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Posts: 20
Joined: 16-06-2009
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I recently read a very ironic article about the best places to find powder outside the boundaries of the ski hill. Ryland recently posted:
"thats whats worrying me. The haul back deterred alot of snoboardrs from skiing cedar... now more punters are going to get in there.. poachin all my pow.."
So I find it odd that he would publish in a ski magazine that is going to be sitting on store counters for the next six months where to find all the powder. Or maybe while all the newbies are lost or killed in avalanches, he'll be ripping his cedar bowl powder.
Which leads me to my second point. While a lot of people in town are upset that the easy stashes have been uncovered, I'm more concerned about the danger people have been put in. Fish Bowl is the biggest diasater waiting to happen in this valley, and it's only a matter of time before an avy rips off the headwall and buries someone going across the original 'idiot's traverse'. I understand he wrote one sentence about the dangers of going O.B., but it's not really disclaimner enough. Anyone with backcountry training/experience knows where to go, look, and how to get to the spots beyond the ropes.
Dissapointed in so many ways. Here's to hoping everyone has a safe winter.
ps. Looking at the new Fernie map, I see a hole where the face lift used to be. Not sure what the plan is there. Just like to give credit where credit is due.
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Joined: 10-06-2007
and your point is...
Joined: 25-09-2009
"It should never be accessed without the same training and gear (as any backcountry access), and remember these areas are not controlled or patrolled."
Direct quote (expect for what in the brackets) from Fernie Winter Fix. I think it gives people fair worning of what they could get themselves into. Between stating this and the list of Fernie Search and Rescue Top Ten List of Gear to Take into the Backcountry, i don't see a huge problem with this article. Its good for people to know what they are looking at when they are weighing up leaving the ski area boundary.
And for the Facelift, who really cares! Its open a few whole times during the winter, just make it a boot pack to eliminate a few more people from going up there.
Joined: 13-04-2007
I totally agree,even with proper gear and training and local expirence people are still getting hurt and killed.so let's put an article or a map in probly the first thing all the new people in town are gonna read .these people don't know any better they just want turns. ryland is so anti RCR but who do you think is gonna risk there lives to go rescue the people.Patrollers of course .So I hope everyone who reads this article understands most of the places have big terrian features wich means in the right conditions big things can and probly will happen
Joined: 23-10-2009
Like they say, 50% of humans have no common sense; and evidently locals are not excluded.
It's no secret where you can backcountry ski in Fernie. Any idiot looking up from town can see what lays beyond the pink (or is it blue now?) ropes of Siberia Bowl and Cedar Bowl and venture out there. Recent surveys at boundary lines proved that less than 50% of people choosing to travel out of bounds had a transciever, shovel, probe AND the knowledge of compation rescue and snow stabilty evaluation. Do I need to quote my source...no, because every local knows that it's true. By the way, how often have you done a quick solo mission just beyond the rope lines without even a second thought or poke in the snow.
The fact is, we do not want to make it easy, acceptable or second nature for locals AND tourists to enter the backcountry without equiping themselves. Golden anyone? We want to encourage potential travellers to consult locals, the CAA, the Patrol, Local Guides etc. It is part of arming themselves and a small step in 'qualifying' for this type of risk. Those are too lazy, shy, or egotistical to do the homework will perhaps be screened out whether by mother nature, by staying home, or by choosing to ride within bounds.
Fernie receives 29 ft of snow annually, there is plenty to go around. Instead of simplistically promoting backcountry travel to those who may not be well advised - why not do an article on Avalanche Safety Training Courses, transceiver use, companion rescue, the conveyor shovel technique, or other proactive topics that may be of better use to us this winter.
Joined: 25-11-2007
Sparrow..............Well put!
Joined: 31-03-2007
sooooooo disappointed in all involved parties
Joined: 04-06-2006
People are going to venture into the backcountry. So why not give them decent information and warnings about the areas they are going to venture into instead of having them blindly going out there.... and ending up doing the idiot traverse across the middle of fish bowl and getting caught in a slide.
Thats what I thought when I wrote the article.
Especially since you now have RCR promoting how FAR offers "sidecountry" as in this post - http://bit.ly/45dv1O
Note that they don't mention anything about the dangers of venturing into the backcountry.
yes.. the posting does say that its inbounds terrain. But to me places like fish bowl and mongolia fit the definition of sidecountry to a T.... actually being on the sides of the inbounds terrain.
Joined: 23-12-2006
BCA releases slam-dunk avi training videos. http://bit.ly/pmgyP
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