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Who carries an avalanche kit in the back country?

barney800

20-Sep-2012
11:02:58 PM

On 20/09/2012 Miguel75 wrote:
>used to build lots of roadside kickers many moons ago...

I tried that once. I think I was too impatient in the "packing down" stage as, when I came to baptise it, I skied straight through the damn thing. I'll stick to jumping off rocks - you can't ski through them.

ant

22-Sep-2012
1:35:45 PM

Don't get too complacent regarding avalanches in the backcountry:

http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=Display&ForumID=5&MessageID=3789&Replies=58


Miguel75

22-Sep-2012
2:20:56 PM

On 20/09/2012 barney800 wrote:
>On 20/09/2012 Miguel75 wrote:
>>used to build lots of roadside kickers many moons ago...
>
>I tried that once. I think I was too impatient in the "packing down"
>stage as, when I came to baptise it, I skied straight through the damn
>thing. I'll stick to jumping off rocks - you can't ski through them.

Reminds me of the first kicker I built in Salt Lake. Thought I'd compacted it enough though ploughed right on through it...... Stupid powder snow is good for nothing:)

barney800

23-Sep-2012
7:38:06 PM

On 22/09/2012 ant wrote:
>Don't get too complacent regarding avalanches in the backcountry:
>
>http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=Display&ForumID=5&MessageID=3789&Replies
>58
>

Yeah, after posting my original reply I remembered looking over to Feathertop from Falls a few weeks ago. If I was skiing anywhere near the massive cornice up there I'd definitely be more concerned about avalanches than wombats. I'll keep on taking my safety gear out regardless. Might as well get my money's worth!


sbm

23-Sep-2012
9:22:12 PM

On 23/09/2012 barney800 wrote:
>On 22/09/2012 ant wrote:
>>Don't get too complacent regarding avalanches in the backcountry:
>>
>>http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=Display&ForumID=5&MessageID=3789&Replie
>
>>58
>>
>
>Yeah, after posting my original reply I remembered looking over to Feathertop
>from Falls a few weeks ago. If I was skiing anywhere near the massive
>cornice up there I'd definitely be more concerned about avalanches than
>wombats. I'll keep on taking my safety gear out regardless. Might as
>well get my money's worth!

Cornice collapses are a bit different to dry slab avalanches, and TBH a fairly obvious and avoidable risk. If you can't be bothered choose your route so you can scout the cornices properly on the climb up and stay a long way back from the edge, I don't see how you'll be bothered to do weekly realistic practice to make that beacon be worth more than a lucky charm.

This time of year it's time to start worrying about wet avalanches in deep rotten slush, and glide avalanches where the whole snowpack slides off the grass:

Also check out this thread in the Backcountry forum on ski.com.au

There are 25 messages in this topic.