Avalanche off the Top of Mt. Owen
In this video you can see the importance of “digging in” when an avalanche trigers at your feet. This lucky skier would have gone for a much longer ride if he was not able to dig himself in and self arrest.
In this video you can see the importance of “digging in” when an avalanche trigers at your feet. This lucky skier would have gone for a much longer ride if he was not able to dig himself in and self arrest.
Good ole’ Colorado snowpack at its finest.
That was not a self-arrest. This very lucky skier was just that, a very lucky skier. The skier was on top of a bunch of debris that happens to come to a stop. Yes, you should always fight to dig in and stop, but this skier just got lucky. If that snow kept moving the skier would have been powerless to stop.
Lucky for sure, but he did have two whippets so I wouldn’t rule out the fact he was able to self arrest via his uphill side. Hard to tell from the video but it looks to me that it was more than the “debris coming to a stop”. Glad he’s ok.
It actually does look like a self arrest (using his self arrest pole). As soon as it breaks it looks like he intentionally puts all of his weight to his right and digs in. I don’t think think debris above him would have just stopped on its own on a slick crust that steep.
So you’re implying his whippets stopped all that snow above him? Right.
looked like he got in the lee of that rock and there was not a lot of snow pushing him…I’d say it looked like he almost steered over to that rock to get under it…
i think i may have pooped a little bit if i was in his shoes/ski boots
or at least a water stain from crotch to knee. agree with the above, he was more lucky than anything else
if your going to perform massive jump turns all the way down a wind-slabbed chute you should probably stomp on it a few times before your really get into it. Otherwise just straight-line that shit!
(jk)
ehh even if you were kidding you are right..straight line that shit and avalanche risk drops a lot
Hopefully his luck keeps up. This kid has been involved in at least three avys in the past two years.
real question.
is that now safe to ski down?
or whats the proper next move?
Yup, bed surface typically is stable, although it may be bulletproof
That is Mt. Owen Wyoming in the Teton Range.
No that is Mt. Owen in the West Elks, near Crested Butte
hmmm somebody posted it on YouBoob as Mt Owen WY.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMxNtnz5bl0
https://www.google.com/search?q=mout+owen+colorado&aq=f&oq=mout+owen+colorado&aqs=chrome.0.57.7090&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=mt+owen+colorado&oq=mout+owen+colorado+&gs_l=serp.1.0.0i13i30j0i13i5i30.1021.6625.0.9684.13.8.5.0.0.0.214.1017.1j6j1.8.0.les%3B..1.0…1c.1.5.psy-ab.oSrguRSDhUw&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.43287494,d.aWc&fp=fb5f3446d6ae6fc6&biw=1680&bih=868
no mt owen near lake irwin
I this a shameless Black Diamond plug.
No Mt Owen near my bunghole…
for all those armchair skiers here is my trip report- http://www.millerperspectives.com/2013/02/13/big-game-couloir-hunting-mt-owen-february-12-2013-crested-butte-colorado/
take from it what you will.
Cheers,
Chris
sick!
Stay safe Chris. Just got slid myself out here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X26DlBEEqM
Chris,
tons of respect for you and Zach. have to be two of the hardest charging and knowledgeable skiers in CB. armchair skiers is right.
Not much to armchair about when you said it all in your TR:
-new snow
-high winds
-terrain trap
-awareness and concern about storm slab
Glad you came out alright.
Small slab, easily managed. quit getting your panties in a bunch over nothing…
hop turn hack….you have no business there you twit.