Excellent video and well-described points, particularly on the terrain traps. In addition to your notes:
- Putting a high traverse in like that is asking for trouble on a loaded slope
- Blue skies will have added warming from the sun which may have destabilized layers
- Just because it’s in-bounds, doesn’t mean it’s safe!
Very irresponsible to cut across the top of a steep slope of fresh snow that has not had time to settle, you can clearly see the top top layer just slide from the bottom layer of snow.
Im an ex skier who has now been snowboarding for 19 years. Although I have taken certain calculated risks, I have never put anyone else at danger. It is just damm right stupid to put other holiday makers lives at risk.
Not all snowboarders are this irresponsible and I hope anyone watching this clip will learn to take the correct precautions before rushing out to get the first lines.
Stay with experienced people to ensure safety in the snow for everyone, so we can all continue to enjoy the off pieste or take up a different sport instead.
Looking at the video again the bowl seems to consist of two channels with a ridge in the middle. This may have added to the loading, I notice the slope goes as the boarder hits the snow after unweighting crossing over the center ridge. If he had followed the first tracks he might have been ok - well until there are enough tracks to cut through to the weak layer below.
I wonder if a border has more or less of a cutting effect on the slab? You hear of quite a few avalanches where boarders have cut the slope and triggered the slide onto skiers below. Not criticising boarders hear but it is something they have to be aware of.
This was discussed a little on TGR. The lower track is the boarder’s guide.
TGR thread is here: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135780
Thanks for the heads-up Tim. There is some interesting background to the slide there.
http://livinginpatagonia.com/?p=662
Obviously the video has ruffled some Latin American feathers.
http://livinginpatagonia.com/?p=687