 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Shocked and a solemn reminder...
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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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Echo that. Very sad to hear.
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sad to hear the loss of a very proffessional guide and a genuine good guy of the sport, he will be greatly missed
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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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A sad loss of a great skier.
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Tragic, he was legendary
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Tragic news, he's in most of the ski films I've ever watched, and I guess he really knows his stuff re off piste safety.
Very sobering.
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That is really shocking. Myself and two friends just beat him to the top of the Olympic couloir down to St Christophe in La Grave last year. Had a beer with him afterwards talking about our epic descent and his descent of La Rama.
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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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I've come across him in La Grave (even exchanged a few words about the weather) and Alpe d'Huez - a great skier and he seemed like a really nice down to earth guy.
Very very sad
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Very sobering - he was a legend.
I'm sad I'll never meet him now, and, much more important, seeing the photo of him with his new son, that his family willnow have to grow up without him.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Very sad. He was a Fall-Line stalwart and legend. We were honoured to have his contributions.
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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.
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Another lost legend, avalanches really don't care how much of an expert they are dealing with, always seem to get them in the end.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Damn, that's sad. His poor son.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I see the enterprising maggotts on TGR are lobbying K2 to get the poster reprinted with the proceeds going to a trust fund.
I'd buy one.
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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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My boyfriend was having beers with Doug and the other guy who was involved in this tragedy just days before. Apparently the mood there is very sombre and it brings it home to you just what's important in life.
As Rich said to Doug's wife yesterday, he is an inspiration to us all and if it hadn't been for Doug, he would never have taken up off piste skiing. Very, very sad for all who knew him.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Looks like K2 have gone along with this and are taking orders for a rerun of the poster. See:
http://www.k2skis.com/
No idea whether they're going to ship to the UK but I've signed up for one if they will
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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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I've waited for hopefully a decent interval before posting my true thoughts.
I'm afraid I don't buy into the 'tragedy' theme; certainly not 'shock'; perhaps 'sadness'.
Looking at those pictures, I think no one can be wholly surprised at the fate Mr Coombs met. I would imagine he was well aware of the risks he was undertaking and did so voluntary. I would be surprised if he had not imagined at least the possibility of such an end, and perhaps he preferred it to an exit with a body racked with cancer or a mind rotted by Alzheimer's.
I suppose it is a personal tragedy for his blood relatives, who didn't choose to be closely bonded with an extreme risk-taker; but the adults amongst them must to an extent have prepared for this event. Which leaves his infant son, for whom it may be a tragedy to be brought up without his natural father; though we cannot be sure because many have prospered in such seemingly unfortunate circumstances and he won't have felt the acute emotional pain of an older child. One might go so far as to say that Mr Coombs was irresponsible to lead such a lifestyle while bringing up a young family, though I'm not sure if I'd go that far personally.
None of the above is to say that Mr Coombs was not a thoroughly decent man. Indeed, the manner of his demise, attempting to help a stricken companion, speaks volumes.
All in all though, I would say that the death of the three pisteurs (or whatever the American term is) at Mammoth, in the course of their daily duties, was a far bigger tragedy, because it came out of the blue, during an activity which presumably wasn't considered inordinately risky.
There's been comment on 'Suggestions' that the amount of skiing-related discussion has decreased as a proportion to the whole on snowHeads, along with controversy not expressed at a personal level; so here is some. I'm expecting a few brickbats, and accept that there will be other valid points of view.
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laundryman, I'd tend to agree with your sentiments, his partner must have been aware of the risks of his profession and "bought into" the risks in some (maybe small way). If you look at high alpine moutnaineers the mortality rate is very high (I think in the region of 10%, but I'm sure that some one can find the correct figure), so IMHO the mortality rate amongst skiiers and boarders is very very low in comparison. Nevertheless when death strikes it is a personal tradgey and loss to those close to the individual and one can never underestimate these personal losses.
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I have left it a while before posting for 2 reason. Firstly, I was away when this happened and wanted to know more and secondly, because my initial reaction to laundryman was anger. Certainly, I believe his comments to be made in ignorance and that they are totally inappropriate.
Firstly, despite what you say, it seems to me that your comments shout loud and clear "Doug was irresponsible and we should have much sympathy". This seems to be based on the assertion that Doug was an extreme risk taker. I believe this is wrong.
I knew Doug and his wife Emily, have skied with both and climbed with Doug. I personally believe that Doug was very risk adverse. All the "extreme" skiing he did was very calculated and planned. He would study proposed challenges for ever so as to chose the best routes and so as to take into account all eventualities. This type of analysis also includes analysis of what happens in the event of a fall. For instance, the late Giles Green also skied an ice fall and when he slipped, he stopped himslef in only a few metres before getting into real trouble because he had planned for that eventuality.
While it seems to be far more common place of late to hear of well known guides losing their lives, most seem to be taken by avalanche. It seems that Doug lost his life from a relitavely simple fall that happened in the wrong place. If it had happened elsewhere, I believe he would been ribbed about having fallen under the circumstances.
Remember, in skiing, one person's "extreme" is another one's green run. I think this is bourne out by the fact that he didn't die doing some incredible "first decent" but was taken by bad luck skiing something that nobody would expect to cause him trouble. From all I have heard, this accident is a little like a top F1 driver being killed at high speed on a motorway.
I find it hard to see how the pisteurs is any way more tragic as Doug's death came in the course of his work, out of the blue, doing a run that was far less risky than those on which he made his name. If he had fallen on one of his major decents or stunts, then I would say the posts above were fair comment, but he didn't.
Finally, in answer to stevew comment about his partner being aware of the risks, I think it is safe to say that as a former women's extreme ski champ, Emily fully understood the risks and had more than "bought into" them. However, Emily also knew enough to have expected her husband to come home at the end of that particular day's skiing, so I am sure she was shocked by what happened in teh same way as there must have been times that she would not have been.
I believe that Doug's death is a great loss to the skiing community. He did more to educate American's about the dangers of and how to safly ski "back country" and his "Steep Ski Camps" were probably the best dedicated camps of their sort. Only a small part of Doug was about true Extreme Skiing and he should be remembered just as much for his love of teaching and guiding those who will never have his skill or want to ski what he was capable of.
Finally, I am very fussy about who I ski with, in terms of guides, as there are few I really trust with my life. Doug was one of the ones I totally trusted, due to his skill and dmountain craft.
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I think you have said all that needs to be said SimonN.
I am sorry that you have lost a friend and I'm sure that all of your memories of happier times with him will stay with you and help to bring you some comfort as you grieve for his loss.
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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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SimonN, firstly, I'm sorry that you have lost someone who you obviously knew quite well.
However, I don't appreciate words being put in my mouth. I was quite clear that I don't have a view on whether or not Mr Coombs's activities were irresponsible. On the whole, I'm against society inflicting norms on people's personal conduct.
My theme was 'tragedy' and its definition. Death itself isn't a tragedy; it happens to all of us. I don't see the early death of an adult as necessarily a tragedy, particularly when they set themselves on a course that is likely to increase its probability greatly. I think you agree with me on that increase in probability:
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| ...it seems to be far more common place of late to hear of well known guides losing their lives... |
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| ...I am sure she was shocked by what happened in teh same way as there must have been times that she would not have been |
I'm afraid that the fact that on that particular day he was doing something less extreme than on others (but still falling into the "you fall, you die" category) has no bearing on my point, nor that he took steps to mitigate the extreme risks that he did take.
I think the world is made a better place by people who push at boundaries, so I have a lot of respect for Mr Coombs and his ilk. I just think that there is a tendency to devalue words, such as 'tragedy', today, which was the reason for my post. As I said, his death is a cause for sadness.
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I met Doug in 1991 and again in 1997 and i agree with SimonN's sentiments exactly, without reference to any other incident that has happened elsewhere. this thread is solely for the purpose of paying respects to an absolute gentleman and a skiier of an amazing standard of ability. I will not be drawn into the whys and where-fores of a theme of tragedy and death. We all know what death brings- thankyou.- Only sadness.
And, i am deeply saddened by the death of Doug. My heart goes out to Emily.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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dougcoombsmemorialfund.com
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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.
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Without wishing to comment on the demise of Doug Coombs, there seems to be an admiration for extreme skiers that probably needs temporing.
The major equipment companies show guys on mountain terrain that, whilst looking great, leaves very little safety margin in the event of a minor trip. I suppose a nice family picture on a green run doesn't fit with the required modern marketing image. Whereas the chap in the pictures above appears to have a death wish. Perhaps we need an "Extreme Skiers Anonymous" as it seems to have reached epidemic proportions.
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This wasn't some reckless teenage risktaker but an adventurer, with more skill and experience than most of us collectively. You dont get to 48 spending your life doing what Doug Combs did by having a death wish. As in any field, the people who push the boundaries spur us all on....look at the thread title guys RIP.God bless
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You know it makes sense.
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I have been reading this and wondering whether to answer some of the general points made. After all, this thread is meant to be a way of paying respect to Doug.
However, one of Doug's great passions was teaching people and the amount of ignorance being shown would, IMO, have Doug wishing somebody would reply.
As mentioned above, Doug did not have a death wish in any way. He would not ski stuff he believed couldn't be skied and he spent considerable time assessing the risks of each decent. Many of these so called "Extreme Skiers" don't do that and most of the deaths we have read about in the last few years are due to skiers, who should know better, doing reckless things. Doug NEVER did anything reckless that I am aware of and he wasn't being reckless when he died.
Most of us undertake activities during our daily lives which are the equivelent of "if you fall, you die" without even realising it or considering it. For instance, crossing busy roads and driving cars faster than 40mph. Because those are daily activities that everybody does, we don't see it in that light but many people die doing those things, due to their own "poor risk assessment". To a person from the deepest Amazon jungle, crossing a busy road would be just as dangerous as Doug's skiing seems to some of you. It all depends your initial reference point.
Another point on this is that one person's "if you fall, you die" slope is a slope that somebody else can fall and survive, because they know what to do (see above story re Giles Green). In the same way, people have been killed skiing stuff that nobody would rate as "if you fall, you die", due to banging of heads, colision etc.
And finally, I cannot agree with the need to tempor the showing or admiration of extreme skiers. In any field of sport or endevour, people are facinated and enjoy watching people whose skills are way in excess of our own. It makes great viewing. I am sure many were equally rivetted to Ellen McCarthers round the world record documentaries as the ski videos. And, in general, it isn't about equipment marketing, as most of the videos aren't made by equipment manufacturers. And why should we tempor our admiration of extreme skiers? It is natural to admire anybody at the top of their game, be it footballers, motorsport drivers, ocean racers etc. All take calculated risks that others shouldn't. If we try tgo tempor this in skiing, we need to apply the same to every aspect of human endevour and that would kill what I believe to be a quinticentual trait of man without which we would never have come down from the trees and stood on ouir back lags.
I think we have a duty to celibrate people like Doug and stop trying to wrap the wourld and our lives in cotton wool.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| SimonN wrote: |
| as a former women's extreme ski champ, Emily fully understood the risks and had more than "bought into" them. However, Emily also knew enough to have expected her husband to come home at the end of that particular day's skiing, so I am sure she was shocked by what happened in teh same way as there must have been times that she would not have been. |
(my italics)
I think that says that the risks were greater than those run in following most vocations.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think we have a duty to celibrate people like Doug and stop trying to wrap the wourld and our lives in cotton wool.
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Well said, could not put it better.
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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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We have no such duty, but I agree about the cotton wool.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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To those that knew doug, (and Emily and David), there was not a careless bone in his body. My son, who is a pretty well known skier and a close friend of the Coombs, worked with doug in ak, jackson in the steep and deep, many movies said that of all the skiers he knows, he felt that doug was the safest and the least likely for something like this to happen to. Had it been an avy, anyone who does big mountain is at some risk for that. All I know is that of all of this generation of skiers, no one was a better technical skier or more fluid than Doug. Perhaps more importantly, he was a tremendous asset to the sport of skiing. The loss of doug, along with alex lowe (and a good many others) leaves a large hole in the lives of their friends. Emily and David have many friends, and someone told me that in Jackson, David will have a hundred dads to ski with. good turns and blue skies.
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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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I skied with Doug in La Grav in Jan 2004 and it was an experience that I will never forget. The world will miss him, his energy and his warm personality. May he rest in peace. Patrick.
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patrickcmarx, welcome to snowHeads  .
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