Snowboarder killed on Berthoud

teleak

teleak

Active member
If you read the accident summary, it explains that neither of the snowboarders were carrying any safety equipment. This is so tragic, this death was easily preventable. CAIC (Colorado Avalanche Information Center) deemed the avalanche danger as level 4 / high for this area of the state and if these people knew what they were doing, this wouldn't have happened. Up to two feet+ of snow and extremely high winds made backcountry travel heinously dangerous at the time.

So NS, please, please don't go skiing in the backcountry if you don't know what you're doing and don't have proper equipment. Be safe and enjoy your winter.

Here's the accident report.

http://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/acc_report.php?acc_id=277&accfm=off

Avalanche Details

•Location: "High Trail Cliffs," northeast of Berthoud Pass

•State: Colorado

•Date: 2011/01/17

•Time: 11:30 AM (Estimated)

•Summary Description: 1 snowboarder caught, buried, and killed

•Primary Activity: Backcountry Tourer

•Location Setting: Backcountry

Number

•Caught: 1

•Partially Buried, Non-Critical: 0

•Partially Buried, Critical: 0

•Fully Buried: 1

•Injured: 0

•Killed: 1

Avalanche

•Type: --

•Trigger: AR - Snowboarder

•Trigger (subcode): u - An unintentional release

•Size - Relative to Path: --

•Size - Destructive Force: --

•Sliding Surface: --

Site

•Slope Aspect: NW

•Site Elevation: 11200 ft

•Slope Angle: --

•Slope Characteristic: --

Avalanche Comments

The avalanche was triggered at the beginning of a large natural avalanche cycle.

Accident Summary

The morning of Monday, January 17 2011, a pair of snowboarders, and one dog, climbed several hundred feet above Berthoud Pass and traversed northeast above the "High Trail Cliffs." The pair triggered an avalanche. One boarder and the dog were caught and buried. His partner was not caught. He did a hasty search, found no sign of his partner, and descended to the road to summon help. Neither were wearing avalanche safety equipment.

Rescue Summary

The body was recovered by an organized probe line (Grand County Search and Rescue) on Wednesday, January 19 2011.

 
Add a brain to that. There are lots of skiers that think since they have a beacon, shovel, and probe that they are invincible in the bc.
 
This isn't the time to criticize another person's mistakes, let's all just take it as a reality check and another reminder of how powerful the mountain can be. RIP.
 
its the perfect time to criticize if the dumbass had safety gear and knew what the fuck he was doing i would not be typing this right now. yeah it's sad but shit if your gonna go ski back country have a beacon probe and shovel at least and know if it's even safe to be out there.
 
I drove over the pass that morning before it closed for the next two days. Was very windy, near total white-out conditions, this pic is from the day after(blasting) the snowboarder was buried

227212946.jpg


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Good judgment saves lives. You can have a backpack full of transceivers but if you dropped into a dumb situation it won't mean shit.
 
the dude who survived posted on TGR last night asking for help...he said he saw the slide happen but both the dog and rider were fine, but he lost them later on. then he made some more laps in the area looking for them. And not to stereotype, but most dudes on TGR go into the BC prepared. something just sounds off...
 
... RIP ... this just shows you can never be to careful if you dont know what your doing dont do it.

did the dog die??? oh god i hope not why couldnt he have had a cat with him
 
Let's hope this doesn't get you some day.

Avy conditions are different in subtle pockets every day. All you have to do is see the complexity of the hazard rose that the Utah Avalanch Center throws up each day to get that point.

You obviously are passionate about skiing a lot, why don't you man up and get the gear and take a course? Life will only get better.

/callout
 
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