# Avalanche Fatality: Kananaskis Alberta



## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

Sorry to hear that  RIP


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Very sorry to hear. RIP bro.

It's always sobering when this shit happens to experienced, seasoned people who are knowledgeable about avalanche awareness and who are strong skiers/riders to boot. It forces you to acknowledge the risks involved. If you're skiing or riding in the backcountry in avalanche terrain, it's impossible to completely eliminate the risk of avalanche. Sometimes shit happens that is virtually impossible to predict.


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## DevilWithin (Sep 16, 2013)

RIP. Sorry to hear man. That really sucks.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

My condolences to you and your Coworkers friends & family! :sad: Stay safe Pout!


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

very sorry to hear this...


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## t21 (Dec 29, 2010)

RIP to your friend and condolences to his family and you.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Thanks all, yeah it's tough when somebody with all the training, gear and experience gets caught. Makes me continue to stay a resort snowboarder for now. There are in bounds avalanche fatalities, but they're VERY rare with all the controls we have in place.

Seems like the risk is exponentially higher in the backcountry.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

when I took my avy class, they tell you that having that training makes it even more likely that you will be caught in a slide, statistically speaking. Makes sense since it implies that you are more likely to be in those areas if you have the training. 

This video is pretty sobering, the guy had a master's degree in snow science.


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## binarypie (Nov 29, 2009)

RIP! Mother Nature is fickle.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Sad. Keep in mind Ski Patrollers are well versed in backcountry basics, but they do not travel in backcountry like the recreationalist. Their job has them controlling avalanche terrain, not constantly avoiding it. Once outside of the resort boundaries, most ski patrollers are a little more experienced than average bc educated enthusiast. They are not avalanche forecasters.

Strainer trees. Ugh. That sounds horrible. I take it there was a large alpine slope above treeline that released and took them for a ride? That is one of my biggest nightmare scenarios. It is fine and good if you can recognize that slope and just say forget or travel in a spot that keeps you well away from the slide possibility. When traveling in the trees though, you don't always see it either. Yet you can still trigger that slope above from well below. 

RIP. Really sucks to hear this.


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## Elektropow (Mar 6, 2014)

Rest in peace. 

It's stories like these that make me a bit of a pussy on the slopes. I know many of you like to ride the steep terrain, where something like this wouldn't help anyways, but for some out there this is a very simple and good precautionary tool:

How to use a Inclinometer or slope meter | Skiing The Backcountry


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## brownSnow (Jan 7, 2009)

RIP in another life taken too early on the mountains, very sad to read this.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

killclimbz said:


> Sad. Keep in mind Ski Patrollers are well versed in backcountry basics, but they do not travel in backcountry like the recreationalist. Their job has them controlling avalanche terrain, not constantly avoiding it. Once outside of the resort boundaries, most ski patrollers are a little more experienced than average bc educated enthusiast. They are not avalanche forecasters.


For what it's worth, this group does a LOT of backcountry, I think pretty much every non-patrol day for them. Some of the 5 that were involved also go South every summer for the southern winter, so they ski ALL the time!

Can't deny there was an extreme danger alert in place. Have no idea what I would have done in the situation, but it seems inevitable here. We get an extreme alert and then somebody dies.

In other news, we're having a memorial BBQ for him at the hill this Saturday. If anyone in Calgary wants to come out, it starts at 10:00 and all the proceeds will go to his family.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

It sounds like it was a complicated zone. Getting swept up in trees, there had to be some terrain features, maybe not so easily identifiable that threatened their spot. Conjecture on my part as I haven't even looked at a report or map of the zone. Getting pinballed in the trees is not a happy thing to happen. Terrain that is usually a good spot to be becomes your worst nightmare. Sounds like they triggered it from below.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

killclimbz said:


> It sounds like it was a complicated zone. Getting swept up in trees, there had to be some terrain features, maybe not so easily identifiable that threatened their spot. Conjecture on my part as I haven't even looked at a report or map of the zone. Getting pinballed in the trees is not a happy thing to happen. Terrain that is usually a good spot to be becomes your worst nightmare. Sounds like they triggered it from below.


Yeah, the only piece of info I heard from reports was that they were on this particular slope to avoid a more hazardous slope that is the typical route. I wish we had detailed analysis like you've got in the states. Even though I've got zero BC experience, I find them interesting to read (and as a safety guy, root causes are what facinate me).

I'll be hanging out with the group this Saturday, so might get some more info then, but I certainly don't want to ask yet. Hopefully somebody can shed some light on what happened.

We've had a rough year for snow. One hill just closed for the season! I think there's been weird freeze thaw cycles, hoar frost, etc.

It's tough to say he died doing what he loved, because when you love something that much, you want to keep doing it until you get old. Stay safe please people!


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