June - Out of Bounds!! Four Seasons Adventure

[pkerr]

March 14

I've seen the out of bounds tracks up in the Mtns before and thought "now that would be fun!" It's something I've always wanted to do and I finally got to do it.

On my 2nd trip up this year, head of ski patrol Eric, was kind enough to take us past the ropes and show us a great time a day after a foot of new snow had fallen.

Here are the B.S.less photos.

Heading out...


Hey!! Look!! We're on the other side of the ropes! Na. Na.


This was where we were to stop for our 1st break. Out in that clearing. (shot from Matterhorn)


Out of Bounds!


OB...


Anyone recognize this place?


If you're not sure where to go... follow the sign. (Courtesy ski patrol)


Yep.. That's June back there.


Picnic Rock


Heading out to our next stop... untracked powder.


Getting closer.


One at a time, Avy chute here.


Almost there! Even tourons get lucky every now and then!


We're going to end up in that clearing down there.


This is it. Here we go!


Oh yeah!!


Now that was fun!


Our guide Eric, partaking in some afternoon delight!


That's where we came from. Up there.


And as we drove away, once again I was seeing out of bounds tracks, but this time they were mine!!

[sierraimpressions]

Very cool!

[Malolo]

Very Nice....Thanks for sharing....If you smell something burning on April 10th that will be a fun group of people
at Burger Bash Part Deux.

[pkerr]

Very Nice....Thanks for sharing....If you smell something burning on April 10th that will be a fun group of people
at Burger Bash Part Deux.

I'm tempted to make a 3rd trip out just for that. But my wife might suggest I just stay!

[onegoodturn]

Awesome pkerr. You couldn't have had a better guide. Thanks for the pics and the TR. Maybe next season I can join you on one of those.

[pkerr]

Awesome pkerr. You couldn't have had a better guide. Thanks for the pics and the TR. Maybe next season I can join you on one of those.

That would be excellent. I still got to get you those Fat Tires!! B.T.W. How's the toe?

[onegoodturn]

Toe is getting better. I'm thinking one more week and it will be good to go. Just in time for June's closing week.
A couple of more powder days would top off the season.

[Jbaysurfer]

Toe is getting better. I'm thinking one more week and it will be good to go. Just in time for June's closing week.
A couple of more powder days would top off the season.

Wow OGT, I didn't realize you were on the IR...+vibes get well soon.

[Sierra Lady]

Pkerr, great TR and photos...you lucky devils! Darn nice of Eric to show you the way!!

[Hutash]

Good thing he was head of patrol. If I were head of patrol and one of my patrollers took a group out right after a storm with no avi gear I would have his head.

I imagine conditions were stable, but since you were crossing certain terrain singly, and on slopes steep enough to slide, I am not sure it was such a bright idea. Not that I haven't done stupid things, but the head of patrol should know better. In Europe if I guide took a group out with out beacons and other gear they would be disbarred (or what ever you do to pull a guides permit.)

End of rant

All that being said, it sure looked like a fun run.

[pkerr]

I guess you'd have to discuss actual conditions with him and the real possibility for problems to occur.

It may have been the actual potential for problems where we were was the same as being inbounds and he was just following the "one person at a time" protocol out of habit.

I figure someone with 30+ years experience out there knows what is what.

But again, I know nothing, so the two of you would have to figure out the why's and where fors.

And that being said... it was a blast.

[onegoodturn]

Yes hutash, if you knew the terrain they were in and if you knew Eric you wouldn't have posted what you did.
They were 100% safe with him.

[Hutash]

^^^Actually, I probably still would have. I have no doubt he knows his stuff, and that conditions were pretty safe, but there have been a lot of people buried in safe conditions. I posted it mostly for two reasons...1) I wanted to point out that if a junior patroller at any given mountain did something like that he/she would probably be in trouble. It is not setting a very good example for others. 2) That, based on the info presented (which I fully admit is incomplete,) there are several items in the OP that suggests it was less the pretty safe. A foot of new snow, blue bird day after a storm, crossing known avi paths, what appear to be steep slopes, et cetera.

I know some of the local guides read/post here, and I would be curious if they would consider taking a group out like that with out gear.

I ski solo in the back country occasionally, so I know all the gear in the world is not going to make things perfectly safe, and I am sure Eric felt very comfortable taking a group out, but I am not sure it was the wisest, safest way to do it.

[RatherBeSkiing]

Wow!!! You guys sure were lucky to have somebody take you on this adventure. On Saturday, we saw 3 guys who had hiked up to the top of that mountain behind you and ski down that bowl -- the one in the middle behind that bush. They had started from the very top. What a view they must have had up there!

[Headband]

Wow, what an irresponsible and unprofessional move by patrol. No beacons, no shovels, and a group of folks with no BC experience = recipe for a tragedy. "Safe" conditions or not this is irresponsible and surprising protocol.