# Video: Colorado Snowboarder Caught In Avalanche Deploys Airbag And Survives



## Toecutter

whoa...

That would have been scary.


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## Milo303

Saw this earlier to as well

Pretty glad I have the same pack!

I wouldn't have hit that face in the first place though


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## Argo

Great video....


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## digZ

Happy she got away unharmed, but what a dangerous line to hit especially given what conditions have been this year.


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## Toecutter

I wonder if the proliferation of airbags will embolden people to start riding questionable lines?


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## slyder

sorry but I'm a midwestern'er and have only flown over mountains. I know zero about avalanches.

Does the skier deploy the bag???
I take it, it's designed to help keep them above the sliding snow to not get burried much like a life jacket/preserver???


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## Milo303

Toecutter said:


> I wonder if the proliferation of airbags will embolden people to start riding questionable lines?


I've got one and I wouldn't have hit it during this seasons snow pack


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## Milo303

slyder said:


> sorry but I'm a midwestern'er and have only flown over mountains. I know zero about avalanches.
> 
> Does the skier deploy the bag???
> I take it, it's designed to help keep them above the sliding snow to not get burried much like a life jacket/preserver???




There's a trigger type of mechanism that is inside a pocket on the back pack. When taking lines like this you pull the trigger out of the pocket in case you have to use it.

If you trigger something and are going down, pull the trigger thing and the bags deploy.

The way I understand it is basically it changes your weight to space ratio and your head area becomes very light for the size it's taking up and that part of your body floats on top of the snow. 

However, the most videos I've seen of test and such with these being deployed, the entire dummy or person seems to always stay on top of the snow. 

So apparently the way I understand it of just keeping your head area up high is being debunked and basically the majority of your body will float, if you're lucky


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## snowvols

Saw this earlier. I am now looking at purchasing a bag. I am afraid though I would take more risk on terrain selection though. Not this year though since it is breaking to the ground and this bad boy won't do anything to keep you from trauma due to rocks.


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## Milo303

I can honestly say that I do not have the urge to do anything that I wouldn't have done without the pack, it's just reassurance if there is a mistake made.

I never intend on getting myself into an avi situation, with or without a pack.

My fear for avi's are great and a pack isn't a guarantee....

So that's my view on it, you may end up with a different one. 

Maybe I respect and fear avalanches more than most but having a pack has changed me none


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## sponger606

*CO Avalanches - Snake River*

lucky!!!!


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## cjcameron11

Is this deliberately set off? the reason i ask is it looked like it was kinda staged, I'm sure its not but it kinda looks fishy, and I'm sure he knew a slide was a possibility as there had been a previous slide just to the right of screen which suggests that where he was could be sketchy, it didn't look like he tried to out run it or make it to a safe spot on one of the sides of his run.

Anyway it just looked very staged to me or maybe I'm just showing my limited knowledge on avalanches and riding BC.


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## sponger606

your right , there is something not right about this? cant put my finger on it. still a bit of a risk for an advertising stunt?


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## cjcameron11

Ohh definitely a risk for advertising something but maybe they were testing the airbag system or something like that i dunno but I'm glad you also thought it looked weird means I'm not that crazy.


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## linvillegorge

The only thing that could possibly be dumber than riding exposed alpine terrain in these avy conditions would be to do so with the intention of being caught in an avalanche.

These airbag systems are great, but I hope people don't think that they replace general common sense in avy terrain.


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## Milo303

I don't know of any BCA tests done with humans and rocks at the bottom.

If this was on purpose, that girl better have made a TON of money for risking her life. 

You can see the line has been ridden before she got on it. I don't see it being rigged

Looks like she was getting after it and heard it go, that's when she stopped and prepared to pull the trigger


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## cjcameron11

Look i agree with you and i believe anyone who did this is a fucktard BUT it does look kinda dodgy. Again i have no BC experience so maybe you guys can chime in, would you ride this line? considering the factors right now with the snowpack the fact that a recent slide happened on the adjacent slope. Where would your safe point be? considering she obviously rode down a chute with rocks either side where would her safe point be there?

I guess i was pointing out it looks suss, or maybe I'm just seeing what i consider stupidity.


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## linvillegorge

Only a complete fucking idiot would ride that line in these conditions.

Only a completely suicidal fucking idiot would trigger an avalanche with the intent of getting caught and going for a ride, no matter the gear they have.


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## digZ

Not sure what happened to the other thread with this video in it, but yeah that was an extremely dangerous line given what the conditions have been this season. Glad she made it out, but airbag or not that was dumb.


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## cjcameron11

I just don't get why people are trying shit that they should know are not good lines to hit right now, i mean i really want to get into BC when i have the skills i believe that will allow me to ride safely, BUT even now with no experience i could see that was not a great option considering the warning signs, snowpack and terrain choice.

As said i don't think it was "staged" but i do think it still looks funny somehow


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## linvillegorge

Sometimes people are simply capable of stunning stupidity.

Anyone can make a costly mistake in the BC, but sometimes the mistakes are so obvious that it's hard to understand how or why they were made.


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## killclimbz

This is not a staged slide. This is back in the Montezuma basin. I have no idea what decision making that led these people to believe that riding those lines was a good idea. They obviously lack a serious amount of training and knowledge. Nothing in the avy report indicated that riding alpine terrain was safe. I believe this entire group was semi pro. 

She is very lucky she got to walk away from this relatively uninjured. From what I've heard, a snowmobiler back there got a broken femur for his efforts. It is unclear if it was avalanche related, but that is the going theory.

I wonder if they would have chosen that line if they didn't have airbags? Putting an awful lot of faith in the system. If this continues, someone will die with their bag inflated. Which will pop eyes and overall will be a good thing. It sucks that it's going to take a life to get ijits like this to understand the risk they are taking.


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## snowvols

Milo303 said:


> My fear for avi's are great and a pack isn't a guarantee....
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I respect and fear avalanches more than most but having a pack has changed me none


I completely know what you mean, but I guess with me sometimes my level of risk is higher than others. I guess it stems from the fact I have no wife or kids, so I have no one depending on me to come home every night. :laugh:


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## snowvols

Went touring Saturday and there were some people putting down lines I thought were rather dumb. People will generally always push the boundaries. Looks rather bluebird there and still some freshish snow on the ground so they might have had powder fever. 

Here is a photo I took Sunday of some steeper terrain right before these guys dropped in. You can also see other lines people went off. What's the aspect of the 'zuma bowl?


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## killclimbz

Here is the write up from BCA.

Sounds like it was a northeast facing line. Exactly what the CAIC was warning about. The article doesn't mention what their decision process was, which I assume there wasn't one.


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## killclimbz

Merged the two threads on this subject...


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## wrathfuldeity

herd rumor that folks were testing bags in bc pnw setting off slides with avy sticks...but idk


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## killclimbz

I've heard similar things actually.

There is no doubt that the airbags work and work very well. Especially if you have open terrain to slide out on. The thing is, if you have to activate one, you've already made huge mistakes. I have yet to see one avalanche accident that there were not warning signs to tell a person that maybe they should have not been there. Some obvious, others not as much. Regardless, there is always a clue.


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## Toecutter

I wonder how long until some knuckleheads decide to do the next extreme sport of avalanche surfing?


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## turbospartan

From what I've read, it seems as if these "semi-pros" were back there doing a "backcountry competition". Pretty stupid considering the conditions.


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## killclimbz

turbospartan said:


> From what I've read, it seems as if these "semi-pros" were back there doing a "backcountry competition". Pretty stupid considering the conditions.


I've read that too. Proving that they are backcountry knuckleheads...


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## snowvols

> COLORADO AVALANCHE DANGER HIGH, FLASHING RED...
> Monday, January 23, 2012 at 10:13AM
> 
> We will be out there today and tommorow, packing trail and trying to start slides. *The more we get to slide the more we will be able to ride.* Come up and lend a hand. . . Thanks


This is an exert from the festivals webpage. Ever heard of repeat offenders? These guys are completely stupid. 

Here is their link to the page Snowboard Freeride Co-Op - What's new


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## Milo303

He does have a point but the video in discussion is not how you do it


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## DrnknZag

^^Wow. Dumbasses.


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## Milo303

I was sledneckin with a guy last week who was making things go just for the thrill of it, stupid

However, a guy I consider a sledneckin buddy triggered one on Jones pass a couple days ago on purpose for the reason that it will become rideable soon.

You can trigger them on purpose with sleds by doing small high marks and it's fairly safe, but you don't send a body down from the top.... Well, I wouldn't be that person atleast.


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## cjcameron11

So are we saying it was kinda expected to slide in this vid? seems to me thats asking for an injury or worse.


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## snowvols

Milo303 said:


> He does have a point but the video in discussion is not how you do it


I'd agree with you if your snowpack wasn't shit like ours. When you have facets to the ground and the slide doesn't take the facets with it all it is doing is setting it up to go again.


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## Milo303

cjcameron11 said:


> So are we saying it was kinda expected to slide in this vid? seems to me thats asking for an injury or worse.


Well looking at it, it was expected, but did she do it on purpose, I don't think so.

I don't think even the guys currently being talked about are that stupid, atleast I hope not...


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## Milo303

snowvols said:


> I'd agree with you if your snowpack wasn't shit like ours. When you have facets to the ground and the slide doesn't take the facets with it all it is doing is setting it up to go again.


I havn't seen a decent slide yet this season that didn't go to the ground

Even the huge one that just went on berthoud went to the ground from what I could see

And it's MASSIVE! Biggest one I've ever seen with my eyes


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## Milo303

I hope Kill chimes in on the discussion of triggering on purpose


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## cjcameron11

i gotta admit I'm very interested in how avalanches work and how unbelievably powerful they are/can be. I mean they still kinda scare the shit out of me, but in a good way, it has made me respect riding even in Australia where we rarely have avalanches due to the warmer temps and less snow accumulation.

BUT reading this forum and other sites has given me valuable insight into looking for things i would otherwise have no idea about, and makes me think twice about doing certain things i probably would had it not been for this free important info.

And as said even i know that vid was fucking stupid


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## snowvols

Milo303 said:


> I havn't seen a decent slide yet this season that didn't go to the ground
> 
> Even the huge one that just went on berthoud went to the ground from what I could see
> 
> And it's MASSIVE! Biggest one I've ever seen with my eyes


From looking at the photos and the video it appeared that there was still a layer of snow that was left behind. I know that the larger rocks and stuff are exposed now due to the slide. I don't know the state of your snowpack since I don't live there so I might sound super ignorant. If it did in fact still leave a layer of facets though the new snow will bury it. Then you are with the same problem since you never trust a hoar no matter how deep she is.


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## killclimbz

I just don't know about these guys. Reckless is the best description. They knew this terrain was suspect at best. 

As far as stuff running to the ground. The Current Creek Bench and Cirque slides did not completely remove the snow. It got rid of a lot of the facets but not completely. Did it make a difference? Probably. Regardless, those are spots generally best avoided in good years. 

For these guys, maybe they'll have some luck. If they are using ropes and secure points, I could see their efforts bearing some fruit. Somehow I doubt that is what is going to happen. 

It's a fine line between a reasonable action and stupidity.


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## killclimbz

We almost always have a faceted or depth hoar layer at the ground level btw. Even last year, there was anywhere from a couple of inches to almost a foot of it. Usually it gets buried deep enough that it's fairly predictable. Even so, most people wait for the big lines until we start to get a freeze thaw cycle that helps solidify all of those other layers we got over a season.


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