 Poster: A snowHead
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Pistie Beastie taken in night time 80m slide on the Aguille Rouge. Driver had to remain in cab, uninjured, in treacherous situation above rocks. A later report stated that he was plucked to safety by a helicopter operating in the complete darkness from 80m above - unable to descend lower owing to cables obstructing access.
The snowpack was affected by thaw and rain.
[Edited]
Reason for posting: Avalanche was On-Piste, and was powerful enough to take a groomer machine. I have been asked to point out that given the time was 10 pm, the slope was closed, and no public were skiing. (However, as avalanches don't use watches and can't tell whether pistes are open or closed, there would seem to be a significant risk in that area.).
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Dimanche soir 23 December 2012, vers 22 heures, une avalanche a emporté une dameuse sur la piste Robert Blanc, à Arc 2000. Le dameur a réussi à sauter de son engin avant que la coulée ne l’emporte dans une barre rocheuse, sur la face de l’Aiguille Rouge.
C’est le service des pistes de la station qui a prévenu les montagnards de la CRS Alpes qui ont dû hélitreuillé le dameur, sain et sauf, mais choqué. |
(source http://www.ledauphine.com) - An initial report, not wholly accurate. Driver didn't jump out, he was helicoptered out)
(More http://alpes.france3.fr/2012/12/24/miracle-aux-arcs-2000-une-avalanche-emporte-une-dameuse-le-conducteur-est-indemne-170121.html)
More ...
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 1-01-13 15:54; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The title of the thread is a little misleading. This happened at 10pm on a closed piste. Clearly no risk to on-piste skiers should be inferred
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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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SkiPresto, Le dameur a réussi à sauter de son engin avant que la coulée ne l’emporte dans une barre rocheuse, sur la face de l’Aiguille Rouge : it says the driver actually managed to jump from the piste basher before it was dragged over a cliff. Then the "service des pistes" contacted the CRS Alpes who, later, helicoptered him out (i. e he would not have jumped he would have gone over the cliff with the piste basher).
Edit :
the second article reads : .... une avalanche l'a embarqué avec son engin. La dameuse a dévalé 80 mètres pour s'arrêter juste au dessus d'une barre rocheuse. : the avalanche took him and his machine. The piste basher slidded down approximately 80 meters and stopped right before a cliff (i. e the driver was still inside).
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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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Great - skiing there in two weeks time and I ski that slope quite a bit ususally .......
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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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| RattytheSnowRat wrote: |
| Great - skiing there in two weeks time and I ski that slope quite a bit ususally ....... |
+1. Seems to stay powdery after other blacks mogulled out. But PITA having to queue for Aiguille Rouge cablecar. If I see a queue at top of Varet I just tend to take one of those blacks down. But that's probably one of reasons it keeps good snow
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| patricksh wrote: |
| The title of the thread is a little misleading. This happened at 10pm on a closed piste. Clearly no risk to on-piste skiers should be inferred |
The title's accurate, and the detail on the time of night is prominent in the message body.
As to "Clearly no risk to on-piste skiers..." - The piste was being groomed for a reason and that may well have been to open it in the morning.
Fortunately, the slide occurred prior to the piste opening.
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SkiPresto, yes I know the title is accurate, but still a little misleading as it conjures up images of an avalanche on an open slope and skiers lives in jeopardy which is not the case
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| patricksh wrote: |
| SkiPresto, yes I know the title is accurate, but still a little misleading as it conjures up images of an avalanche on an open slope and skiers lives in jeopardy which is not the case |
I edited it just to ensure that people knew that an avalanche swept over a closed piste during the night during grooming.
As to skiers' lives in jeopardy?
If that run was to be opened later, the fact that this avalanche had occurred is pertinent to any future risk assessment, especially in warm conditions with rain.
The ski station was obviously caught out with their own assessment of the general safety, if they risked the life of their own piste personnel and plant/machinery, and had to call in a highly risky pitch-black late-night helicopter winch evac from altitude.
Even if the affected slope remains closed, similar slopes should be risk-assessed too by anyone skiing in the prevailing conditions.
(i.e. Piste users should be aware of terrain above for slides - and below a piste for traps and cliffs).
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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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| Quote: |
the title is accurate, but still a little misleading
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it says "late evening", so it didn't mislead me (though maybe that was only after editing?)
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pam w, yes that was changed after editing
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