 Poster: A snowHead
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Report from Ski Racing.com
2 US Ski Team athletes succumb in Soelden avalancheBy SR Staff January 5, 2015
SOELDEN, Austria – The U.S. Ski Team is mourning the loss of two promising development level ski racers killed Monday morning in an avalanche in Soelden. The two were among a group of six athletes freeskiing at the Austrian resort. The other four skied out of the slide and were not injured.
Killed in the avalanche were Ronnie Berlack, 20, of Franconia, N.H., and Burke Mountain, Vt., and Bryce Astle, 19, of Sandy, Utah.
“Ronnie and Bryce were both outstanding ski racers who were passionate about their sport – both on the race course and skiing the mountain,” said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “Our hearts go out to the Berlack and Astle families, as well as to their extended sport family. Both of them loved what they did and conveyed that to those around them.”
Berlack grew up racing in New Hampshire and had been a student-athlete at Vermont’s Burke Mountain Academy. He was named to the U.S. Ski Team’s Development Team following two top-20 results at the 2013 U.S. Alpine Championships and a spring tryout camp.
“Ronnie has been a vital part of BMA since he was a young boy, from his father Steve’s long involvement at Burke, skiing with us from when he was a J4, attending BMA through his post-graduate year, and remaining part of BMA until this tragic accident. Only last week Ronnie was here at BMA training with us,” Burke Headmaster Kirk Dwyer said. “He had a huge spirit. There is no one who better represents our core values than Ronnie.”
Astle raced at Snowbird and was invited to train with the development team this season. He had posted strong early season results, including two top-10 NorAm Cup finishes last month in Canada.
“Bryce was exactly what you hoped for in an athlete and a person. He was the most positive person I have ever known. I loved him like a brother, and will celebrate his life every time I am on the mountain,” said Tecnica Blizzard Team Manager Joe Dunn.
Information on services is pending.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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very sad
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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a real tragedy! so sad for the family and their friends. RIP
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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RIP.
Folks. Remember Avalanches can happen anytime in any conditions or warning level.
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Very sad. Avalanches can happen anytime in any conditions and to anyone.......no matter how good you are.
In this instance with burial depth of 3-4 meters transciever/probe/shovel probably would have made little difference to the lads who perished. RIP.
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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.
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Just seen this news, terrible tragedy and a sobering reminder to us all !!
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Looks like it ran out onto the blue piste path that returns from the glaciers to the rest of the ski area...perhaps that is what is meant by 'people still skiing the area' but I expect there will have been others off piste.
Interestingly, I had been there (but not off piste as there was very patchy snow except on the pistes) the Christmas week - and on Monday morning my phone buzzed and the Snowsafe app told me Soelden was at Level 4 above 2000m on all aspects.
On the slope opposite from the one shown above, there is a freeride area. The entry has a large obvious pillar with the lights for risk level, a tranceiver test point and info panels. (All switched off when I was there as only the first 200m had snow on).
For Austria and Southern Germany, get the SNowsafe app - it has all the info from the official avalanche risk reports - updated and as I found - alerted to my pocket.
I also have 'White risk' app for Switzerland.
I havn't found one for Italy or France.
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FAQ
So young 
