UKC

In this week's Friday night vid we get pretty close to experiencing exactly what it is like to be avalanched.

This is not a film, this is raw footage taken from a skier's headcam. Don't expect fast-paced editing. Do expect a long period of darkness. We found it pretty gripping.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=67735

In reply to UKC News: Wow...that's seriously scary. Fair play to them though, they were well prepared and quickly on the scene. Can't imagine the relief as you could hear the digging sounds starting to get closer.

In reply to UKC News: Sh!t scary, I get a shock when I watch videos from people cought out by avalanches, it puts it into reality what it's really like*.

*As much as you can get from behind a screen anyway.

In reply to UKC News: oh shit!

In reply to UKC News:

What an incredible video. Thanks for sharing. Nightmare...

In reply to UKC News: must have been the longest few minutes of his life. Goes to show the situation can change in a split second.

In reply to UKC News: Thanks for posting, and so glad it wasn't edited. More than ever, I don't want to be avalanched. I'm off now to remind myself of how not to get avalanched.

In reply to UKC News:

Pretty good rescue that. For balance, here's a vid of how not to do it.

vimeo.com/6581009#at=0

In reply to UKC News: Thats an amazing video, and scary! He didnt look to even that deep but totally unable to get himself out. Brings things into focus i think.

Thank for posting.
Dave

In reply to jonny2vests:

Isn't that the same one, or have I misunderstood?

In reply to jonny2vests:
Same video dude.

That's when you want reliable freinds!! Hopefully this video and the articles will improve awareness in Brits. Honestly, how many people wear transceivers in Scotland, and know how to use them? I imagine not too many.

In reply to jon:

Whoops. Brain fart. Here we go.

http://unofficialnetworks.com/echo-peak-avalanche-rescue-video-response-bur...

In reply to jonny2vests:

Yes that is bad isn't it. In fact it was discussed in a slight digression from this thread: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=533107 - look towards the end.

What is confusing to begin with is that you more or less assume the group 'leader' is the rather inept rescuer, whereas it's the guy who gets buried. This then poses a number of other queries about the group's conduct, not least of which is why only two out of five of them were wearing ARVAs!

I had the heebies looking at the snow before he even set off. I can imagine the sort of snow that appeals to skiiers is the sort of thing that would turn my stomach even looking into...

In reply to Milesy:

You mean un-pisted?

I was going to say unconsolidated / loaded / plastered. But yes in the context of off piste skiing.

In reply to Dunx:

Well there are some decent enough reasons for that. Total burial in a Scottish avalanche is not as common as in europe or the states, especially in our last couple of less snowy winters. What is of more concern is jaggy rocks. Also, a lot of the steeper lines are often skied in spring when the snow pack has consolidated and avalanches are less likely. Trancievers save lives but only in certain conditions.

In reply to jonny2vests:

May be the same video but it's well worth reading the description to get some context and an understanding of just how QUICK the rescue was in this case.

In reply to IanC:

Yes. Read up the thread, I posted the wrong video.

In reply to thermal_t: He is lucky to survive: his respiratory rate - breaths per minute - rises from 24/min at 2mins 20 sec to 55 minutes per/min at 5:20. I believe this is due to the snow compressing his chest, and possibly shifting slightly as it settles. 55/min is very fast indeed. he is being forced to take small shallow breaths as he cannot expand his chest enough, and it's worsening fast.
Also he becomes more distressed when his mates move away for a second or two - he's not sure he's going to be able to continue to breathe and is panicking. They think he's ok as they have cleared his face but his chest is still compressed.
they did incredibly well: it's not what you do, it's who you're with!

In reply to UKC News: He was wearing a Avalung this keeps him alive and the noise is the Avalung when he breaths.... there is loads of videos of this with them explaining what they are doing. and the video has been around for about 2yrs + .... but good to keep you on your toes and have your transceiver skils up to date.