I've just heard that last week Big White, my old stomping ground, was hit by it's first ever inbounds avalanche during the day. Tragically someone was killed. Looking at the aftermath and judging by how busy I've heard it had been that day, it's a hollow miracle no one else lost their life.
Image may be NSFW.
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The Cliff area is the only known spot inbounds on the hill which poses a risk of slides, but it's never cracked off during opening hours before. I know from my own time there just how paranoid Ski Patrol is about safety in general, but specifically in relation to the Cliff. They bomb the crap out of it after most dumps. Judging by the pics I've seen, the depth of the slide plane looks to be well over a meter down so it looks like a weakness laid down at the start of the season. ...I don't know, I can't comment on whether or not it could have been prevented, but I gut tells me it was a freak slide.
Of the 5 official runs at Big White I never got around to riding during my time there, four of them were the 4 quadrants of the Cliff area. I never had the bottle to go over that lip. I was always waiting for that perfect powder day. It's sobering to think that the peaceful mountain I got to know so well could suddenly behave so viciously. But it's the nature of the beast sadly. You disturb sleeping dragons at your peril.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The Cliff area is the only known spot inbounds on the hill which poses a risk of slides, but it's never cracked off during opening hours before. I know from my own time there just how paranoid Ski Patrol is about safety in general, but specifically in relation to the Cliff. They bomb the crap out of it after most dumps. Judging by the pics I've seen, the depth of the slide plane looks to be well over a meter down so it looks like a weakness laid down at the start of the season. ...I don't know, I can't comment on whether or not it could have been prevented, but I gut tells me it was a freak slide.
Of the 5 official runs at Big White I never got around to riding during my time there, four of them were the 4 quadrants of the Cliff area. I never had the bottle to go over that lip. I was always waiting for that perfect powder day. It's sobering to think that the peaceful mountain I got to know so well could suddenly behave so viciously. But it's the nature of the beast sadly. You disturb sleeping dragons at your peril.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
