NFR 2022-23 ski season. Let's Go!!!!

[adamcu280]

Those are pretty rare

Not really. About 20% of deaths at ski areas are due to snow immersion. Some friends witnessed one today in Tahoe.

If you're a powder junkie or not aware of the risks you'd be surprised how easy it is to get in deep shit when the shit's deep. I've had to dig friends out of holes (and vice versa) literally meters from the piste. I think about Bill and realize it could have been me, or any of my other mountain friends, countless times.

I helped Backcountry Access make this video a couple of years ago.

Tree well and Snow Immersion Safety: How to manage when stuck | Backcountry Access

This new video features how to manage tree wells, an often-overlooked danger when riding in the backcountry or at the resort. Watch and learn what to do if you ever find yourself stuckundefined

backcountryaccess.com

Some of my personal experiences on the matter.


RIP Bill and RIP Tahoe person.

 

[Paige]

I have been stuck in 3 tree wells, and came close a few more times. 1 head first and self rescued during a ski school clinic in early season. Took about 45 minutes to get myself out as everyone was looking for me, second scariest experience!

The worst experience was hitting a hidden trail or burm and scorpioning into the the far side into about a 3 foot drift. Face being shoved down by my body wieght(in the scorpion) with snow heavy enough that I couldn't flip over or roll to either side or any direction. I was 15 or 16 and working for the first ski school I worked for. Luckily there was 4 or 5 friends skiing together and they where able to get me out without snapping my neck or ingesting too much snow!
It was fucking scary, and I was very lucky to have friends close by. I was notorious for going big, crashing big and doing some seriously stupid stunts or jumps, but damn I had some fun!

I fell into a creek bed when I was 12 or 13 and luckily landed on a snow bridge about 5 feet down, freinds helped me get out. I have been stuck too many times to count that took 30-50 minutes to get back on my ski's, deep snow is no joke, Ive been very lucky!

 

[Peyton00]

The opportunity to go far off trail is always inviting, many just don't have the mental capacity to safely leave the cat tracks .
They don't know their limits and will ride until its too late. Then, unfortunately its too late.
Darwin doesn't take a day off.

 

[adamcu280]

The opportunity to go far off trail is always inviting, many just don't have the mental capacity to safely leave the cat tracks .
They don't know their limits and will ride until its too late. Then, unfortunately its too late.
Darwin doesn't take a day off.

Bill didn't fit into that category. Just unlucky.

 

[ThatGuyRyRy]

Got today for the first time. Snow was old, but still was good in the trees

 

[Greg Armstrong]

Got today for the first time. Snow was old, but still was good in the treesView attachment 45425View attachment 45424

Great photos and views of a place I haven’t been to in decades. We used to hike up and ski that side way back in the 70’s.

Brings back some great memories, thanks!

 

[Josh]

Let kid #2 skip school on Thursday and had a nice midweek session. Snowpack is still low. They need a couple of storms to roll through.

This view never disappoints tho.

 

[mcswny]

Kiddos first time on a chairlift!

 

[Skol_Engh]

On a ski road trip right now: crested butte>copper>steamboat>Jackson>flying to Seattle>Steven’s>baker and Christmas in Bellingham.

Crested butte is pretty high and dry but steamboat and Jackson have plenty of early season snow. Looks like Steven’s and baker are getting dumped on too! Hope everyone is having a good season out there!

 

[Replicant]

Was up at White Pass yesterday with my fam, and friends. I had low expectations, but wow they got dumped on. And it snowed hard, all day long. The wind wasn't cool, but we still managed to find plenty of deep, untracked powder. The drive home was interesting, in that the west bound traffic was solid. Fortunately, we were heading east. We weren't aware that 90 and 2 were closed.

 

[adamcu280]

 

[Divad]

You Mt Baker folk are about to get pummeled Friday. Jealous

 

[adamcu280]

You Mt Baker folk are about to get pummeled Friday. Jealous

It's looking like it's going to be hot pow! I'll be on my snowboard.

 

[Ryan Smart]

I spent Christmas seekend over in Montana and skied 2 days at Lost Trail. Saturday was great conditions, both on trails and out in the trees. It warmed up a lot after Saturday so conditions weren't as good when I went back on Monday, but still a lot of fun. Between the so-so conditions and sore legs from Saturday's fun, I left early enough to get in an hour or so of fishing on the river before dark and managed one decent little rainbow. What a great combo - getting to "ice" tired legs from skiing while casting to trout!

 

[SurfnFish]

Not really. About 20% of deaths at ski areas are due to snow immersion. Some friends witnessed one today in Tahoe.

couple decades ago an out of control skier lost his edge as he flew by my wife and I as we were on the runout back to the lift at Sugar Bowl. He went off the run head first into a tree, no helmet, DOA instantly. It was friggin ugly.
Mt. Bachelor lost a couple of skiers last year to tree wells. Had the worse experience of my life in one up in Canada while on an off piste tree run` by myself (yea, stupid.)
Upside down, board bridging the hole, both boots still in the bindings, backpack now over my head...a 20 battle before I dug myself out, tore an ab muscle getting out of the bindings. Most shaken I have ever been.
Just spent an hour blowing the wettest snow imaginable...mud.

 

[John Svahn]

Here in Truckee Ca it is dumping rain as hard as it can. Ugh. It has been a great season so far and hopefully this just tightens up the snowpack for summer corn snow! Gotta be an optimist. More storms on the way.

 

[adamcu280]

Yesterday was a full on fading storm/stupid deep rampage day. Today was bluebird touring bliss.

With the exception of the ~40cm of rain over the Xmas weekend, this has been one of the most consistent early seasons in recent memory.

 

[adamcu280]

Some highlights from the last six weeks at Baker

 

[SurfnFish]

Mt Bachelor finally opened the summit for the first time this morning, son was on first chair up, sent me this pic before he dropped in. On my 50th birthday, son and I were first chair up after an epic dump and dropped in together. We rode a lot of pow around the PNW together before I aged out from the steep and deep. Good times.

 

[John Svahn]

Some highlights from the last six weeks at Baker

People still on pins up that way? It’s a rare sight nowadays down here. I worked at our local back country shop late 90s to mid oughts when tele was the jam. I never tele’d but cool to see!