That was well written.

It’s sad how similar all these post-reports end up being. That’s not a comment on your writing style or insight, but rather how the fallibility of human behavior draws us however slowly, almost unswervingly towards doom.

Nice write up Schralph, it’s not always easy to write up a accident report that you were involved with. Good job being proactive and stepping up to the challenge. You cover a lot of good points.

It’s interesting how human factors contribute to so many of the accidents every season. The mind’s ability to rationalize choices made before all information has been gathered and perpetuate people down the wrong path is the downfall of many in avalanche terrain. It’s one of the hardest things for people to overcome.

I think that you have to practice turning away from lines. Every season, I will knowingly go to the top of an unsafe line, look down it, and evaluate why I am not going to ride it. I then go to a safer line that I already planned, or I go back to the car.

People will choose a line to ski days before they go. This is planning, nothing wrong with that, but they focus on the objective. The more people who are involved, the harder it is to communicate, and the harder it is to change the objective. Mob mentality.

I have a rule, the more people who are going, the more of a shit show, the mellower the objective. If more people enter the group, especially last minute, we’ll either split up or I’ll just go to the resort or do something else altogether. I’m pretty antisocial that way and it helps.

Thanks for posting. Great article that I will reread in the future.

@ieism wrote:

That’s true. Don’t get too exited when there finally is some powder. Choose your riding partners wisely, get a real smartass in your group that isn’t afraid to tell you you’re wrong. I avoid large groups, split them up. More than 4 is too large for me, i’d rather go with just that guy I trust.
And most important, think for yourself and dont be afraid to turn around. All these stories might have a different outcome if one or two persons had the balls to say “i’m not doing this, it’s stupid and dangerous”. You can be that person, that makes you the hero not the loser.

Other than that, I think you guys did very well dealing with the resque in such a difficult situation.

:thumbsup:
Yes to all of this. Though I think four or five is the ideal group size.

Very educational. Thanks for taking the time to thoroughly examine your experience.

Alex, good write up and glad you were able to get it published for others to learn from. It is crazy the human factor and the results it has on decision making. I learned a lot from you on our tour earlier this year on the human factor. Hopefully you’re keeping the pink belt alive!