My love of life is a mirror of my Morfar. 98 yrs old, hooked up to oxygen and still riffing on the harmonica. This is living people.
Took my first swim in Tahoe
People say you can’t do much once a slide swallows you up. They’re right. Last week at Squaw I headed down a chute I love to ski. After a storm, it usually shluffs off a foot or more of loose snow. I noticed the top was pretty loaded, so I entered off of center. If this was in the backcountry it would be a no go, but I assumed it was all good since I had skied it the day before.
As I entered I saw a fracture open up for about about 20 feet to my left…by the time I looked right the whole slab dropped out from under me. Growing up in Tahoe you get used to small loose snow slides as you clean out lines after a good storm. My instinct was to ski left towards the chute’s bank to get out of the main slide. The reality was I had about 3 seconds of skiing before the load ripped me out of my skis and sent me tumbling. Swimming really is a good description, just put your boots and clothes on and jump in the Tahoe.
After a few seconds in the spin cycle I somehow got pushed off center and settled off to the side slightly burried. Lucky. I had a beacon on (first time I’ve ever worn one inbounds), but I had been skiing solo. Decided to break off from my buddy and get some non-stops. No friends on a powder day, heh? My skis managed to stay afloat and were about 200 feet below me in the debris. The crown was about 3 feet not including the loose snow on top.
Thank you snow gods.
Things learned:
1) once your in a slide its up to gravity, lose the fantasy of skiing out of it
2) wear a beacon on big snow days
3) ski with someone else with a beacon
4) if you stop to make sure your beacon is on…should you be skiing it?
