Holy fuc*ing shit! Thank-God Nelson's Ok. To have the snow funnel like that and then get hit while its moving the fastest...Dam. Glad to hear you're OK, man. If it hit Fabio the way it did, sounds like part of a cornice came down, probably not the whole thing though.
I bet those Margeritas at Ed's went down fast.
Thanks skasgaard. Doing OK except for a mighty impressive bruise that now covers much of my left hamstring. Yeah I had a marg at Ed's then went down to Fort Collins and had another at the Rio!
I'm not sure what quite to say here. First, I'm glad everyone is ok. Especially Nelson; that guy already has been through enough of a beating through the years. Second, I'm thankfull ya'll can learn from this experience. It still freaks me out when friends get caught up in shit like this. I know a few of you well enough that these obscure routes which have funnel-lanche potential might scare ya'll off in the future. Or at least, are takin on later in the season. Going forward, I'm sure ya'll will continue to bust out time-tested routes. Lord knows there's enough of them in the Park for ya'll to choose from. Replace snow with rockfall and we might be singing a differnt song here.
I have a question: These obscure routes ya'll are taking on; are they obscure for a reason?
But yeah - you're right. This sort of thing needs to wait for a couple more weeks. There were some clues that things weren't great even before the avalanche. Next time we need to heed them sooner.
I hope you read my edited response. I wrote the original too fast and furious and realized that I'm not here to lecture...like I know, cuz I don't. Hell NO I don't want off ya'lls e-mail list. I find ya'lls brainstorming to be quite entertaining. Maybe I'll be the one that chirps in "some of you have family." At that point I'm sure I'll be removed from the e-mail list. Glad you are ok.
Glad I stayed in bed for this one... and glad you guys are all ok! Nelson...you gotta quit beating your body up like that, you won't get the security deposit back on it!
Kane, we'll get out for an "old timid risk-adverse guys" day one of these days :-) Actually, I figured I'd get booted from the email list for lecturing them earlier, but apparently they still like me ok (or haven't gotten around to it yet) :-)
Andy, at least we shouldn't have any avy issues in the Grand Canyon this weekend. Great account of the day's events... see you Thursday morning.
Thanks Kane and Chris. As Andy notes we are slow learners, but are now certified members of the timid risk-adverse club. We were probably minutes away from turning around. Those were significant minutes as it turned out, so we were not quite timid enough.
The black and blue bruising on my left leg is quite impressive right now, so they have clamped down on my security deposit.
I had a similar experience a week ago while on Dead Dog a bit too late in the morning. The conditions still seemed reasonably stable (snow just beginning to soften up; no rollers, ...). We thought we were being cautious -- we were ready to retreat at the first sign of instability. That sign turned out to be an avalanche. Luckily it was in the next gulley over. We bailed pronto. Lesson learned.
well written as always. Oh, and the milking it to attract the ladies at Colorado College hasn't been working out as well as planned! Oh well, it sure makes a good story! When are we gonna get out and climb? Let's get out to Eldo sometime...
Remind me not to go snow climbng with you guys! I don't need anymore luck like. I remember you guys pretty well because we were on Mount Toll about a week after that happened to first time. Congrats on making it out alive.
Kiefer - May 7, 2007 4:09 pm - Voted 10/10
II#@%&!Holy fuc*ing shit! Thank-God Nelson's Ok. To have the snow funnel like that and then get hit while its moving the fastest...Dam. Glad to hear you're OK, man. If it hit Fabio the way it did, sounds like part of a cornice came down, probably not the whole thing though.
I bet those Margeritas at Ed's went down fast.
Nelson - May 10, 2007 1:01 am - Voted 10/10
Re: II#@%&!Thanks skasgaard. Doing OK except for a mighty impressive bruise that now covers much of my left hamstring. Yeah I had a marg at Ed's then went down to Fort Collins and had another at the Rio!
Kane - May 7, 2007 5:47 pm - Voted 10/10
Well...I'm not sure what quite to say here. First, I'm glad everyone is ok. Especially Nelson; that guy already has been through enough of a beating through the years. Second, I'm thankfull ya'll can learn from this experience. It still freaks me out when friends get caught up in shit like this. I know a few of you well enough that these obscure routes which have funnel-lanche potential might scare ya'll off in the future. Or at least, are takin on later in the season. Going forward, I'm sure ya'll will continue to bust out time-tested routes. Lord knows there's enough of them in the Park for ya'll to choose from. Replace snow with rockfall and we might be singing a differnt song here.
I have a question: These obscure routes ya'll are taking on; are they obscure for a reason?
Andy - May 7, 2007 5:56 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Well...Does this mean you want off the email list? ;-)
We're slow learners.
But yeah - you're right. This sort of thing needs to wait for a couple more weeks. There were some clues that things weren't great even before the avalanche. Next time we need to heed them sooner.
Kane - May 7, 2007 6:11 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Well...I hope you read my edited response. I wrote the original too fast and furious and realized that I'm not here to lecture...like I know, cuz I don't. Hell NO I don't want off ya'lls e-mail list. I find ya'lls brainstorming to be quite entertaining. Maybe I'll be the one that chirps in "some of you have family." At that point I'm sure I'll be removed from the e-mail list. Glad you are ok.
Chris - May 8, 2007 1:08 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Well...Glad I stayed in bed for this one... and glad you guys are all ok! Nelson...you gotta quit beating your body up like that, you won't get the security deposit back on it!
Kane, we'll get out for an "old timid risk-adverse guys" day one of these days :-) Actually, I figured I'd get booted from the email list for lecturing them earlier, but apparently they still like me ok (or haven't gotten around to it yet) :-)
Andy, at least we shouldn't have any avy issues in the Grand Canyon this weekend. Great account of the day's events... see you Thursday morning.
Nelson - May 9, 2007 11:00 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Well...Thanks Kane and Chris. As Andy notes we are slow learners, but are now certified members of the timid risk-adverse club. We were probably minutes away from turning around. Those were significant minutes as it turned out, so we were not quite timid enough.
The black and blue bruising on my left leg is quite impressive right now, so they have clamped down on my security deposit.
Have a great run in the Canyon. See you around.
Gareth - May 7, 2007 6:09 pm - Voted 10/10
What to say?First, I glad that everyone is okay!!!
Second, and I hate to say this: Be careful guys. I want you all to be around when I move out to CO!
jwproulx - May 7, 2007 7:58 pm - Hasn't voted
Damn.Glad you're all okay!
I had a similar experience a week ago while on Dead Dog a bit too late in the morning. The conditions still seemed reasonably stable (snow just beginning to soften up; no rollers, ...). We thought we were being cautious -- we were ready to retreat at the first sign of instability. That sign turned out to be an avalanche. Luckily it was in the next gulley over. We bailed pronto. Lesson learned.
JJ - May 8, 2007 12:26 pm - Hasn't voted
Whoa....I was wondering if this was anyone off of SP. I read about the incident on the CAIC website. Glad to hear all you guys are OK.
foxylady - May 8, 2007 10:39 pm - Voted 10/10
ah ha!One of the wives found out!!!!!! I'm selling all his mountaineering stuff on Ebay as we speak! :)
Andy - May 8, 2007 10:57 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: ah ha!Ahhhhh crap! ;-)
One of these days you and Jeff will have to come rock climbing with my wife and I.
Alpinist - May 10, 2007 1:30 pm - Voted 10/10
Note to selfDon't climb with Nelson... Nice report! Glad everyone is ok.
Nelson - May 11, 2007 2:58 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Note to selfGood advice. I wouldn't climb with that guy either.
Alpinist - May 11, 2007 4:27 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Note to selfBe careful Nelson. People are going to start calling you "Mr Avalanche"...
Gareth - May 12, 2007 12:30 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Note to selfMore like "Mr. Avalanche Magnet" ;-)
Nelson - May 13, 2007 10:34 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Note to self> People are going to start calling you "Mr Avalanche"...
That would be a compliment compared to a number of other names I can think of!
Dan Dalton - May 13, 2007 12:40 am - Voted 10/10
Great report...well written as always. Oh, and the milking it to attract the ladies at Colorado College hasn't been working out as well as planned! Oh well, it sure makes a good story! When are we gonna get out and climb? Let's get out to Eldo sometime...
Dan
Aaron Dyer - May 15, 2007 12:24 pm - Hasn't voted
Remind meRemind me not to go snow climbng with you guys! I don't need anymore luck like. I remember you guys pretty well because we were on Mount Toll about a week after that happened to first time. Congrats on making it out alive.
1mvertical - May 15, 2007 1:00 pm - Voted 10/10
Glad all ended wellThanks for sharing the story.