Avalanche Warning

S

snomoguy

New member
Joined
Nov 8, 2005
Messages
282
Age
75
Location
Wyoming
Come on guys!
We have already lost 5 or 6 this year.......and reports in this morning that another has been lost in the Snowy Range. Four sleds on the hill at the same time........three recovered, but one didn't make it. A South Dakota rider from Miller, SD.
I'm not picking on the flat landers here; we who live and ride the mountains get a little careless sometimes also. I am just reminding all of us to bring your avalanche gear, know how to use it, and think before you commit.
Check with local lodges and the avalanche center for reports; only one sled on the hill at a time; and again bring your avalanche gear and KNOW HOW TO USE IT. And make sure the batteries are new.
We have had a lot of new snow in the last week and some cold temps up high making for unstable conditions.
Don't leave the best tool at home...YOUR BRAIN
Enjoy Wyoming or whatever state in the West, just be prepared.
 
Amen to that. All out off state riders should take a hint from the locals, if we an't climbing hills because we don't want to die you shouldn't either.

PS: We have had about 7 near deaths also and very high winds, play in the drifts not the hills.
 
A K
The report that came in said they where in the French Creek drainage. I know where that is (not sure on exact spot), don't ride much south of the highway. Alot of that down there is in that wilderness area. Just thought I'd let you know since you probably access the Snowies from the south if you go up.
 
In case any of the SD boys have not heard, the latest avy victim's name was Dale Wagner from Miller, SD. Not sure if anyone here knows him but I heard on SnoWest that he raced during the summer. jr_amsoil probably knows who he is, he goes to those races all the time.
 
He was very active in SDSA and was an avid rider. This was not his first or the groups first trip to the mountains and that was an area they rode in many times before. Don't take anything for granted in life!
 
Just got an updated report from the Snowies. Death was not from suffocation, but from a broken neck, caused by the avalanche either causing his sled to hit him or throwing him against a rock.
Another hazard of being in an avalanche.
Thought the name was familiar.......visited with him a few years ago in Sioux Falls at the ISC.
 
We have high winds and another 1'-3' coming to CO January 3-5, it's getting more Dangerous. Play in the meadows not on the hills. Southern Colorado has so much snow you need a long track just to ride flat meadows :letitsnow ( be careful if your riding out here )..
 
Last edited:
Shortstop20
According to the report there where 4 total in the slide: Dale Wagner-deceased, Ryan Wagner- nephew, Dustin Arthur and Riley Pugh. Others in the party which had already crossed the slide area where: Gary Wagner-brother,Eric Bertsch, Brain Bertsch and Todd Beckett.
 
Help me Guys!!! Lets keep this at the top till everybody on here see it and reads it.
We all love to ride the mountains, but care must be taken.
Thanks to everyone who has posted.....AK MtViper, ModMMax,LoneViper,cacsrs1,.....us guys love these mountains, but they have their own personality and everybody has to respect them. They can be beautiful and they can be killers. The mountains have their way.
 
I've watched this killer take riders for too many years. Lost a friend to a trail tree outside of W'Ystone 10 years ago so I know how it feels to be part of a group when the worst happens. When I started riding moutains, a great mountain sled had a 136" track and a 3/4" paddle. There were always a few custom built sleds around that could play up high but for the most part, the rest of us could not get into the real high risk areas. Now days, every manufacturer makes a sled that could embarass those custom built sleds of 15 years ago and people with no experience, training or advice from high country riders are renting them or buying them and getting killed. Storm patterns come through the mountains the same way every winter. The snow loads the same way and the same slopes, faces and chutes slide the same way every winter. The small trees in the avalanche chutes tell you all you need to know. They are the little trees, all bent over with the bark ripped off the uphill side. I wish I had a dollar for every guy I have explained that to. When in doubt, play in the big trees. Like snomo says "use your brain".
 
I'm not riding this weekend Jan 5-6th, its just not worth it. Winter storm warning, 1-4 feet of snow state wide in Colorado and into the Snowy Mtn. Range up by Centennial WY. High wind warning also will make for a considerable to high avalanche risk rating this weekend. Skier died on Vail pass skiing out of bounds yesterday. Gravel and little gravel in Grand Lake look ready to drop AGAIN. Most areas in Colorado are above normal for snow fall and we are being pounded again as I write. All across the nation it looks like a H*** of a good snow year for riding.
 
Here is the run-down so far this year:
Dec.2, 3 snowboarders dead in Washington
Dec.2, 1 snowboarder dead in Colorado
Dec.2, 3 hikers caught 2 dead in Washington
Dec.18, 1 snowshoer dead in Washington
Dec.23, 4 skiers caught 1 dead in Utah
Dec.25, 1 snowmobiler dead in Utah
Dec.31, 3 snowmobilers caught 1 dead in Utah
Jan.1, 5 snowmobilers caught 2 dead in Washington
Jan.2, 4 snowmobilers caught 1 dead in Wyoming
The season is just really getting started, lets not add to the list.
Here are the danger scale graph....check with the local lodges or Forest Service about the danger scale in your riding area:Low-avalanches unlikely, Moderate-Infrequent but may occur,Considerable-Possibile with human trigger,High-Will occur with human tigger, Extreme-Avalanche Warning do not travel in the back country.
 
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