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GayWolf420
June, 2025

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Deliberately skiing controlled avalanches?

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I_am_in_here.
Posts: 8 - Karma: 126
Will it ever be possible? If not, why not? If so, when? I know it sounds like a death-wish now, but at the rate our sport progresses (technology too), I'm beginning to believe that dismissing any batshit idea defies all logic.

Sidenote: I'm aware that some people--those who've lost friends,family, or heroes--might take offense to this admittedly harebrained idea. I'm neither requesting that someone try it, nor suggesting that it's possible now.

I relate it to human flight though: If you were to travel back through time to 1859 (for argument's sake) and began preaching that humans'd be flying through the sky while sitting in a chair someday, most people would say you belonged without shoelaces in a padded room somewhere. Now, to quote Louis C.K., "you watch an Adam Sandler movie, take a big runny dump, and you're there."

Have any other batshit ideas regarding what people might be doing on skis someday?
10 years ago
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pj21
Posts: 400 - Karma: 4,635
I'm sure it's possible, but why the fuck would you want to? What does it have that normal skiing doesn't?
10 years ago
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OzzyJ
Posts: 723 - Karma: 927
It would be almost like surfing because you would be on a wave-thing. Not gonna lie I thought of this a few months ago and then I decided it was incredibly stupid after a few minutes.
10 years ago
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S.J.W
Posts: 7609 - Karma: 31,172
Why trigger an avalanche and ruin a few foot of pow so you can ski an avalanche? I mean it has no real application.

Unlike flight which had lots of application.
10 years ago
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fresh_prince
Posts: 993 - Karma: 11,916
did a whole essay on it check out the gazex canon
10 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 38259 - Karma: 131,671
id imagine it would be the same as setting something off unintentionally. Plus, i also feel the crew that has to dig your dumb, daredevil-ass out of the sluff wont be too stoked either.
10 years ago
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Powstagram
Posts: 250 - Karma: 2,564
Let's say you're in the slackcountry and you purposefully trigger an avalanche. Not only are you unbelievably fucktarded if you were to do so, you would also be putting the lives of others at risk. For what reason? So you can upload that cool picture on to your insta? So you can feel better about yourself?

Not aimed at you OP just the fucking gaper idiots I see in increasing numbers every time I start skinning out of the resort.

But yeah starting avalanches for fun is a fucking stupid idea, it serves no purpose to justify the massive levels of risk and endangerment to others it carries with it /rant
10 years ago
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I_am_in_here.
Posts: 8 - Karma: 126
UglyboyWhy trigger an avalanche and ruin a few foot of pow so you can ski an avalanche? I mean it has no real application.

Unlike flight which had lots of application.


Merely because it's human nature to upstage oneself (and everyone else), to do the craziest thing imaginable, and to gain recognition for it.

Perhaps flight by way of aircraft is a poor analogy though. How about Felix Baumgartner's dive from space. Not many saw that one coming, but afterwards, I for one felt that he achieved something bragworthy for the human race.
10 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
Go home, you're drunk.
10 years ago
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I_am_in_here.
Posts: 8 - Karma: 126
PowstagramLet's say you're in the slackcountry and you purposefully trigger an avalanche. Not only are you unbelievably fucktarded if you were to do so, you would also be putting the lives of others at risk. For what reason? So you can upload that cool picture on to your insta? So you can feel better about yourself?

Not aimed at you OP just the fucking gaper idiots I see in increasing numbers every time I start skinning out of the resort.

But yeah starting avalanches for fun is a fucking stupid idea, it serves no purpose to justify the massive levels of risk and endangerment to others it carries with it /rant


Point taken. I didn't mean random people at random spots in the backcountry though. I envisioned it more like a one-off, televised Pastrana stunt.
10 years ago
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Powstagram
Posts: 250 - Karma: 2,564
I_am_in_here.Point taken. I didn't mean random people at random spots in the backcountry though. I envisioned it more like a one-off, televised Pastrana stunt.


I guess that'd be kinda different. At least there it'd only be the skier putting their life at risk, willingly so. Then again there's the danger that someone could try and replicate it- but I doubt that anyone but the most uneducated of backcountry noobs would try and repeat it.

Also welcome to NS man!
10 years ago
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fresh_prince
Posts: 993 - Karma: 11,916
PowstagramNot only are you unbelievably fucktarded if you were to do so, you would also be putting the lives of others at risk. For what reason?


large big mountian ski resorts induce avalanches in controlled areas after clearing the whole hill, triggered avalanches are essential for overall mountain safety.
10 years ago
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fresh_prince
Posts: 993 - Karma: 11,916
10 years ago
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Powstagram
Posts: 250 - Karma: 2,564
fresh_princelarge big mountian ski resorts induce avalanches in controlled areas after clearing the whole hill, triggered avalanches are essential for overall mountain safety.


That is indeed true, but what I think we're talking about here is the lone skier them-self triggering an avalanche for the gnar gnar- controlled avalanches are important though, nice and reassuring on those days when the snowpack is sketchy
10 years ago
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fresh_prince
Posts: 993 - Karma: 11,916
PowstagramThat is indeed true, but what I think we're talking about here is the lone skier them-self triggering an avalanche for the gnar gnar- controlled avalanches are important though, nice and reassuring on those days when the snowpack is sketchy


tru, who the fuck would go out and c4 a hill tho, thats rachet shit, its actually illegal in some areas to induce an avalanche that puts others at risk
10 years ago
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Powstagram
Posts: 250 - Karma: 2,564
fresh_princetru, who the fuck would go out and c4 a hill tho, thats rachet shit, its actually illegal in some areas to induce an avalanche that puts others at risk


Bombing the hill in the daytime would be a ghetto as shit thing to do, always kinda gripping when you see skiers outrunning avys in big mountain edits though- like i can't remember which rider it was but he backflipped whilst this huge slide was homing in on him it was decent
10 years ago
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Drail
Posts: 14045 - Karma: 10,324
PowstagramBut yeah starting avalanches for fun is a fucking stupid idea, it serves no purpose to justify the massive levels of risk and endangerment to others it carries with it /rant


While OP is drunk, you on the other hand need to go get a drink and chill out.


Cutting cornices and trying to get something to go is fun as hell. Try it some time, you might like it.

Also, a ski cut is a common practice when dropping into a line. We do it in the backcountry, ski patrol does it as part of their avalanche control in bounds.

You're probably the guy on the camping trip that gets all mad when people start playing with gas around the campfire.
10 years ago
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Alvaro
Posts: 323 - Karma: 2,055
PowstagramBombing the hill in the daytime would be a ghetto as shit thing to do, always kinda gripping when you see skiers outrunning avys in big mountain edits though- like i can't remember which rider it was but he backflipped whilst this huge slide was homing in on him it was decent
https://youtu.be/EyiO2dFym0c
it was rad as fuck
10 years ago
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Alvaro
Posts: 323 - Karma: 2,055
Alvarohttps://youtu.be/EyiO2dFym0c
it was rad as fuck
.
10 years ago
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Alvaro
Posts: 323 - Karma: 2,055
Alvaro.


https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/763281/Sverre-Liliequist---Big-Mountain-run-2---Swatch-Skiers-Cup-2013
10 years ago
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-wakes-
Posts: 358 - Karma: 201
Trauma is a huge reason why people get killed in avalanches, not just suffocation. No amount of technology can protect you from that when you are skiing.
10 years ago
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Casey
Posts: 8028 - Karma: 27,029
the only time I've been in what you would call a real avalanche I instinctively tried to outrun it, but the snow caught up to me and bowled me over to the side in a split second. I think there is a tendency for people to think about avalanches in this way when they haven't had the shit scared out of them by the crazy amount of power speed and weight of moving snow.
10 years ago
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marrows
Posts: 399 - Karma: 656
You're probably the guy on the camping trip that gets all mad when people start playing with gas around the campfire.


youre so clevar duddee
10 years ago
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SofaKingSick
Posts: 9805 - Karma: 66,235
ignoring the stupidity and danger of the idea...

avalanches move downhill, the same direction youre going, so your relative speed would be super low or 0

pow skiing is what it is because you have speed relative to the snow and you get on a plane to float. in this scenario you'd most likely get scooped up like a puppy and sent into shit below, or just buried immediately

i think youre imagining an avalanche behaving like a wave but it doesn't
10 years ago
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freeballer
Posts: 739 - Karma: 1,079
I know a couple guys that do this and if done properly, it's not that fucking stupid. You need a steep slope that ends quickly to a pretty flat area. You go into it, cut it, wait a split second for it to go, then ride the last few feet (uphill) portion of the slide. If you get too deep, you are in trouble. Things to note:

1) Make damn sure you are no where near any other skiers below.
2) Make damn sure the slide runout path ends flat to prevent the slide from going far. Also, make sure the runout isn't going to send you into the trees. A lot of slides go much further than people realize.
3) Make damn sure you don't get too far into the sliding snow otherwise you risk trauma like hitting rocks and stumps and could get buried at the bottom.

Again, for the most part intentionally setting off slide and skiing them is a really bad idea for most skiers. However, if done properly by the right skier, it might not be that bad of an idea and incredibly fun. Line selection and knowledge of avalanche terrain is key.

Sidenote: I've never actually done this myself, but this comes from a couple older, extremely ripping skiers in Utah that spend most of their time in avalanche terrain in the backcountry. I'm no expert.
10 years ago
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AGOF
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 3,608
Alvarohttps://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/763281/Sverre-Liliequist---Big-Mountain-run-2---Swatch-Skiers-Cup-2013


I don't think he fully knew that slide was there til he spotted his flip. That was gnar as fuck
10 years ago
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Cspliffff
Posts: 160 - Karma: 1,063
Alvarohttps://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/763281/Sverre-Liliequist---Big-Mountain-run-2---Swatch-Skiers-Cup-2013

Came here to post this
10 years ago
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