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Any Reason To Wear a Beacon In-Bounds?

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djty111
Posts: 1103 - Karma: 93
So since the recent in bounds avalanche at the Canyons in Park City I was wondering how many of you wear your beacon in bounds. I almost never do, but sice this avalanche I have thought diffrently. One reason why I wouldent want to wear it in bounds would be that I would also need my pack with my probe and shovel to be usefull and I wouldent want to ride with a pack in the park. Any thoughts...
Dec 25 2007 5:29PM
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2bi40s
Posts: 275 - Karma: 15
extra precaution cant hurt brother.
Dec 25 2007 6:02PM
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espong1321
Posts: 763 - Karma: 10
mother nature is unpredictable
Dec 25 2007 6:02PM
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eheath
Posts: 61603 - Karma: 123,082
I know some who do and i've been thinking about it.
Dec 25 2007 6:04PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
depends where you will be skiing in bounds. If you're just riding park, there really isn't a need. But if you are on terrain that is more prone to avalanches, even inbounds, then it doesn't hurt.
Dec 25 2007 6:06PM
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djty111
Posts: 1103 - Karma: 93
ya it just sucks if I want to go freeride for a few runs then go to the park for a few I dont want to have my pack... the first people to get the sceen in the Canyons avalanche death were the public with there own probes (there was a probe line going) so I guess thats good to have..
Dec 25 2007 6:42PM
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iggyskier
Posts: 10447 - Karma: 10,018
Really depends on where you ski, and could possibly be pointless if you are alone or skiing with people who don't have rescue gear with them.

I would say I wear by beacon/shovel/probe maybe 70% of the time at crystal these days, and the beacon maybe 95%.  Depends on conditions and who I am skiing with.  It really isn't a big deal to wear it and due to the terrain and risk of skiing what is essentially controlled BC at crystal, it seems stupid not to.

I would fucking love it if they required beacon/shovel/probe/partner for all the Xtal BC because it would cut the skier traffic down by at least 50%.

If you have it, don't see any reason not to wear it. 
Dec 25 2007 6:52PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,686
agreed.
Dec 25 2007 6:59PM
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djty111
Posts: 1103 - Karma: 93
^I would like that idea alot...
Dec 25 2007 7:27PM
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JaySkier107
Posts: 288 - Karma: 29
guess if you plan on getting avalanched.

but other than that no
Dec 25 2007 7:32PM
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finnafuckyobitch
Posts: 1647 - Karma: 865
it cant hurt. jst use it when ur not gona ski park
Dec 25 2007 8:09PM
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VT_FLO
Posts: 3806 - Karma: 147
i would only wear it on a good powder day if i were you.
Dec 25 2007 8:40PM
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-+Siver+-
Posts: 1902 - Karma: 12
does your hill have lockers that are accesible?
Dec 25 2007 9:01PM
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djty111
Posts: 1103 - Karma: 93
^ no there are like none at all the canyons and it sucks beacuse you park and then need to take like 4 lifts to get to the top...
Dec 25 2007 10:21PM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,085
Yesterday, I was carried off a 30 ft cliff when a 10" slab released underneath me, inbounds at Big Mountain.

I am lucky to be alive, and from now on when I hit up the steep stuff, I am taking my beacon.

I am pretty sure it was just a freak accident, and that patrol just missed a spot in avie bombing, but I am really lucky I wasn't buried.
Dec 25 2007 10:24PM
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Aenigma
Posts: 11256 - Karma: 424
Awesome. 



I wear mine anytime I question the snowpack at all.  This means almost every powder day, and then in the spring once the snow starts hitting freeze/thaw cycles.  It's also required to wear one skiing the ridge at Bridger, so I end up having mine on probably 60-70% of the time I'm inbounds.  It's on me and turned on 100% of the time in the backcountry, regardless of the terrain I'm on. 

To me it just seems idiotic to take an uneccessary risk and not wear one when the potential is there.  Sure, you're in a ski area, but you also have to realize that ski patrol doesn't have complete control over the mountain and the snow will change as the day progresses--often significantly if it's snowing/windy.
Dec 25 2007 10:38PM
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Avifarer
Posts: 5926 - Karma: 598
ya probably cut it down to something like 80%
Dec 25 2007 10:41PM
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footcrunk
Posts: 385 - Karma: 75
Dont be a pusssssaaayyyyyyyy, just ski.
Dec 25 2007 11:21PM
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doublexl
Posts: 8407 - Karma: 27
i always have one for the park.
Dec 25 2007 11:27PM
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KRAMPUSNTROLLZ
Posts: 2715 - Karma: 355
if it floats your boat sure
Dec 26 2007 1:35AM
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sdfjklioeur
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 114
cant hurt
Dec 26 2007 1:36AM
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solitaryman
Posts: 3578 - Karma: 123
im going to laugh when you die in a slide.
Dec 26 2007 2:00AM
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ConroyAK
Posts: 52 - Karma: 10
beacons look reeeaaaallll good on your jacket. I wear them to school, funerals, the ice cream parlor, everywhere really. Even on dates.
Dec 26 2007 2:03AM
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Bentley@DOSMedia
Posts: 1410 - Karma: 1,827
well if you have any desire on a pow day to go somewhere, even in bounds, that has not been approved by the ski patrol, wear one.
i wear one on pow days at alpine. mainly cuz i do a lot of hiking and it makes sense to wear it.

Dec 26 2007 3:18AM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,386
Here's something to think about:

at most resorts, the person who is most likely to save your ass and do it well is a patroller. all patrollers have beacons, and when they arrive on scene, it's the first thing they look for.

I use my becon every pow day. Helll, you never know. It's not like it makes you ski any worse. it could save your life. I would recomend it.

the other day at mammoth, they blasted the shit out of the top of the mountain for 2 storm cycles. they opened these chutes off the top, and a half an hour later one of them slid to the dirt.

last year, after avy control, a fracture that was several hundred feet acrooss and 6 feet deep in some places went aftter they opened it to the public. anyonce caught in that without a beacon would have died.

in the end, it's worth it.
Dec 26 2007 4:14AM
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televback1
Posts: 386 - Karma: 11
dude ur retarted there have been ,any deaths at resort such as the canyons just like last week and dude alawys exert cuation u will alayws be better

anyone that skis jackson hole knows that most people wear beacons at all times just because of what has happened at other places it always good to be safe and not stupid alawys wear one on 45 plus degree pitches it can slide so easily
Dec 26 2007 10:06AM
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pfutz
Posts: 174 - Karma: 10
I read the thread title as any reason to wear bacon in bounds?

I came here to post: yes.
Dec 26 2007 10:47AM
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jKutcher
Posts: 3936 - Karma: 4,260
truth
Dec 26 2007 10:50AM
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crazyfuck
Posts: 5968 - Karma: -7
same dumbass mentality that helps squids justify not wearing leathers and a helmet when getting on a crotch-rocket... "gear is for people who crash!"  yeah, have fun getting fucked up.
Dec 26 2007 10:53AM
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iggyskier
Posts: 10447 - Karma: 10,018
Click for larger image
Dec 26 2007 2:13PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
and what USED to be called BC at Crystal

RIP NorthBack
Dec 26 2007 2:22PM
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.SteezusChrist.
Posts: 2296 - Karma: 276
i just want to clarify this, the avalanche at the canyons happened on canyon's land, but technically "backcountry."  the canyons has backcountry access gates, so it was inbounds, but kinda out of bounds
Dec 26 2007 2:31PM
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iggyskier
Posts: 10447 - Karma: 10,018
For real. 

I have been so busy with school, plus am back in CO for a few weeks, that I haven't been up to Crystal at all this year. 

I am conflicted about that lift, as I feel it will spread the mountain out more and hopefully decrease skier traffic in SB, but a ton of my favorite shots were in NB.  Hope they don't get too fucked up. 

I dunno.  I am not going to say much until I see how it turns out.

I do think they should require beacons though.  That would be amazing.
Dec 26 2007 2:32PM
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iggyskier
Posts: 10447 - Karma: 10,018
SC Which one are you talking about?

Hasn't there been two avalanche fatalities there in the past week or so?

I was just reading about this one:
http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/Accidents/Accidents,07-08/12-24-07,%20Canyons%20Accident,%20Lees-Kobernik/12-23-07,%20Canyons%20Accident,%20Lees-Kobernik.htm

Click for larger image

And I was pretty sure this was the 2nd of two fatalities this week there.
Dec 26 2007 2:37PM
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djty111
Posts: 1103 - Karma: 93
^ya this is the second in like a week or 10 days at the canyons the first guy hit a tree on a run that had a bunch of rocks (before we got snow) the seccond was the other day on the north side. It is outside a gate but they still do avy. work there so its inbounds. Another snowboarder died in the Unitas yestarday when he was cought inder a slide...
Dec 26 2007 5:24PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Here at Stevens Pass, patrollers were doing some routine blasting on Aquarius Face, a open blue run, two days ago. They werent expecting much, just a few inches to go at most, but a 4 foot deep fracture broke along about 600 feet and swept down the run into trees.

In bound avalanches happen. Ski Patrol does what it can to minimize them, but if you have a beacon and know that out of bounds snowpack is sketch, it wouldnt hurt to wear it in bounds as well.
Dec 26 2007 5:40PM
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KeithB.
Posts: 608 - Karma: 12
This is a good thread. I am seriously going to give wearing my beacon most of the time some serious thought. I ski a lot of runs that are out of bounds but then come back into the area, it's stupid of me not to wear one. I guess I don't because I ski alone most of the time, not smart either. Don't follow my example kids!
Dec 26 2007 6:44PM
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BEARS.
Posts: 5380 - Karma: 696
dont even own a beacon
Dec 26 2007 6:57PM
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Aenigma
Posts: 11256 - Karma: 424

A lot of people--myself included--will do a quick check if they come across a sizeable slide that could have buried someone.  If you're not wearing a beacon and you're still alive in that situation you're SOL.

Dec 26 2007 7:08PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Well, as of today, WA has had over 7 avalanche related deaths this year. That should make you think.
Dec 26 2007 7:11PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 150
i don't see how wearing a beacon can impose much on a skier anyway? it's non invasive, fairly lightweight and is proven to really help when there are avi's etc.
people should wear them all the time - sure, it may never be needed, but there is that small chance it will - and then you would be happy you had it.
Dec 26 2007 7:18PM
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liftedresearcher
Posts: 1140 - Karma: 1,775
id wear one just to practice with it and get used to it before  you actually enter the BC
Dec 26 2007 7:32PM
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Skipig25
Posts: 10729 - Karma: 256
yea, definitely a situation where it's "better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it"

if you have any question of the terrain, you should have it on person, and turned on.
Dec 26 2007 7:47PM
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GrippinGs
Posts: 4960 - Karma: 196
its all preparation for the inevitable. If your just wearing a beacon w/o your shovel probe. at the very least your can help with a search. I wear mine inbounds when we get alot of new snow or when i know im going to be skiing some areas on the mtn that are off the beaten path.
Dec 26 2007 8:07PM
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Alex_thedroog
Posts: 3433 - Karma: 2
I ski with it now.  none of my friends have them so I just bring my beacon and hope the ski patrol get to me first.
Dec 26 2007 9:25PM
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footcrunk
Posts: 385 - Karma: 75

Dude, i always wear a beacon and have all my gear when im in the BC, i just dont hink its nessesary in bounds.

and i doubt that most people at jackson wear beacons in bounds, how would you even know that?

Dec 27 2007 3:41AM
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mattster
Posts: 4120 - Karma: 41
avalanches are scary man...
Dec 27 2007 5:35AM
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Aenigma
Posts: 11256 - Karma: 424
This was in-bounds at Big Sky a little while ago:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7Z9XshN7-Y&feature=PlayList&p=1ECB29D405CEF2C6&index=1
Think of what could have happened had they not used the second charge.
Dec 27 2007 11:20AM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,386
There's been days I knew the snowpack was sketch,and I would be in some sketch terrain, and I took my shovel and probe in bounds. When I shoot powder, I have my backback for my camera anyways so I bring my avy shit too.
Dec 27 2007 1:13PM
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LOVEPOW
Posts: 646 - Karma: 15
Some people are definetly wearing there bacons inbounds.  The snowpack isnt very good out west and most places are in avy cycles.  Didnt you hear about the slide at the Canyons someone died.  And it doesnt matter if your partners have bacons the patrol has lots of safety equipment including recco reflectors.  which are better than nothing
Dec 27 2007 4:22PM
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