Skiers: Punx/Lil Punk
Date: March 15th 2005
Route: Rochers De La Peitite Blame
Aspect: East
Vertical Drop: 300m
When
we finally got around too ski the un-named couloir on 15th march, we
were only the seconded group of skiers to descend the line all winter.
There was a group of three ski patrol who skied the couloir one week
privies, before us.
To this day, it freaks me out. To think how
reckless we where and not thinking about the danger on sheltered east
facing slopes. Every one makes mistakes, no one is perfect. Even the
most expressed guides, ski mountaineers, skiers or snowboarders make
mistakes when out in the mountains.
I can remember vividly, that
lil punk and i were watching them ski the couloir from the cairn. When
watching them. It didn’t really register in my brain at the time. That
the right hand side of the slope, was probably very unstable and was
still, when we got around to skiing it.
It was 2.30pm on march
15th 2005 when lil punk and i decided to ski the un-named couloir on
the east face of rochers de la peitite blame.
From val claret we
took the les lanches chair to the toe of the grand motte glacier. From
the toe of the glacier we skied down the double M to the big flattish
rock, then traversed left across the long flat section above the
cliffs, to the entry of the couloir. After a bit of discussing, i
decided i would drop in first. The snow in the couloir was bomb proof
on about three inches of fresh snow. Every turn solugh would
continually come behind, trying to sweep me of my feet. 8 minutes or so
of turning, side slipping in the icy hell. I got out the couloir and
traversed to the right, to a safe zone to wait for lil punk. 8 or 10
minutes passed and lil punk finely joined me at the safe zone, where we
assessed the conditions for the last part of the decent. After a bit of
a discussing, i decided to traverse under the toe of the cliff on the
right hand side. I started to traverse above a small rock, were i
paused for about 15 seconds, so i could get a better look at the slope
i was about to ski. I could not see any obvious signs that the slope
could slide or maybe because the light was flat and i found it hard to
recognise, if the slope was suspect. I don’t know.
I pushed off,
one turn, two turns. I noticed the snow has went from bomb proof to
choky powder. At this point i was thinking to my self, this is not
good. Then it happened, the whole slope i was skiing slide. The
fracture was about 2ft above me, 1 to 1.5ft at the deepest point of the
crown wall and 25ft wide soft slab on a weak layer of depth hoar. The
slide started of slow, then started picking up some speed as it hit the
steeper part of the slope. I lost my left ski and both of my poles near
the top of the slide, after struggling to stay on top. I got buried for
maybe a minute and managed to fight my way to the top as it was slowing
down. When the avalanche finely stopped, i realized my legs were
partially buried. I had snow stuck in the back off my throat and up
both nostrils. I took my gloves off and cleared the snow from my
nostrils and my throat so i could, breath normal. By the time lil punk
got to me, i already bug my self out and was collecting all my shit
together. On the way out ski patrol turned up to see with we were both
of and ask some questions.
Date: March 15th 2005
Route: Rochers De La Peitite Blame
Aspect: East
Vertical Drop: 300m
When
we finally got around too ski the un-named couloir on 15th march, we
were only the seconded group of skiers to descend the line all winter.
There was a group of three ski patrol who skied the couloir one week
privies, before us.
To this day, it freaks me out. To think how
reckless we where and not thinking about the danger on sheltered east
facing slopes. Every one makes mistakes, no one is perfect. Even the
most expressed guides, ski mountaineers, skiers or snowboarders make
mistakes when out in the mountains.
I can remember vividly, that
lil punk and i were watching them ski the couloir from the cairn. When
watching them. It didn’t really register in my brain at the time. That
the right hand side of the slope, was probably very unstable and was
still, when we got around to skiing it.
It was 2.30pm on march
15th 2005 when lil punk and i decided to ski the un-named couloir on
the east face of rochers de la peitite blame.
From val claret we
took the les lanches chair to the toe of the grand motte glacier. From
the toe of the glacier we skied down the double M to the big flattish
rock, then traversed left across the long flat section above the
cliffs, to the entry of the couloir. After a bit of discussing, i
decided i would drop in first. The snow in the couloir was bomb proof
on about three inches of fresh snow. Every turn solugh would
continually come behind, trying to sweep me of my feet. 8 minutes or so
of turning, side slipping in the icy hell. I got out the couloir and
traversed to the right, to a safe zone to wait for lil punk. 8 or 10
minutes passed and lil punk finely joined me at the safe zone, where we
assessed the conditions for the last part of the decent. After a bit of
a discussing, i decided to traverse under the toe of the cliff on the
right hand side. I started to traverse above a small rock, were i
paused for about 15 seconds, so i could get a better look at the slope
i was about to ski. I could not see any obvious signs that the slope
could slide or maybe because the light was flat and i found it hard to
recognise, if the slope was suspect. I don’t know.
I pushed off,
one turn, two turns. I noticed the snow has went from bomb proof to
choky powder. At this point i was thinking to my self, this is not
good. Then it happened, the whole slope i was skiing slide. The
fracture was about 2ft above me, 1 to 1.5ft at the deepest point of the
crown wall and 25ft wide soft slab on a weak layer of depth hoar. The
slide started of slow, then started picking up some speed as it hit the
steeper part of the slope. I lost my left ski and both of my poles near
the top of the slide, after struggling to stay on top. I got buried for
maybe a minute and managed to fight my way to the top as it was slowing
down. When the avalanche finely stopped, i realized my legs were
partially buried. I had snow stuck in the back off my throat and up
both nostrils. I took my gloves off and cleared the snow from my
nostrils and my throat so i could, breath normal. By the time lil punk
got to me, i already bug my self out and was collecting all my shit
together. On the way out ski patrol turned up to see with we were both
of and ask some questions.
