Arne Backstrom has passed away

just terrible, RIP, SIP

RIP. all these greats passing on too early. prayers go out to the backstroms

"the candle burned twice as bright, for half as long"

rip shane, cr, and arne

so awful

rest in peace

May He RIP. So sad to have another huge inspiration to this sport pass away. you will be missed... Ride IN Peace-

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jScTx9LL5WRJuM-ivz9CZYh5w5QwD9G5ANBO0

RIP

rip

Well put, RIP bro.

RIP, so unfortunate, way to many great guys have been killed this season. Here is another artile about his death

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur/story/2010/06/05/sp-backstrom.html

Terrible news. RIP.

Positive vibes going out to the SV community and everyone who knew him. What a loss.

RIP

RIP

RIP

. RIP man

RIP

RIP Arne. what a rough year

i watched arne all year long on the fwt circuit, his line in revelstoke was so damn sick. skied that huge face like it was a walk in the park through some easy gates. any line he skied would be so smooth you wouldnt even realize the gnarliness he was going over. rip arne!

RIP

So horrible.... RIP

what is with all my squaw idols dropping like flies...

so sad. SIP.

that sucks. ski in peace

what the fuck? so many sqaw skiers passing latly.. RIP Arne, CR, and Shane

my thoughts go out to your family. you will be missed.

wow, sounds like a crazy accident and a good guy. may he RIP

From TGR

Arne Backstrom Accident Report
I have been given the duty of making certain that facts and details of the tragic accident are correct.

Here is the official accident report for the tragic loss of our good friend Arne Backstrom. This report was approved by the family and written by those involved in Peru.

Kevin Quinn

June 6, 2010

At 9:45 am on June 3rd Arne Backstrom was killed while skiing Pisco (5752 m) in the Llanganuco Valley of the Cordillera Blanca, Peru. With him were Kip Garre and Dave Rosenbarger. The team arrived in Peru on the 28th of May for a month long ski mountaineering expedition. On June 1st the team established a base camp at 4650 m in the Llanganuco Valley with intentions of climbing and skiing Pisco as apart of their acclimatization process. At 4:45 am on June 3rd Arne, Kip, and Dave started their climb from base camp under clear skies and calm winds. They ascended the Standard Route via the Huandoy/Pisco Col and SW Slopes with no difficulties. The team made the summit at 9:00 am and began their descent at 9:25.

Snow conditions off of the summit were consistent and ideal for skiing. An inch of warmed, soft snow overlay a firm base. Approximately 150 m below the summit the team stopped at a ramp leading to Pisco’s S Face, a 400m 50-55 degree slope of snow and rock. The S Face was a feature that the team had observed and discussed during the two days prior to their climb. At 9:45 am, after some discussion, Arne decided to descend the ramp to assess the snow conditions of the face. He made a few turns down the 40-degree ramp in soft conditions before encountering hard snow or ice. Arne attempted to traverse onto the S Face to what appeared to be softer snow. Conditions on the face remained firm and the team noticed Arne accelerate. His downhill ski released causing Arne to fall out of Kip and Dave’s sight.

Not able to see Arne or the entire S Face, Kip and Dave tried to make verbal contact with no success. Realizing self-arrest was highly unlikely, Kip and Dave descended the route of their ascent knowing it would be the safest, fastest way to reach Arne. At 9:55 Kip and Dave encountered a guide and client just below the Huandoy/Pisco Col and informed them of the accident. At this point Kip and Dave roped up and began to traverse/skin, maintaining a high route under Pisco’s S Face through heavily glaciated and crevassed terrain. At approximately 10:55 am they found Arne beneath the face. Upon thorough examination Arne had neither a radial nor a carotid pulse and had sustained head trauma despite wearing a helmet.

Unable to move Arne back through the glaciated terrain, Kip and Dave were forced to descend in search of help. At 11:30 am Kip and Dave reached two guides who had been informed of the accident and were coming to assist in the rescue. All unnecessary equipment was left behind and the rescue party walked roped up back to Arne and reached him at 12:15 pm. An improvised litter was created using a rope and skis. The four person rescue party began moving Arne back towards the trail leading to base camp at 1:15 pm. Due to soft snow and complicated terrain, progress was slow. Wanting to avoid any further accidents from serac and rock fall from the face above, the decision was made after two hours of work to leave Arne in a safe location and return the following morning with additional help.

At approximately 4:15 pm, with the use of a satellite phone, the team contacted a friend in the United States to help with coordination of a rescue and to notify members of Arne’s family.

The following day, with the help of several local porters and guides Arne was brought down to a refuge located adjacent to the team’s base camp. Currently formalities are being taken care of to return Arne back to his family in the United States.

We want to apologize for the factual nature of this report. All of us here, as well as thousands of friends and family members around the world are deeply saddened by this unfortunate event. Our foremost concern, however, is that all of the facts surrounding the accident are understood.

Our thoughts and sympathy are with the Backstrom family.

RIP

RIP

RIP

That's really sad. Vibes to his family and friends. I'm sorry for your huge loss. Mountain people everywhere morn for him.  

R.I.P.  That guy rocked the mountain. He owned it. Its really sad to think that he died doing what he did best. What will the duo backstroms do now...

I just cant get over how much tragedy there has been recently...

I can only hope this is the end of it for a while...

fuck this sucks. RIP/SIP

This is definitly a huge loss to the ski community RIP Arne

RIP

Too many deaths the past year or two. Way too many. Rest in peace.. I'm so sorry.

in the past five years, we have lost way too many fantastic skiers that really changed the sport. its horrible but theres not really a better way to go then doing it skiing. RIP

RIP. Too many great skiers and great guys going.

R.I.P Arne Backstrom the big mountains will seem a little smaller with out you their.

RIP, be careful out there folks. I feel that sometimes people forget how dangerous our sport can be

RIP

Rip in peace

from January 2010

RIP SIP

RIP

RIP

RIP Big Mountain will not be the same.

Rest in peace brotha. Let's pray this is the last of it for squaw. Bad things come in threes.

holy fuck. RIP.

anyone have that "Mandatory Huck" shot of Arne from a slew of years ago? fucking sender!

...