Snowboarder caught in slide in Whistler.

So this is making the rounds.

http://www.theprovince.com/news/local+news/video+inflatable+backpack+saves+snowboarder+during+avalanche/12690685/story.html

:damn:

Sweaty palms…..that was scary.

those avy bags are pretty awesome. lucky to not hit something on the way down though.

how about one of these?
https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/modulator-abs-clh4-en-ca
I used to think it was an other gimmick just to make you spend more money but every time I see these videos it makes me think that's they are actually pretty good. I'm converted.

I like the idea of the fan inflated bags, but holy F they are expensive.

Maybe this is a good time to discuss everything he did wrong.

….stopping at the top of a convex windloaded funnel for example.

I dont think the bag saved him, but the weight of the horseshoes up his ass kept him mostly upright.

Maybe this is a good time to discuss everything he did wrong.

….stopping at the top of a convex windloaded funnel for example.

I dont think the bag saved him, but the weight of the horseshoes up his ass kept him mostly upright.

The ski community is going to have fun with this one.

The ski community is going to have fun with this one.

No its not fun, rather a good example of what can happen when youre not prepared or educated in backcountry travel.

The local forecasts warned of windloading and even in the video an educated backcountry user can recognise that the snow he was on was a windload formation. It was an accident waiting to happen with him being on that slope…his video should be used as an educational tool as to what happens when you are oblivious to all the warning signs.

Not sure if the airbag saved him or not, the report says he was buried to his waist. Impossible to know if he would've been fully buried, rescued etc. Lucky he didn't hit trees/rocks on the way down. Of course people will see this video and think "wow, if I get an airbag it will save my life", wrong message IMO.

Here's info from someone who assessed a similar slope 10 minute earlier. Add this onto the terrain the slide started in and you have to wonder WTF that dude was thinking dropping in and slashing/stopping ON A CONVEX:

Today in Chocolate Bowl, size 2. Snowboarder from a different group was caught, pulled air bag and was only buried up to his waist luckily! South aspect, 1900m. Literally 10 minutes before this slide we dug a quick pit on the same aspect (South). 1 finger Windslab 35cms thick on top of fist minus. CTE 2 [HTML_REMOVED] CTE 1 down 35, on density change (faceting df's). Very touchy! Our group was sledding and playing on smaller low angle slopes.

No its not fun, rather a good example of what can happen when youre not prepared or educated in backcountry travel.

The local forecasts warned of windloading and even in the video an educated backcountry user can recognise that the snow he was on was a windload formation. It was an accident waiting to happen with him being on that slope…his video should be used as an educational tool as to what happens when you are oblivious to all the warning signs.

sun exposed as well

Not sure if the airbag saved him or not, the report says he was buried to his waist. Impossible to know if he would've been fully buried, rescued etc. Lucky he didn't hit trees/rocks on the way down. Of course people will see this video and think "wow, if I get an airbag it will save my life", wrong message IMO.

Here's info from someone who assessed a similar slope 10 minute earlier. Add this onto the terrain the slide started in and you have to wonder WTF that dude was thinking dropping in and slashing/stopping ON A CONVEX:

Today in Chocolate Bowl, size 2. Snowboarder from a different group was caught, pulled air bag and was only buried up to his waist luckily! South aspect, 1900m. Literally 10 minutes before this slide we dug a quick pit on the same aspect (South). 1 finger Windslab 35cms thick on top of fist minus. CTE 2 [HTML_REMOVED] CTE 1 down 35, on density change (faceting df's). Very touchy! Our group was sledding and playing on smaller low angle slopes.

I was part of the other group, another thing to point out there was evidence of natural slides on steep rocky slopes right next to this one too.
Of course whenever there's a slide it all the signs are super obvious and he's an idiot for going there and yadda yadda yadda. We'll all learn and move on. As someone who's only been playing in the backcountry a few years interesting to see a pit dug, CTE 2 on the windslab, decide to stay on the shallower slopes in the bowl, then have decisions confirmed with this. Was a great day sledding out there otherwise!

sun exposed as well

yeah, but to be fair it was like -20 up there yesterday, I'd imagine it was more the wind slab deposit from the outflow winds that picked up the night before

all the signs are super obvious and he's an idiot for going there and yadda yadda yadda. We'll all learn and move on.!

As someone who's been playing and working in the backcountry for the better part of 25 years, we don't all learn and move on….some of us die due to stupid choices like this guy made.

Had a buddy stray into a trap like this some time ago…got caught. He can feed himself, but not work or support his family….

As someone who's been playing and working in the backcountry for the better part of 25 years, we don't all learn and move on….some of us die due to stupid choices like this guy made.

Had a buddy stray into a trap like this some time ago…got caught. He can feed himself, but not work or support his family….

Good point. *he will learn and move on.