It has been confirmed that long time Snowbird pro Jamie Pierre passed away today in Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jamie’s wife, kids, family and friends.
It was a very dangerous day today in Little Cottonwood. I witnessed a good sized slide in Stonecrusher at Alta today from about 15 feet away. The slide picked up speed and size before blasting into the gully just above the top of Corkscrew.
There were also at least 3 other human triggered avalanches at Alta today. One on Gunsight where a man was injured. The unofficial injury that I heard was a dislocated hip. Another avalanche was reported on the Baldy Shoulder, where many of todays hikers were heading. A third was in Little Chute and I heard that two people got washed out of the chute without all their gear. I think these two not very smart skiers are both ok. There may have also been another slide in Eagles Nest, that one is not confirmed yet.
There were hundreds of skiers hiking around Alta today, many without proper avalanche gear. Please bring your gear and know how to use it. It is important for your safety and the safety of everyone else up there. Due to these slides and the number of inexperienced riders on the hill Alta Ski Patrol closed the mountain to uphill traffic and swept everyone off the hill at about 2:45pm . They will likely remain closed to uphill traffic until their scheduled opening this Friday.
I will update this post as soon as I have more info. If you know anything about any of these incidents please contact me at [email protected]
Accident Report from utahavalanchecenter.org/accident_gad_valley
Thanks and be safe out there.
++++ VIBES ++++
The UAC Accident & Rescue Summary:
http://utahavalanchecenter.org/accident_gad_valley_11132011
dislike….
Lets all be safe out there this season
i was gonna go up tmw if it gets stable, but so many ppl up there during the storm? sketchy times, especially without BEACON SHOVEL PROBE KNOWLEDGE. LIFT TURNS IN 10 DAYS, WORTH YOUR LIFE?
Still trying to find info on who was lost today in the Wasatch. Alta will remain most likely stay closed to uphill traffic until the lifts open…
jamie pierre
That seems to be the rumor, but no one has confirmed it…
not jamie pierre, they’re saying it was a snowboarder.
Heres an article on it
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=18073250&title=avalanche-near-snowbird-kills-1
I saw Jamie in the canyon today. He was hitch hiking with a Snowboard. I thought it was odd, because I have never seen him on a Snowboard before…
It was confirmed Jamie, all over the web as of yesterday afternoon, I live in Big Sky, Jamie, Aimee, and there two kids just moved here. He hosted the pond skim for the Yellowstone Club Employee Ski party last April, I was honer’ed to have a beer with him and chat a bit about the area here in which he at that time was interested in moving and raising his family here. I have since ran into him often in the Local Big Sky Community and Bozeman this past summer and fall. RIP
http://utahavalanchecenter.org/accident_gad_valley_11132011
2 boarders
I saw Jamie with a Snowboard today hitching in LCC. It was Jamie….RIP
Damn man!!!! This is too early for this shit….Rest In Power Jamie…
Rest in peace Jamie; I still remember the first time I saw the video of him dropping that 255-footer, something else. You will be missed.
You mean the drop where he landed on his head? When he had a 10-month-old kid at the time? Keep playing with fire and you’re bound to get burned.
I told him this very statement in the Targhee corridor that year. I feel horrible for his wife and kids though. These incidents are well known to come to such athletes, especially ones doing the things Pierre did. I find it ironic and sad to see him go out like this with all the stuff he pulled in his day.
Have some freaking respect man. RIP
It is not about respect…when you have kids this type of risk taking is not acceptable…
I know of a cute lil girl in squaw who will never really know her amazing dad due to such choices.
Sorry if this pisses people off…but the pain and hardship caused by poor decision making is not something to be minimized.
It is absolutely about respect. You are disrespecting his family by disrespecting Jamie in a time where they need support and good vibes. The last thing they need is for you to be ragging on J.P.
For someone who seems sooo sensible and wise I would think you’d understand that this is neither the time nor the place for such comments.
R.I.P. Jamie Pierre. You were a legend and an inspiration.
It is Not respectful to Post crap like this, if i see you I will slap the honesty out of you. Poor decision posting this!! I bet you don’t know any of these pro skiers who risk it everyday. RIP Jamie God Bless you and your family at this time
Well then, tell us your name. Honestly. Don’t hide.
Pointing out the reality of the situation is not lack of respect, he was a hack skier that never was good enough to go pro without being a complete idiot. Maybe he should have had some respect for his life and his family and he would be just another dead idiot with a wife and kid that now have ski memerabelia to remember him by.
F-off dooshbag!
Anonymous you’re a prick.
and what are you, Jake? a 7 year old???
I agree with Jake: who comes on here and expects to get away with ripping on the likes of Shane or anyone else? Give it a break and pick a different time to make a statement about “taking risks.” Thanks Jamie for inspiration.
RIP Jamie, you are my hero!
Our hearts go out to the Pierre family and the entire community. Praying Jamie has found bottomless blower somewhere above us all. R.I.P.
The 2 words that I will never forget Jamie Pierre said to the world “Sack up!”….
RIP JAMIE
RIP
So sad. Had a chance to ski with Jamie a couple times. He was so humble and encouraging of others. Condolences to family and friends.
Ski in Peace Jamie, you were an inspiration too us all.
Thoughts to all family and friends. Terrible news.
RIP Jamie……..
Oh my god…. Why?! ugh. RIP
I was just shocked when I saw this… vibes man SIP
RIP, SIP. A true inspiration to all skiers. He is truly awesome.
RIP, SIP. A true inspiration to all skiers. He is truly awesome.
So sad to hear. RIP, SIP, GIP
RIP Jamie your are awesome! Its starting to get a little old tho, make sure you get in some snow knowledge and beacon shovel probe before the season. Looks like we are all going to need it. Not that it can even be avoided in some situations, but if it happens all the luck in the world is going to be the answer
no fucking way man.
R.I.P :’(
so sorry, Jamie.
Shred In Peace Jamie! Your legacy of ridiculous cliff-dropping will surely live on in Squaw, Jackson, and the Wasatch through all the people you have inspired!
RIP Jamie.
RIP Jamie.
i’m an east coast skier who is planning to go to salt lake at the end of January. I’ve been to Alta before and was planning to hit it up again. What kind of “beacon” knowlege do I need that ppl are mentioning??? I have NO idea how to deal with avalanches and such. I ussualy just take a camelbak and thats it.
If you are here in Jan. Stay in bounds and you will be fine.
Take Avalanche One course and you will have a foundation to build on.
i’m an east coast skier who is heading out to salt lake in late January. I’m not too experienced with skiing out west, but I did go to Alta last year and plan to go again this year. I don’t know ANYTHING about avalanche awareness and if/what gear I may need. Can someone help me out please???
This slides that killed Jamie and caught several others occurred before they opened for the season and before avalanche controls were performed. In bounds avys are uncommon but do occur. If you’re or not ride with a partner in small groups. Where identifiable clothing that not dark so your partner doesn’t mistake you for some else. Wear a helmet, it is cheap insurance.
Oh man, this is so sad. RIP Jamie. Thoughts and prayers go out to your family and friends.
The guy was an idiot. He had all the GoPro cameras strapped to him but no avy gear.
Darwin would be proud.
I feel sorry for his family.
Take it easy man. It is too soon for the hate to come out.
@Willie – You surmised all of that because you saw him in an HD HERO video? You don’t know what the circumstances, his level of preparedness, if he had an transceiver or not. More than likely he was killed by trauma not suffocation, but your comments are pointless. Furthermore, if anyone who is a hardcore skier, pro or not has taken risk that put themselves in grave danger, it’s a part of why we ski…
RIP Jamie. You will be missed in LCC.
I see unoffic edited their comments when they see it’s somebody they’ve heard of passed away. Goes to show the douche bags some of you over there are.
Rip j.p.
Not sure what you are talking about man. We just updated the info on who was killed once we knew. Jamie was a friend. Not sure why you are hating.
Have a good one bro…
Ah, well last night when I read this when it was first reported, it said something to the effect of all the people there yesterday and how the involved were not smart or stupid or somethin. Can’t remember the quote specifically but pretty sure it was edited. Regardless, if it was jp or some snowboarding kid, it’s super unfortunate either way. Feel for his wife and kid(s).
My only comment on peoples intelligence is still in the post and was in regard to the two guys who tried to ride Little Chute. Little Chute is boney with a 200 inch base….therefore it is not too smart to ride it when there is a 15 inch base. I only made that comment because I had already spoken to Alta Ski Patrol and knew that these two guys were ok.
Word. It’s all good. If that was the case, my bad.
Jaime was a friend,always positive, and always sharp, all you haters are weak followers who cant even dream of attemting lines he layed on the mountain.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his Wife and kids. RIP Jaime
Just curious to those that knew him-was he a part time snowboarder?
Yeah he was pretty good at snowboarding too although he didn’t do it a ton. He was good at every sport he ever tried, I swear!
My sincere condolences.
Is anyone setting up a “pitch in” fund ?
There is a fund through Wells Fargo, anyone can donate to the “Jamie Pierre family memorial fund” just so ya know!
r.i.p. i feel sorry for his family.. but it he had it coming. not to be a dick
“He had it coming”? Really? It’s easy sitting in the comfort of your home like your giving feedback after Sunday’s football games to make such an assertion without knowing all of the facts and then to judge a person who died doing what he loved.
I hope for your sake you’re not killed or someone close to you for making a mistake while pursuing a passion and then to have people like you make pointless unlettered comments about your untimely death….
If you do stupid shit like this Fu cking idiot did u deserve to be dead , what a fuc king I diot
Agreed if you set off the whole cirque in a slide you sure as hell don’t decide to go ski janky rocks into gad. You are essentially taking a gun to your head its not even a question of risk assessment at that point its just absolute disregard for one’s life and those around them.
Who gives a sh it idiot had itcoming
Some people have such ignorant comments! Who among us would not take risks to be able to do what we love AND get paid for it? Maybe Jamie took “unacceptable” risks in some people eyes but who gives anyone the right to say things about a deceased person such as “they deserved it”? He was a fanstastic skiier but even better of a friend, husband, and father. For those who are ignorant about Jamie (and obviously about social standards), keep judging-that’ll get you far!
Are some of you serious? It’s disgusting to see the negativity after something like this.
For those interested, investigation results released by Utah Avalanche Center yesterday:
http://www.powdermag.com/stories/uac-releases-pierre-slide-investigation-photos/?fb_ref=.TsIAe-tKB-o.like&fb_source=home_oneline
All-
There is calculated risk-taking and there is flippant stupidity. I mean no disrespect, but glorifying insane risk-taking (i.e., airing 200+ feet with no helmet on) doesn’t just show disregard for an individual’s family and friends, but also shows disregard for the sport. Just as skiing in the backcountry without proper gear (beacon, shovel, probe) and a few buddies to help you out is extremely dangerous…. glorifying it for the skiing community in films might inspire other, less skilled and less experienced individuals to do the same.
I would say the same thing about Travis Rice’s new movie. His crew essentially went out looking for avalanche terrain to drop into and survive, simply for the sake of cinematographic effect. True, the outcome was both survival and some amazing visuals for the film. But there are also external consequences to that film. They don’t talk about proper avi training, safety or essentials. That is disrespectful to every middle age skier whose kids idolize Rice.
As far as Pierre goes, he was a legend. He was a very good skier. But he was also an insane person who thought that God would protect him in crazy, ill-prepared stunt after ill-prepared stunt. Some of you might remember the clip of him talking to the camera after a 160 foot air where he walked away unscathed… I believe his words were something to the effect of “quit sitting there and thinking about whether you can do this, and just go try it, you fucking pussies”. NOT OK. There was no “go train your ass off for the next year, get in the best shape of your life, ski for 10 years so that you are technically superior, wait for a really safe, deep and stable snowpack and then maybe try to air some large cliffs”. His flippant attitude to toward safety during stunts (big or small) is ultimately what killed him. Yes, I feel awful for his family and friends, but we would all be lying if we were to say that Jamie was a “safe” or “calculated” person.
No hate. None whatsoever. Pierre was an incredibly inspiring individual. But, there are lessons to be learned here. And Jamie Pierre wasn’t spending any time teaching them.
Look Jamie knew what he was getting into. He lived life they way he wanted and answered to no one but himself! That’s why he pushed the limits! It’s not for everyone to understand! You preach to respect and lead by example, but you don’t get what Jamie is all about! All I have to say is, to his family and “true” friends, is my respects and condulance! He did what he loved to do! There are no words that can express my sorrow for your loss! Gods speed and enjoy the seasons knowing he did what he loved!
I remember my brother Dave, Jamie, Ryan and Blake hanging out when we were kids growing up in Minnetonka. His mother tutored me in french. It was great to read about all his achievements since than. Its was great to learn about Jamie through readings of people who knew him over the past 15-20 years. My heart goes out to his parents and wife and kids.