|
|
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 18,345
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 18,345 |
Irony is thy name. That said I know nothing about the risks of gathering data for avalanches and that might have been what he was doing. https://www.oregonlive.com/news/202...riggers-avalanche-while-skiing-dies.htmlNORTH POWDER, Ore. — An avalanche forecaster died in a snowslide he triggered while skiing in eastern Oregon last week, officials said.
Nick Burks, 37, and a friend — both experienced skiers and carrying avalanche air bags and beacons — were backcountry skiing the chute on Gunsight Mountain on Wednesday, near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort.
His friend skied down first and watched as the avalanche was triggered and overtook Burks. The companion was able to locate Burks quickly by turning on his transceiver, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office said.
People at the ski lodge saw the avalanche happen and immediately told first responders, the agency said in a statement on Facebook.
Bystanders were performing CPR on Burks as deputies, firefighters and search-and-rescue crews arrived, but the efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, the sheriff’s office said. The other skier, whose name hasn’t been released by officials, wasn’t hurt.
The Northwest Avalanche Center said that Burks had been part of their professional avalanche-forecasting community for years. He worked as an avalanche forecaster for the Wallowa Avalanche Center in northeastern Oregon, and before that as part of the snow safety team at Mt. Hood Meadows Ski and Summer Resort southeast of Portland.
Avalanche forecasters evaluate mountain snow conditions and other weather factors to try to predict avalanche risks. The job, avalanche safety specialists say, has become more difficult in recent years as climate change brings extreme weather and growing numbers of skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers visit backcountry areas.
“Our backcountry community is small and we understand the tremendous grief many are experiencing,” the Wallowa Avalanche Center said in a statement on its website, adding that a full investigation would be done with a report to follow.
Avalanche.org reports that 11 people have been killed in avalanches in the U.S. this year
Carpe' Scrotum
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 14,210
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 14,210 |
"Bystanders were performing CPR on Burks as deputies, firefighters and search-and-rescue crews arrived, but the efforts to revive him were unsuccessful"
I am shocked, shocked! CPR didn't work.
Take it from the Paramedic, CPR almost never works.
Why the Red Cross continued to push CPR classes on the unsuspecting American public always astonished us field troops, Paramedics who were performing CPR 3 times a week. We called CPR "The greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American public."
I guess the Red Cross made money from all the CPR classes.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 18,345
Campfire Ranger
|
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 18,345 |
Had a CPR instructor tell us to do it until you think you've done enough. Got the impression that it was more for the person giving rather than receiving.
Carpe' Scrotum
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30,784
Campfire 'Bwana
|
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 30,784 |
We've had a few of avalanche deaths locally
Usually sled riders to to mark the highest path
Winter's snow this year have just been weird
Valley snow next to nuthin'
Last year we were balls deep in the valley
Mountains showing 125% before these next storms
T R U M P W O N !
U L T R A M A G A !
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 10,875
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 10,875 |
He was a flake, he didn't have a snowball chance in heck. 
"The 375HH is the greatest level of power you can get for the investment in recoil." (JJHack)
79s and losttrail, biggest waste of air.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 14,532
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 14,532 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 275
Campfire Member
|
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 275 |
Lots of people back country ski in that area, beautiful area and dangerous under the right conditions. Oh and why is it called gunsight, because it look like the rear sight notch.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,404
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6,404 |
I lived in a small ski town for 27 years. I’ve known my share of avalanche victims, most lived and some didn’t. It’s a numbers game when you’re out in avalanche terrain every day for your job.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
3-7-77
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 3,835
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 3,835 |
Ironic I guess. My dermatologist died from melanoma.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 659
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 659 |
The job, avalanche safety specialists say, has become more difficult in recent years as climate change brings extreme weather and growing numbers of skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers visit backcountry areas. There it is... they couldn't help themselves... had to throw it into the article.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,760
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,760 |
My Father was one of the pioneers in Snow Science and Forecasting. He started the first statewide avalanche forecasting network in North America which was the genesis for Colorado Avalanche Information Center. One of his most central belief’s was that modern avalanche classes teach you to dig a pit and decide how safe it may be to ski and that you can rely on beacons and bags and other technology to save you. The problem is they don’t teach that 30% of avalanche victims don’t suffocate but are killed by ‘mechanical’ injury. A loaded snowfield is like a revolver with at least one round in the cylinder. You don’t know when it will go off but it will sooner or later.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 16,990
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 16,990 |
He was a flake, he didn't have a snowball chance in heck. 2 points. If you get my drift.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 10,135
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 10,135 |
"Bystanders were performing CPR on Burks as deputies, firefighters and search-and-rescue crews arrived, but the efforts to revive him were unsuccessful"
I am shocked, shocked! CPR didn't work.
Take it from the Paramedic, CPR almost never works.
Why the Red Cross continued to push CPR classes on the unsuspecting American public always astonished us field troops, Paramedics who were performing CPR 3 times a week. We called CPR "The greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American public."
I guess the Red Cross made money from all the CPR classes.
CPR has saved the life of a dear friend of mine that totally recovered, as well as with another guy that was a co-worker of mine, so it does work sometimes, and is better than just watching someone die without trying. A small chance is better than no chance.
Last edited by reivertom; 03/12/24.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 17,101
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 17,101 |
Well among other things, you dig a pit and look for "failure planes" (icy melt surfaces over lain by loose flakes).
It is not recommended to dig your pit downhill from a cornice.
Or on a hill period...
-OMotS
"If memory serves fails me..."
Quote: ( unnamed) "been prtty deep in the cooler todaay "
Television and radio are most effective when people question little and think even less.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,445
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,445 |
As a forecaster, I always advise skiers and boarders to have their mommies come pick them up instead of driving their vehicles from the mountain.
70% of you fatboys have never been on snow above timberline.
Don't ask me about my military service or heroic acts...most of it is untrue.
Pronoun: Yes, SIR !
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,445
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 3,445 |
"Climate change" is from your toilet being heated from overuse.
Don't ask me about my military service or heroic acts...most of it is untrue.
Pronoun: Yes, SIR !
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,192
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,192 |
I played the "hi mark" game many times back in the day on a MTN max.
One night watching the news the aired a story about a sleder who died in an avalanche and while watching the news story, they had an areal view of the slide and I recognized the hill almost immediately.
I had my ah haw moment then and there and sold my sled not long after.
Saw a few small avalanches back in the day too. Almost watched a sledder get swallowed up by one, but he got lucky and was able to get out of the path of the slide
Laws aren't preventative measures. In other words, more laws won't prevent gun crime from happening.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,001
Campfire Outfitter
|
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,001 |
My friend got his neck broke in an avalanche. His older brother died in a separate avalanche and his uncle died about 10 years ago in another different avalanche. The whole family is really into back country snow mobiling.
Bb
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,196
Campfire Oracle
|
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 86,196 |
He was a flake, he didn't have a snowball chance in heck. 2 points. If you get my drift. Sure has been a flurry of jokes made.
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
--ironbender
|
|
|
|
|
407 members (30incher, 1_deuce, 17CalFan, 280ACKIMP, 257_X_50, 348winchester, 49 invisible),
2,667
guests, and
1,393
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,191,753
Posts18,476,304
Members73,942
| |
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|
