8 Skiers dead after accidental Avalanche in California!

[Anonymous]

I lived out west for 6 months and the western women were really, really rugged.

Given the womens' training I would not say they took extreme risks. Did they take risks. Yes.

Apparently the women had avalanche gear and avalanche training as well as their guides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived out west for 6 months and the western women were really, really rugged.

Given the womens' training I would not say they took extreme risks. Did they take risks. Yes.

Apparently the women had avalanche gear and avalanche training as well as their guides.

And now they're dead. So much for the training. How about learning to read weather reports and heeding warnings.

[Anonymous]

Nature is harsh. You can prepare and have all the experience and training and equipment in the world but when it becomes man against natural forces - be it fire, water, cold, snow - nature is stronger.

But there is also an incredible amount of reward for spending time in nature and reaping the benefits of the beauty and adventure. Is there a risk - of course. But life has risk and you only live one life. We can all die tomorrow. For those of us who aren't risk adverse, you accept the risk of nature and adventure just like you do every time you get in your car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When our daughter was a teen she had a ski jacket made by Rossignol, that came with an alert system embedded in the jacket. The system was called "Recco." Ski rescue personnel could pick up a signal from the jacket in the event the wearer was buried under an avalanche. Trying to say the technology is out there, likely far superior to the technology a decade and more ago.

This is an FYI. Very sad about these women.

Avalanche beacons (along with shovels and collapsible sticks to dig through the snow) are standard backcountry ski gear. The information available (the were located by their beacons) suggests they were properly outfitted. Gear was not this group's problem. Anyone who needs this PSA should absolutely not be skiing in the backcountry!

Should there not be some kind of body air bag that blows up on contact and fills up with oxygen so that the skier can breathe while waiting to be rescued?

The force of the snow can kill on contact. Bodies can be completely destroyed in an avalanche - sometimes only body parts are recovered. Surviving an avalanche isn't a matter of having the right gear, it's a matter of extreme luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nature is harsh. You can prepare and have all the experience and training and equipment in the world but when it becomes man against natural forces - be it fire, water, cold, snow - nature is stronger.

But there is also an incredible amount of reward for spending time in nature and reaping the benefits of the beauty and adventure. Is there a risk - of course. But life has risk and you only live one life. We can all die tomorrow. For those of us who aren't risk adverse, you accept the risk of nature and adventure just like you do every time you get in your car.

We can love the outdoors and the beauty of nature and enjoy outdoor sports without ignoring extreme weather warnings, skiing when extreme risk of an avalsnche, going boating or surfing in the ocean before a hurricane, etc.
Even more risky when you could leave young children without a mom, dad, or both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When our daughter was a teen she had a ski jacket made by Rossignol, that came with an alert system embedded in the jacket. The system was called "Recco." Ski rescue personnel could pick up a signal from the jacket in the event the wearer was buried under an avalanche. Trying to say the technology is out there, likely far superior to the technology a decade and more ago.

This is an FYI. Very sad about these women.

Avalanche beacons (along with shovels and collapsible sticks to dig through the snow) are standard backcountry ski gear. The information available (the were located by their beacons) suggests they were properly outfitted. Gear was not this group's problem. Anyone who needs this PSA should absolutely not be skiing in the backcountry!

Should there not be some kind of body air bag that blows up on contact and fills up with oxygen so that the skier can breathe while waiting to be rescued?

The force of the snow can kill on contact. Bodies can be completely destroyed in an avalanche - sometimes only body parts are recovered. Surviving an avalanche isn't a matter of having the right gear, it's a matter of extreme luck.

+1 and extreme risk

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived out west for 6 months and the western women were really, really rugged.

Given the womens' training I would not say they took extreme risks. Did they take risks. Yes.

Apparently the women had avalanche gear and avalanche training as well as their guides.

‘western women’?? these were privileged urbanites / weekend warriors who paid thousands for porters to escort them into the wild in comfort. not unlike the elite who rely on sherpas to get them up everest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I lived out west for 6 months and the western women were really, really rugged.

Given the womens' training I would not say they took extreme risks. Did they take risks. Yes.

Apparently the women had avalanche gear and avalanche training as well as their guides.

And now they're dead. So much for the training. How about learning to read weather reports and heeding warnings.

+1

[Anonymous]

Well as the saying goes they died doing what they loved. I mean I would not take the risk but I don't live out west.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nature is harsh. You can prepare and have all the experience and training and equipment in the world but when it becomes man against natural forces - be it fire, water, cold, snow - nature is stronger.

But there is also an incredible amount of reward for spending time in nature and reaping the benefits of the beauty and adventure. Is there a risk - of course. But life has risk and you only live one life. We can all die tomorrow. For those of us who aren't risk adverse, you accept the risk of nature and adventure just like you do every time you get in your car.

Growing up without your mom because she wasn't risk adverse and loved nature? I doubt most kids think that's worth the cost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived out west for 6 months and the western women were really, really rugged.

Given the womens' training I would not say they took extreme risks. Did they take risks. Yes.

Apparently the women had avalanche gear and avalanche training as well as their guides.

I have avalanche gear and avalanche training and a lot of backcountry experience. The number one thing you learn in avalanche training is to assess snow conditions for avalanche risk...and you don't go into avalanche-prone territory when the risk is high. There is nothing that gear can do to save you...it just gives people a chance to recover your near-dead or dead body. The risk right now is extremely high because of a large storm, with unconsolidated powder, that fell on top of snow that had been through some melt-freeze cycles. The risk is extreme...and I won't even traverse moderate slopes right now.

There is some indication that they were trying to take a route that wasn't right in the avy-prone area. Not clear if they got off-route or what happened. They were also closely grouped together as opposed to spread out (best practice in avy-prone areas).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nature is harsh. You can prepare and have all the experience and training and equipment in the world but when it becomes man against natural forces - be it fire, water, cold, snow - nature is stronger.

But there is also an incredible amount of reward for spending time in nature and reaping the benefits of the beauty and adventure. Is there a risk - of course. But life has risk and you only live one life. We can all die tomorrow. For those of us who aren't risk adverse, you accept the risk of nature and adventure just like you do every time you get in your car.

Growing up without your mom because she wasn't risk adverse and loved nature? I doubt most kids think that's worth the cost.

It's "risk averse"!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nature is harsh. You can prepare and have all the experience and training and equipment in the world but when it becomes man against natural forces - be it fire, water, cold, snow - nature is stronger.

But there is also an incredible amount of reward for spending time in nature and reaping the benefits of the beauty and adventure. Is there a risk - of course. But life has risk and you only live one life. We can all die tomorrow. For those of us who aren't risk adverse, you accept the risk of nature and adventure just like you do every time you get in your car.

Growing up without your mom because she wasn't risk adverse and loved nature? I doubt most kids think that's worth the cost.

It's "risk averse"!!

Yes. Thx! Was writing what pp had written.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They were high achievers, top tier athletes and exceptional skiers.

Many were part of a ski group that would meet together for skiing going back to their time at Stanford.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15577417/tahoe-avalanche-victims-named-california.html

I am not sure how one would out ski an avalanche or out athlete it.

[Anonymous]

These were a highly trained group of guides and women. The tour company has been around awhile and works in that area. I can't see everyone just ignoring all warnings and being oblivious to risks and putting themselves all in danger without any regard for the weather or risks.

Will wait to hear more about what the survivors say happened.