Video of Alaska avalanche accident from victim's viewpoint

I found this video very instructive - it will come to mind whenever I see an attractive powder-slope....

The text posted below the video deserves to be read through too.

http://www.vimeo.com/6581009

:shock: That is scary as hell

Blimey that is sobering... :oops:

:shock:Bloody hell.....

Very strange and disconcerting to see and hear someones life potentially ebbing away via a camera ,and the shear gibbering wreck he was reduced to by the adreneline and emotions once rescued.

A sobering lesson indeed, after a heavy snowfall ( leave the virgin stuff be in these conditions) if it is warm and sunny,leave it for a couple of days to give the snow a chance to settle, and ski it early ish before the sun has got on it and changed the relationship between the layers has always been my thinking..... a few hours with a mountian guide would be money well spent.

Also when an avalanche hits make a mental note of the last place you see the skier/boarder before they are covered ,as this will help you avoid having to search in unneccessary parts of the slope, and make sure you all have a tranceiver and know how to use it...

A very lucky chap...... wonder how drunk he became that evening :thumbup:

jon.

I got halfway through and thought I'd been watching for 10mins, I checked it was less than 3. How ever long must it have felt for him?

The key is not just to carry a transceiver but to know how to use it. It's amazing how many people carry them but have only a very limited knowledge of how to use one.

I think the key message is in the text below the video where Chappy says:
"It also shows why you should ALWAYS be going with people trained in avalanche rescue / first aid...."

Not to try and flog anything but I got a small (not adequate) idea of what that means by watching Peter Hart's DVD training video called "In Deeper", shot with instructors in Canada. Amongst other things it explains some techniques which guides there use to get a better estimate of whether or not snow is safe for off-piste activity. Discussing avalanches with instructors in the Alps, they told me that prevention is not only the best, often also the *only* cure. They said that in damp-snow avalanches such as we often see in Europe, the event is violent enough to litterally destroy any person caught in its path. They looked very serious when they spoke...

That video is totally scary. I have skied the Backcountry for 34 years without an AvaLung. I am buying one this weekend.

Helpful Information Sites regarding Backcountry safety:
http://tinyurl.com/ygk5k8a
http://www.sawtoothavalanche.com/tutorial/tutorial.html

JonG said: The key is not just to carry a transceiver but to know how to use it. It's amazing how many people carry them but have only a very limited knowledge of how to use one.

That would be almost everybody. I am not shy about asking potential partners what training they have had. I also always suggest we do a "beacon search" training exercise so I can assess their skill level since my life may depend on it.

My rules for choosing BC ski partners;
1. They must have first aid training at a minimum.
2. Must have attended at least one Avy Training Course (class room and on-snow).
3. Must be successful in quickly finding a transceiver that I have hidden.
4. I want to look in their pack. Shovel, Beacon, Probe, 1st Aid Kit, Radio, Cell Phone, Overnight Survival Gear (proves they are serious and understand), compass map or GPS, helmet, and more.
4. Must not be crazy, drink, or do drugs while on snow.
5. If skiing with 3 or more people must agree to appoint team leader and know how to follow this rule.

To be my partner, one must answer YES to every item on this list except number 4, that would be a NO answer.

One last point: When skiing chutes at Alagna I noticed no one, including the guides, used self-arrest grips. When skiing the "fall-you-die" descents they help a lot - if you do fall.

Does anyone on this forum use self-arrest grips besides me. Would like to hear from you about your likes, dislikes? Do you use one or two.

Thanks for reading my 2 cents and my apologies if I am repeating information previously discussed. I am new here, and as time goes on I will get around to reading everything.

SkiRite wrote:

One last point: When skiing chutes at Alagna I noticed no one, including the guides, used self-arrest grips. When skiing the "fall-you-die" descents they help a lot - if you do fall.

Does anyone on this forum use self-arrest grips besides me. Would like to hear from you about your likes, dislikes? Do you use one or two.

Are you inferring that Italian UIAGM's have inferior safety because they don't use this piece of kit?