Educated / unlucky

[pulverschwein]

These guys are some of the best trained professionals I've ever met - a very conservative, cautious and educated operation who won't let the group on the cat until everyone has performed a successful beacon search. Unfortunately, all the training in the world won't stop wrong place / wrong time natural releases like this one. I believe it occurred below one of the best runs there, called 45s (referring to the pitch). Be careful - you don't have to be the trigger to get hit.

Canadian Avalanche Centre Avalanche Accident Information Report

Avalanche Fatality – January 14, 2006, Wolverine Bowl, British Columbia

On January 14, 2006, at approximately 7:15 am, an avalanche worker was killed by an avalanche near Island Lake Lodge, approximately 12 km northwest of Fernie, BC.

The avalanche occurred while the worker was checking a weather station 1.5 km north-northwest of the lodge near the base of Mount Baldy, near an area called Wolverine Bowl. The avalanche was triggered naturally, and descended below treeline to the weather station. The avalanche was rated Size 3.5, and was reported to have run beyond known limits in the trees.

The worker was conducting routine weather observations when buried by the avalanche. At approximately 7:15 am Island Lake Lodge staff attempted to contact the worker by radio, and were unsuccessful. A search party, consisting of staff from Island Lake Lodge and a rescue dog was dispatched minutes later. Upon arrival at the weather station the staff members, using search equipment, located the missing worker approximately 1.5 m deep in an avalanche debris field. The worker was evacuated by helicopter to a hospital in Fernie, where the resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.

The RCMP and the BC Coroner’s Office are conducting the initial avalanche investigation. Further details will be provide as information becomes available.

Source: Island Lake Resort Group

[Skilasnow]

...and was reported to have run beyond known limits in the trees.
This speaks volumes. You can't predict, only can you prepare.

[M@]

This speaks volumes. You can't predict, only can you prepare.
Yup... read "GULF OF SLIDES" and/or "BASE OF THE BOWL"

M@

[Tommy T]

Check out the articles on "heuristic traps" in avalanche accidents in the October and November, 2005, issues of Couloir. They are about how certain normal interactions interfere with sound avalanche judgment.

Turns out that familiarity with the terrain increases the risk of an avalanche accident. (Complacency) ("I've been up here dozens of times; the danger is just a newpaper scare thing.")

Low avalanche danger forecasts make people ignore other signs of danger. (Consistency) ("Yep, those are fracture lines in snow but don't worry the forecast is "Low"")

Seven is the most dangerous group size. (Peer Preasure) (You get the idea, a couple of buddies may take care of each other and decide not to chance it but in a group, if somebodies goes, you all go.)

Having an "Expert" along is really dangerous unless the expert really is one. (Expert Halo) (I hate knowing that people follow me up, figuring that because I've been lucky I must be safe. I know I'm just nuts and I don't care but they think I really understand this stuff.)

Trying to get first turns when there are only a few choices and a lot of potential competitors is bad. (Scarcity/value) (Make those first tracks before the slope is fully consolidated and everybody hiking up all week-end will see them. Be conservative, and somebody else will snake your line.)

Having girls along is dangerous if you're a guy. (You probably can figure this one out. The article notes that it is not because girls are more prone to risk taking.)

The presence of other groups in the area can cause a suspension of independent evaluation. (Social Facilitation) ("Hey, there must be 500 people up there today. It's got to be safe.")

All of these are sort of the "Oh, of course that happens." Seeing them actually studied and evaluated is a good first step to avoiding being trapped by one of them yourself. It was noticed in the study that the people most affected by these traps were people with a little avalanche knowledge or introductory training. Appareantly the fear factor for real newbies overcomes the traps and a true, highly trained and very experienced expert may manage to recognize the dangers in spite of the traps. I, for one, fit in that dangerous middle ground.

Tommy T.

[DMC]

Very true TommyT...

[Tommy T]

Very true TommyT...

I'm just trying to understand the playing field here. Exactly which part was it that you thought was very true?

This:

I know I'm just nuts and I don't care but they think I really understand this stuff...


or this:

Having girls along is dangerous if you're a guy.

or this:

I, for one, fit in that dangerous middle ground.

Tommy T.

[M@]

In a similar field - when learning to fly, I learned that the probability of having an "incident" goes up a TON at the 100hr (hours of flight time) mark. Which is right about where I am.

The whole, "I know now what I'm doing" thing makes you dangerous.

M@

[DMC]

All the "heuristic traps" stuff..

And the other stuff too... But mainly the "heuristic traps" stuff...

[NtrentT]

Fantastic information and insight !

Makes me feel ashamed I havent been to an AVI I class yet...

There is one being held Feb 25-26th by the AMC at Joe Dodge I believe, I got somthing in the mail about it. Its 89.99 or 100.00 I cant remember.

Id love to make it but I come back from WY on the 24th, its a strech, but if i can get there I will.

Anyone headed up there on that date?

[PWDR8S]

Your Mom's an heuristic trap. http://www.timefortuckerman.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[PWDR8S]

Fantastic information and insight !

Makes me feel ashamed I havent been to an AVI I class yet...

There is one being held Feb 25-26th by the AMC at Joe Dodge I believe, I got somthing in the mail about it. Its 89.99 or 100.00 I cant remember.

Id love to make it but I come back from WY on the 24th, its a strech, but if i can get there I will.

Anyone headed up there on that date?
Hey, I'll be up there for the Level II course from the 24th-27th. Perhaps we can spilt lodging or something.... I'm leaning towards Joe Dodge or pretty much anywhere cheap.

[Ispoiler]

There has been some huge natural slides, way bigger then people have been expecting or used to. Anyone with half a brain have been avoiding the the steeper aspects in the backcountry for the past month. That said, I have been in areas where a slide of that magnitude may have burried me. That report was a real eye opener. I had a level 1 avi class this past weekend and the instructer was commenting how lucky we are to have lost such few people this season.