Just read the TGR report as well, so the ski patrol left them to it and search and rescue waited on the highway for them to extract themselves as it was too dangerous (and half a hint in there it might cost too much). Good job they knew what they were doing to get themselves out of there despite the injuries!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
davkt, to be fair, out of ski patrols remit and SAR is free in CO. so no cost incurred. Seems it was felt to dangerous to try and get to them if they could get down.
Agreed about them knowing what the were doing, not easy under those conditions.
If this doesnt make sense sorry - wine taking its toll now
Yup sounds like it may have been cost relating to a chopper. Though a bit surprising they were willing to let them try without really knowing the full extent of the injury and risking having to get them out of a worse situation if the self rescue failed.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Reading TGR report it does make me wonder how useful an avalung really is. According to the guy it was first of all ripped from his mouth and then when he got it back in, was blocked with snow, i.e useless! They were lucky, that's for sure.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Steilhang, I think that they are brilliant for tree wells. Proper avi's I'd have serious doubts.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Avalungs - bankers (no rhyming slang intended) always have those. Guides don't, perhaps there's a hint in that?
If you're riding trees then you'd have to have one of those things in your mouth the whole time, else it''d be useless. If you can get your hand to position one of those, you can make yourself an airspace, and if you can avoid panic then your buddy will come and get you.
But there are people on here who ride with full body armor, lots of stuff like that. Some people feel safer with gadgets; I think their argument would be "it can hadly make me less safe". I wonder if they wear the stuff in bed too, for the same reason.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Avalanche Poodle wrote:
Steilhang, I think that they are brilliant for tree wells. Proper avi's I'd have serious doubts.
Yup. This particular incident is always billed by Avalung as a success, but I understand that even in this case the tube was torn from his mouth and he wasn't actually breathing through it. He was lucky!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
philwig wrote:
Avalungs - bankers (no rhyming slang intended) always have those. Guides don't, perhaps there's a hint in that?
If you're riding trees then you'd have to have one of those things in your mouth the whole time, else it''d be useless. If you can get your hand to position one of those, you can make yourself an airspace, and if you can avoid panic then your buddy will come and get you.
But there are people on here who ride with full body armor, lots of stuff like that. Some people feel safer with gadgets; I think their argument would be "it can hadly make me less safe". I wonder if they wear the stuff in bed too, for the same reason.
Lets ignore all the pro skiers who wear them then. There's a reason guides don't usually wear avalungs and ABS'. It gives them a false sense of security they can't afford. I've spoken to many guides who didn't want to touch them because they were scared it would make them more reckless.
I agree with the sentiment that avalungs won't be of much use in a full avy but they are definitely useful for tree well situations. I don't really see the argument about how you'd have to have one of those things in your mouth the whole time, it's not exactly difficult skiing with it in your mouth.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
philwig, In tree wells you can usually move about, it's the soft powder flowing in after you that fills up the void and suffocates you. Fairly easy to place the tube in your mouth then once you've gone in head first.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Avalanche Poodle wrote:
philwig, In tree wells you can usually move about, it's the soft powder flowing in after you that fills up the void and suffocates you. Fairly easy to place the tube in your mouth then once you've gone in head first.
Is that really the case? I'm sure I've heard of a few cases where the tree well collapses quickly, burying the unfortunate occupant. Not necessarily safe to assume you'll be able to move the mouthpiece by hand, but at least one guy was able to reach it with his mouth and use it normally even after being buried and unable to move his arms.
Better get into the habit of skiing without pole straps, too!
philwig wrote:
Avalungs - bankers (no rhyming slang intended) always have those. Guides don't, perhaps there's a hint in that?.
Really? I'd have pegged the bankers for airbags, not avalungs. Avalungs are for people who can't afford airbags, and they look a bit dorky. Who'd want that?
Timmaah wrote:
There's a reason guides don't usually wear avalungs and ABS'. It gives them a false sense of security they can't afford. I've spoken to many guides who didn't want to touch them because they were scared it would make them more reckless.
And yet there are plenty of guides who do use airbags, etc (though I've yet to meet one wearing a helmet, mind you). Funny things, generalisations.
They're clearly not infallible, but I like being able to stack the deck in my favour. They're cheap (compared to airbags, at least!), they can work with your existing rucksacks, they're light and you won't have any issues transporting them by air anywhere in the world.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
