 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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Happened to me 3 weeks ago in Val d'sere - except my face and right upper arm were almost on the surface and I was able to free my right arm and wave it to attract rescuers. I was carried 250 yards by the avalanche!
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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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@snowball,  yikes. Was this in fornet area? I was there at Xmas saw an avalanche
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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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@snowball, ouch! I didn't know anything about this... so happy you're ok!
I assume you were with your group - did they rescue you or someone else?
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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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@horizon, @v1cky24,
Hi, it was nearly 4 weeks ago (week before Christmas) on the slope well to skier's left of the Manchet lift (the Cugnai lift wasn't open. We went to the top of the Glacier lift and traversed as high as possible, and over the edge. ). Not sure of the name of the descent.
Yes, we were with the usual group with a guide (not Zeb). There were slight ridges of wind crust on each side with powder between, where we were skiing. I was skiing third and the person at the back went onto the crust and set it off. One other was slightly in it but not buried or travelled much. The two below me managed to get out of the way and I was swept a couple of hundred yards below them.
Emergency services were called but soon after my friends started down they could see my waving arm and I was got out easily and emergency services called off.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Thu 15-01-26 15:46; edited 2 times in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@snowball, Hope you've recovered from that - must have been terrifying.
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@snowball, wow glad you are ok, did you have an avi airbag and did you deploy it? With hindsight is there anything you or the person behind would do differently?
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Terrifying!! I skied that Cugnai slope first tracks after a snowfall this year. I could see slides a bit further across
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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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No it wasn't Cugnai but the slope between that bowl and the Manchet chair area. You might have seen it from near the bottom, traversing out to Manchet.
We were supposed to go one at a time, but the person above me started a bit before I got down the pitch, so there were two of us in it instead of only one. So we should have done a strict one by one. Also the person who went into the crust hadn't fully understood the danger of doing so. It should have been made clearer, though the general theoretical danger of wind crust had been talked of. No, I don't have an avi-bag and am wondering now if I should get one.
There was a short period on the way down when there was more snow over me and things went black, which was scary, but when it stopped my face was just about on the surface and I found I could breathe, though I was winded.
Actually the other even larger avalanche I was in, 30 plus years ago, was in some ways scarier, as I breathed in powder snow on the way down, and when it stopped I found I couldn't breathe, although I was mostly on the surface. I had to cough up a lump of ice before I could breathe shallowly, and had to tell myself not to panic as the rest would melt. That one there were 8 of us in it and half had no skis after to continue on, so had to go back to Ste. Foy in a helicopter. That was on a Ski Club of GB "Hotshots" holiday.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Thu 15-01-26 16:30; edited 4 times in total
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@snowball,
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@snowball, I'm impressed by your measured comments on your experience.
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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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| snowball wrote: |
No it wasn't Cugnai but the slope between that bowl and the Manchet chair area. You might have seen it from near the bottom, traversing out to Manchet.
We were supposed to go one at a time, but the person above me started a bit before I got down the pitch, so there were two of us in it instead of only one. Also the person who went into the crust hadn't fully understood the danger of doing so. It should have been made clearer, though the general theoretical danger of wind crust had been talked of. No, I don't have an avi-bag and am wondering now if I should get one.
There was a short period on the way down when there was more snow over me and things went black, which was scary, but when it stopped my face was just about on the surface and I found I could breathe, though I was winded.
Actually the other even larger avalanche I was in, 30 plus years ago, was in some ways scarier, as I breathed in powder snow on the way down, and when it stopped I found I couldn't breathe, although I was mostly on the surface. I had to cough up a lump of ice before I could breathe shallowly, and had to tell myself not to panic as the rest would melt. That one there were 8 of us in it and half had no skis after to continue on, so had to go back to Ste. Foy in a helicopter. That was on a Ski Club of GB "Hotshots" holiday. |
That slope's notorious for avalanche risk David. What was the guide doing? Even when traversing back from going straight over into Cugnai back to Manchet you usually have to cross some avalanche debris one at a time way down on the traverse. There's no way I'd have gone over there in recent conditions - no matter what the guide said. Horror show. Who was the guide btw? Very glad that you're ok though. 
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| v1cky24 wrote: |
| Terrifying!! I skied that Cugnai slope first tracks after a snowfall this year. I could see slides a bit further across |
Indeed. The bit between top of Cugnai and Manchet lift is one of the most frequently avalanched in the whole Espace Killy.
It becomes especially dangerous in spring time as the warmth of the sun affects it enormously.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Scooter in Seattle, well it is easy to be measured a few days (or now a month) later. 
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