# Snowboarder Killed on Pucker Face outside of JHMR



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

:sad:

Details just rolling in. 

earlyups | Avalanche | Pucker Face – JHMR

It is safe to say we are getting into the thick of it with avalanche danger right now.

Avy eyes wide open. It doesn't take much to make the dragon angry right now.


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## hardasacatshead (Aug 21, 2013)

Gees that's not good. 

We had a day off today but I heard the S&R chopper buzzing around a couple of hours ago and that's obviously why. 

It's no huge surprise that somebody's been caught in a slide, the avy risks are are pretty high right now, it's just a shame it had those consequences. We had about a week of hotter, sunny days and the pack was super hard then we had almost 30" in 3-4 days. There's a lot of slide debris around from the bombing inbounds so that serves as a pretty good sign that the areas that aren't managed are going to be prone to pop also. 

Poor bugger, I hope he got some nice turns in on the way down so he at least left with a smile on his face. 

RIP


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Damn.
That looks like very steep terrain.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Hate to hear it, but that is insane terrain to be trying to hit in December with a continental snowpack.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Pucker face is pretty gnarly. And there are cliffs. From what I've see of it, aside from the obviously rocky section on the face, it is not much of a terrain trap at the bottom. You can choose much worse lines in the Tetons. 

I think a big problem is, we have a lot of areas under "Moderate" conditions right now. Which is when a lot of the accidents happen because people are willing to push it under that warning. Generally speaking Considerable is where the most accidents happen, but Moderate is not far behind. It vies for that top spot.


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## jdang307 (Feb 6, 2011)

I'm going to assume those rocks were not exposed before the slide? If they were, I can't imagine ever dropping in (ignoring the steep for the moment) even if God himself came down and told there would be no slide.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

I am not sure what it looked like before the slide, but that face is a rather well known test piece. Mandatory airs, or straightlines through the cliff band. It's featured. And yes, it is slide prone.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

with snow, no slide - not the day of this slide:










another, again - not the day of this:











after the slide on this incident:











pretty big line - with real trauma consequences from rock exposure. definitely steep enough and exposed enough to get you in real trouble should really anything go wrong, be it large avy or simply losing an edge. 

i'd ride a line like that but i'd only do it in deeper snowpack and only on a very stable day. if there was any question i wouldn't. easy to say from sitting in front of my computer tho.. it does look badass.


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## hardasacatshead (Aug 21, 2013)

A bit more info on this here: Out of bounds slide kills Jackson man - Jackson Hole News&Guide: News


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Fuck thats just big and heavy. 
Takes balls to ride that without a doubt. You cant really say much about it other than its steep and thin snowpack.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

avalanche kills skier on Pucker Face

Turns out he was an "expert" skier and the face was wind slab on facets.


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## tonicusa (Feb 27, 2008)

RIP Michael K.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

ETM said:


> Fuck thats just big and heavy.
> Takes balls to ride that without a doubt.* You cant really say much about it other than its steep and thin snowpack.*


all of this and especially this.


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## KansasNoob (Feb 24, 2013)

All the networks were saying "killed AT JHMR". I bet they appreciate that. Really too hard to say OUTSIDE the resort??


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## Listheeb21 (Jan 20, 2011)

There was an avy on pucker face two years ago that was captured on video (couldn't find it today, appears to have been deleted) that really gives an indication of the severity of that slope. In the video, a snowboarder enters the slope heelside heading looker's right. He cuts back onto his toe side edge and makes a hard ski cut (didn't appear intentional) and the whole thing released under him. His friends were filming, and they trained the camera on the path of the slide in an attempt to locate him. When they panned back up top, the guy was holding on for dear life by his fingertips just above the crown. Appeared that he would have been able to extract himself safely, but probably needed new pants.

This parody clip is all I could find...shows the beginning of the event: **PUCKER FACE AVALANCHE** ---What they don't want you to see!!! on Vimeo


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## a4h Saint (Jan 24, 2013)

I cannot believe one can hit terrain like that from the resort... I so need to get out of my S.E. US bubble! 

RIP and condolences to the people with him...


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## TBomb (Dec 29, 2010)

Damn. We were out at JHMR a couple years back when that snowboarder triggered the slide that others have already mentioned. It is a seriously intimidating line even on a good day. It's called "Pucker Face" for a reason, and not because it tastes bad.

Condolences to the guy's family and friends. At least he went out doing what he loved.


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## hardasacatshead (Aug 21, 2013)

a4h Saint said:


> I cannot believe one can hit terrain like that from the resort...


It's not within the resort boundaries. To get to Pucker you need to take the tram, traverse across Rendezvous Bowl, exit the resort boundary through the gates then hike the ridge.

It's not that far away though.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

ETM said:


> avalanche kills skier on Pucker Face
> 
> Turns out he was an "expert" skier and the face was wind slab on facets.


Expert skier, but not an expert at reading avalanche terrain.

That is a huge problem as I am sure most know in this thread. Double black diamond riding ability, not even green circle avalanche knowledge. Bad mix. I was that guy at one point as I am also sure most of you were.

I know Bruce Tremper says "all the avalanche experts are dead" but that is not totally true either.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

killclimbz said:


> Expert skier, but not an expert at reading avalanche terrain.
> 
> That is a huge problem as I am sure most know in this thread. Double black diamond riding ability, not even green circle avalanche knowledge..


Yep.......


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## destroy (Dec 16, 2012)

killclimbz said:


> Expert skier, but not an expert at reading avalanche terrain.
> 
> That is a huge problem as I am sure most know in this thread. Double black diamond riding ability, not even green circle avalanche knowledge. Bad mix. I was that guy at one point as I am also sure most of you were.
> 
> I know Bruce Tremper says "all the avalanche experts are dead" but that is not totally true either.


He actually lists that last quote in the few *myths* he disspells right near the start of the book. That along with the part he mentions about one's riding ability usually grossly overshadowing one's snow science knowledge...

Yeah, I've been reading my new book


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Early Ups has a solid write up from one of the people in the party involved. Sad accident.

Small gripe. The Author saying they have Level 1 and 2 avalanche certs. There is no such thing. The class is not a cert. There is no pass fail component. All that taking a Level 1 or 2 course does is guarantee that you slept through it. There is nothing certified until you take a level 3. Hopefully you did a little more than sleep through the class of course.

earlyups | Pucker Avalanche | Told Through a Member of the Party


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