the cook slide

[Firecatguy]

making sure the people you are with are trained and have beacon is to save your own butt....what you know is to save the next guys butt.......if you are too hard headed to take a class and know what your doing you wont ride with me.....that's rules I live by since day one.....lost a few riding friends over the years because I am so hard headed over that.....

I believe Tog makes you sign a waiver that you have a beacon when you ride with a guide.....also did Wyo not mandate a beacon if your in the backcountry?

 

[Grant Hoar]

Seems pretty simple - it is your life being talked about here. I have lost a few riding associates over the years due to the no-drinking while riding rule, and you know what, I don't miss them one bit.

I have never ridden out west (it is on the bucket list), but I sure wouldn't want to ride with folks that don't have training and gear, and hope they wouldn't want to ride with me either! It would be hard enough living with the memory that a friend perished even though we all had training and did everything right, but bad stuff happened. Having to live with that memory if unequipped, untrained, and unprepared - unthinkable.

 

[ezra]

Cartter I did not thin of the sue happy end of the deal.
and I agree it is the responsibility of the guy to get informed and know his equipment .it is not the lodges job I also agree 100%
all I am saying is u cant fix stupid no matter how hard u try.
places like tog are magnets for Midwest newbies. when calling to book or looking on the page to book 1 rule U can not rent or use our guides with out avalanche training .
IMHO it would make a huge difference .I talk to guys who have never been west and are planning a trip and I always ask if they have taken any avy classes most say no. followed by some yada yada BS . I will always give them a few stats tell them how to find a class and always recommend the follow-up hands on practical class. most at that point want to find a class and do it. most say they did not think the kind of riding they would be doing would need the class. like I said a few slide facts and they want to take one.
1 Rule would get a lot of new guys informed. and a lot of intermediate idiots on board also.
again I say I agree it is not the lodges job but Like I said U cant fix stupid but U can do your best to keep them off your hill and search area

 

[scottiking]

I hope my little Brother is reading this thread!
I worry about his lack of training as he is riding with a buddy out there this week!
He has all the gear and rented an air bag avy pack even but having all that and not training properly is scary!
I have been grinding on him for the last two years to get trained! I send him info all the time on training!
I have huge respect for training for this and I think everybody that EVER wants to ride out west should get trained! and more than one class!
I know I will do training before EVERY trip before heading to the mountains!
Thank you Carter for your passion for safety!
Scottiking OUT

 

[Firecatguy]

I remeber this speach years ago......lol



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klup4OZqGkU

 

[snobinge]

First of all I would like to also support Carter on his plight to bring greater awareness to the risks of snowmobiling/skiing/snowboarding/snoshoeing/etc. in the mountains. I can only imagine what it is like for the guides and rescue teams that have to see what they see out there.

With that being said, I am surprised at Carter's comment...."The flatland snowmobile community has to wake up." My surprise is due to what I have learned from the two Mike Duffy classes I have attended. Mike expressed in both classes that the "flatlanders" tend to have a better respect for the risk and in many/most cases are more educated and better equiped than the locals.

At the end of the day I don't think you can ever have enough knowledge regarding avalanche safety. We can all be ambassadors of this if nothing else with our own groups and demand that everyone in the group be equipped and educated. Like has been stated before...It is the rest of the group that is going to be saving you if something happens!!!

 

[flatlandassn]

Same thing on the comments every time there is an avy. Every one rips the party involved, and talks about how sad it is, see above. Then the party involved, instead of talking about what happened, goes silent. We could learn from their mistakes. Obviously there were some major mistakes made in this instance.

 

[carter]

Lets not rip anyone. The guys involved are grieving. This a natural human response to a loss. Let's respect this. Leave them alone with best wishes. What is learned from this is an event occurred.............we must obtain more knowledge on the subject. Not learn from mistakes, learn from educating our community of sledders, learn from classes, books, CD's, and anything else we can put on ourselves for ourselves, and not because of others mistakes. This is exactly what I'm trying to get you people to see. This can no longer go on. A guy died, so I guess I need to learn more about this thing called avalanche.......always the excuse for to do something.......Knock it off..........learn this stuff for your self....learn this stuff because the sun is shining.......or the day is raining,,,,,,or perhaps its the right thing to do. There needs to be a new mindset that learning needs to be for knowledge sake and not because of a sad event that drew your attention about it.........

 

[chicagosledder]

Lets not rip anyone. The guys involved are grieving. This a natural human response to a loss. Let's respect this. Leave them alone with best wishes. What is learned from this is an event occurred.............we must obtain more knowledge on the subject. Not learn from mistakes, learn from educating our community of sledders, learn from classes, books, CD's, and anything else we can put on ourselves for ourselves, and not because of others mistakes. This is exactly what I'm trying to get you people to see. This can no longer go on. A guy died, so I guess I need to learn more about this thing called avalanche.......always the excuse for to do something.......Knock it off..........learn this stuff for your self....learn this stuff because the sun is shining.......or the day is raining,,,,,,or perhaps its the right thing to do. There needs to be a new mindset that learning needs to be for knowledge sake and not because of a sad event that drew your attention about it.........

Carter I met you a few years ago at Tog, I hope all is well with that being said. I can honestly say this is the most intelligent post on this topic. This is coming from a man who knows and lives this.

 

[muzik]

My riding group has learned that we are all responsible for each other. My life is in their hands when this flatlander goes West or to anywhere to ride. Knowing the signs and triggers for avalanches are very important and checking the avalanche forecat every morning before you ride. There are forecasts for all major mountain riding locations. Last year I decided to buy an avy bag for added safety, So I bought two to insure my buddy comes home with me too. The classes and training does save lives and it is everyones responsibility to be prepared when riding. It is also important to talk to the first time mountian riders about safety. Good topic Carter.

 

[carter]

Thanks,...........I got an Idea......Lets start a movement.........I'm going to take training "Because I want to"..........excuses need not apply.......

 

[pez]

I was in Dan Adams clinic last year. He talks about the dangers during the whole clinic. He says at one point during the class, we will practice by simulating a slide and rescuing a beacon in a buried back pack. I think that was great hands on training. You are really working as a team trying to find this "person". I know it was only a back pack this time and was planned, but it sure does get your heart going.....
Bottom line, it was great training and something that should be practiced more than just once.