.
We can't forget how to ride properlly. We all luv having a good time.
Its unfortunate.

Chadx · Nov 29, 2014

Another slide in cooke yesterday with two caught in it. One with avy bag did not get buried. Other was buried DEEP but was dug out by the large group he was with and survived. This while the High avy warning had expired and threat level was down to Considerable. Today the threat level is back to high for wind loaded slopes.

Also note, the incident report video and site photos out for the first incident.
http://www.mtavalanche.com/video

From avy website...
Yesterday 2 snowmobilers were caught in an avalanche on the north end of Henderson Mountain above Fisher Creek. One deployed his airbag and was not buried but received minor injuries. The other was buried 7 feet deep but found and dug out quickly by his five partners. He survived and was able to ride back to town. They likely triggered the avalanche as they crossed run out zones under steep slopes. A snowmobiler was killed on Wednesday on the other side of Henderson Mountain when he triggered an avalanche on relatively flat terrain under a steep slope. Read more below.
- See more at: http://www.mtavalanche.com/current#sthash.x4WXIbp3.dpuf
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