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Vancouver
1825 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2012 : 11:05 PM
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The only news I've seen of this was on the tv news tonight. The report is that a solo skier fell into a crevasse and was unable to get out. Skiers passing by had no cell phone, so they skied to Blackcomb to summon help. The person was rescued and the report said they're ok.
Footage shot from a helicopter showed what looks like about 10m by 2m of a thinly bridged crevasse fell in. It may be that recent weather has created delicate snow bridges, and people need to be extra vigilant to watch for depressions in the snow on glaciers. I can imagine the problems when a chain of huts brings crowds of uninformed visitors to the Spearheads.
This isn't the first crevasse accident in the Spearheads.
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-122430.html |
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Van, BC
Canada
2841 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2012 : 11:16 PM
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Hadn't heard about this one - thanks for posting.
-Ryan |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2471 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 06:27 AM
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| Coincidence? Last night at about 19:30 I checked the Whistler webcams and noticed two groups of skiers around the rendezvous station and wondered if and why they had come in late. |
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Hope, BC
Canada
7130 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 08:25 AM
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| Wow good thing there was skiers passing by or this would of been another tragic story! |
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Hope, BC
Canada
7130 Posts |
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Vancouver
1825 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 10:47 PM
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From the photos and video, you can see people are skiing uphill and downhill, through an obvious crevasse depression which is even cracked open. Amazing.
Downhill ski areas encourage out-of-area skiing, and they are careful to warn about avalanche danger. But W/B backcountry also features crevasse danger, and it seems it's not taken very seriously. Many people touring behind Blackcomb probably are completely unaware of crevasse danger. So lets get bazillions more such people out there. |
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Van, BC
Canada
2841 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2012 : 10:53 PM
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Crazy...
-Ryan |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2471 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2012 : 09:04 AM
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Wayne has posted some good photos of the rescue on his Avi Blog. The poor chap looks like a animal caught in a snare but thankful to be alive. The debris jammed up enough to prevent falling further.
http://www.wayneflannavalancheblog.com/
photo rights courtesy of Wayne Flann and Whistler SAR |
Edited by - pmicheals on 05/13/2012 09:05 AM |
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Burnaby, BC
Canada
1310 Posts |
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84 Posts |
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Vancouver
1825 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 12:32 AM
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A quote from the victim's story:
"I had read all sorts of reports and never seen any reference to crevasses along that stretch of the Spearhead." |
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Hope, BC
Canada
7130 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 01:05 AM
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| He's lucky to be alive. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
278 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 09:39 AM
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| That is a phenomenal story, glad he is ok, and how amazing to have that kind of composure, taking pics of the inside of the crevasse. Amazing. And thumbs up for having a great partner and for excellent work by SAR, as always. |
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3522 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 10:14 AM
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So glad it all worked out. I'm a bit of a safety-ninny when moving on glaciers. On the Wapta this spring, we roped up as we skinned up, looking for weaknesses and possible bridge hazards. Given good coverage, we skied down un-roped, but kept harnesses on and had a couple ropes stowed for possible use.
Even on Crowfoot Peak, we took a short bit of rope and everyone had a harness and some gear in their packs. A half rope and some basic rescue gear is pretty light... |
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Richmond, BC
Canada
2471 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 11:10 AM
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courtesy of WSAR
Interestingly this picture aspect shows other potential issues playing out other than just thermal effects and collapse of a snowbridge. Great textbook shot for putting red arrows on. The section of the glacier depicted "appears" to be going through recent stress and tension changes over the convex portion of the slope. Perhaps more recent movement and motion with the increased pressure? Could it maintain these characteristics in winter over the coming years? A good area to be mindful of from now on. FWIW |
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Hope, BC
Canada
7130 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 12:07 PM
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| You know taking photos while in that crevasse would be the thing to do, considering it could be your last photos ever taken, best to smile for the camera one last time. Had there been any sort of movement of ice or anything in there it could of been a bad situation. |
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 | LeeL
Advanced Member
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Extreme ski tourin, mountain bikin addict who hikes at least once a year
2509 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 8:31 PM
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| There's slots all over that portion of the route. It's right at the top of the col where the glacier peels off a convexity. Fact is that most people ski right over it without knowing. Guy was lucky and knows it |
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6868 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 10:20 PM
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| We've been in plenty of simple terrain, in spring, when lakes and creeks start running. Many depressions like this are similar to a crevasse. maybe ony 6-12 feet deep with 3 feet of raging water underneath. Crashing through is usually not an option. |
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Topic |
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Crevasse Rescue in Spearheads
