Or slow asphyxiation... which I have always pencilled in as one of those nasty ways of of becoming dead. Anyway I was off my game a bit today, but still went skiing in Myrkdal ski area, it was busy which irritated me, so I nipped back to the car found some skins and went ski touring instead. Took the tow to the highest point and skinned up the local peak. I did noticed the scoured snow, and that it had been really cold with blue skies for days (facet crystal alarm) but just seemed to block all this out. Many people had been skiing the lower off piste slopes, even in areas I have thought are prime time avalanche trigger zones. I have been to a few and they really give me the creeps, especially as some many people take off at the tow and just slide across into them. Oblivious it may seems. Anyway I skinned up to the top, chatted with some guys who had just skied the face already and were getting ready for another shot, and then spoke to Siri on the phone. So of I went the snow was great, real powder, and deep. I was aware the slope was getting steeper so, traversed over to a new line, and suddenly found myself in unknown ground, steep. The slope to my right was a notorious avalanche spot. Normally cornice collapse of a rock face. To the left was a classic convex, concave slope on one of these steep bluffs I wished to avoid. Or straight down following some other guys tracks, which looked steep. I should have gone straight down (in hindsight this would have taken me into the run out zone), but hesitated not being on the ball, and traversed right through the key zone on the convex, concave slope, trying to get 30-40 m or so to a defined rib. This had also been skied. I crossed it, and about halfway across I saw that distinctive cracking below me, silent. Angular blocks, rotating, randomly, I checked above me, nothing was happening, and checked around me, nothing, I skied on heading for the rib and large boulder as sanctuary. Between me and the boulder was a hidden gully, not big but it was to risky to try and ski though it to the boulder, so had to go straight down. The avalanche by this time had finished in the key zone, and would not elongate to my new position. I watched it run out for 200-300m. I moved as quick as I could being careful to choose a new line, following ribs and getting ready to run and hid, but I had one thing on my mind, and that was simple get to the ranger station and tell them nobody was trapped in the debris and I was the only person involved. The snow was deep at the bottom and I could not get speed up. Slowly I go to the piste and shot down to the tow, where I found the rangers gearing up for a rescue. They seemed very understanding all considered. One of the rangers a Brit told me it was only 5 mins after the avalanche that a Lifty (tow operate) told him! And so if I had been trapped it would have been way past 20mins before they would have started a rescue. Which would have meant death for me. I never go into the hills expecting rescue, I never expect it ever, but I am sure at 4am tonight I will wake up in bed and have that dreadful thought of but and if and what's. Today I totally screwed up, but on a positive side when the slab avalanche occurred I did not panic and calmly assessed and skied out. On a negative side, today I went down a slope I new could avalanche, fully in this knowledge and skied straight into the key or trigger zone with full knowledge. And for that I am a idiot!
No comments:
Post a Comment