6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

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Kiefer
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by Kiefer »

Dave B wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 5:53 am Wait, this was a CMC led climb? Choosing to practice running belays at 9a around 13k on an east facing cooler after a weak freeze?
Yup. Not very intelligent. No problem with the CMC, it's a good group. But the leader made a bad decision.
If the goal was to set up & practice running belays for a larger future climb, Britt should have taken everyone to
St. Mary's at that time of the morning.
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by Jenna N S »

Stratosfearsome wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:40 am
Bean wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:35 am
CMC
Well that explains the unreasonably slow pace and complete failure in planning regarding timing and conditions.
Hey man, that seems pretty unfair- CMC does tons of good work.
They might do a lot of good, but this was definitely an example of some poor decision making and it impacted a lot of SAR personal.
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by Boggy B »

Britt, sorry to hear you took damage. Hope it heals quickly and there are no lasting effects.

Mike + Kylie
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by Bean »

Stratosfearsome wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:40 am
Bean wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:35 am
CMC
Well that explains the unreasonably slow pace and complete failure in planning regarding timing and conditions.
Hey man, that seems pretty unfair- CMC does tons of good work.
Hey remember that time a CMC run level 1 avalanche class at Berthoud Pass ended up with multiple students caught in an avalanche due to poor route selection?
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by SkaredShtles »

Bean wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:27 am
Stratosfearsome wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:40 am
Bean wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:35 am
Well that explains the unreasonably slow pace and complete failure in planning regarding timing and conditions.
Hey man, that seems pretty unfair- CMC does tons of good work.
Hey remember that time a CMC run level 1 avalanche class at Berthoud Pass ended up with multiple students caught in an avalanche due to poor route selection?
I don't recall that incident. but I do recall an incident down on Red Mountain that was a similar scenario. I believe one of the students died in the San Juan incident. I don't believe that was CMC, though...
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by Ruggeri1 »

New here. Just asking if this accident was a climbing team or just hiking up to 14er ? Will grays/torreys be subject to falling rocks on the way up the trail? Is the trail up pretty clear?
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by Tornadoman »

Britt,

Sorry to hear that you were injured in this accident. Wishing you a full and speedy recovery!

-Andrew G.
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by Tornadoman »

Ruggeri1 wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:44 am New here. Just asking if this accident was a climbing team or just hiking up to 14er ? Will grays/torreys be subject to falling rocks on the way up the trail? Is the trail up pretty clear?
This was a team doing a snow-climb route, not the standard trail on Grays and Torreys. The standard route has extremely low risk of rockfall (probably pretty close to zero).
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by Carl_Healy »

SkaredShtles wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:42 am
Bean wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:27 am
Stratosfearsome wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:40 am

Hey man, that seems pretty unfair- CMC does tons of good work.
Hey remember that time a CMC run level 1 avalanche class at Berthoud Pass ended up with multiple students caught in an avalanche due to poor route selection?
I don't recall that incident. but I do recall an incident down on Red Mountain that was a similar scenario. I believe one of the students died in the San Juan incident. I don't believe that was CMC, though...
If the San Juan incident is the same one my AIARE I instructor told us about, the avalanche actually occurred on an AIARE II class...
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by curt86iroc »

Carl_Healy wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:56 am
If the San Juan incident is the same one my AIARE I instructor told us about, the avalanche actually occurred on an AIARE II class...
correct...

https://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/acc/ ... &accfm=rep
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by uwe »

Hi Bean,

Dissing CMC like you know something. Dude, Before you run your mouth off, know what you are speaking about.

I was in the 2014 CMC AIARE 1 class and was in the avalanche we caused by making very poor decisions. One other person was buried. We both escaped injury and were self rescued precisely because the other folks who were in the AIARE 1 class had learned how to seek out the safe spot and then successfully perform a companion rescue. An accident was had, we learned from it, and none since. So get off your high horse.

The Colorado Mountain Club has been around since 1912, and has been engaged in promoting Recreation, Conservation and Education. And you have been around, how long? We have hundreds of volunteers who work their ass off to provide services, trips, classes and such. There are many fine talented people who are totally undeserving of your diss. And exactly what have you done volunteering like hundreds of hours promoting wilderness education, recreation and conservation?? I am totally steaming over your callousness and crassness. Grow up. Your are not clever with your insult. You are simply showing off your ignorance! In fact, I invite you to join and see for yourself. Until then, you owe the club and its members an apology.

As to the Red Mountain accident, that was in an AIARE II class.

Frankly, it is tripe trash talk like yours that makes some of the commentary in the Forum a social media s*** show. Sure wasn't anything like that in 2006.
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Re: 6 caught in avy on Torreys (6/6)

Post by cottonmountaineering »

uwe wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 5:10 pm Hi Bean,

Dissing CMC like you know something. Dude, Before you run your mouth off, know what you are speaking about.

I was in the 2014 CMC AIARE 1 class and was in the avalanche we caused by making very poor decisions. One other person was buried. We both escaped injury and were self rescued precisely because the other folks who were in the AIARE 1 class had learned how to seek out the safe spot and then successfully perform a companion rescue. An accident was had, we learned from it, and none since. So get off your high horse.

The Colorado Mountain Club has been around since 1912, and has been engaged in promoting Recreation, Conservation and Education. And you have been around, how long? We have hundreds of volunteers who work their ass off to provide services, trips, classes and such. There are many fine talented people who are totally undeserving of your diss. And exactly what have you done volunteering like hundreds of hours promoting wilderness education, recreation and conservation?? I am totally steaming over your callousness and crassness. Grow up. Your are not clever with your insult. You are simply showing off your ignorance! In fact, I invite you to join and see for yourself. Until then, you owe the club and its members an apology.

As to the Red Mountain accident, that was in an AIARE II class.

Frankly, it is tripe trash talk like yours that makes some of the commentary in the Forum a social media s*** show. Sure wasn't anything like that in 2006.
I am totally neutral towards the CMC itself, but in my experience these clubs are pretty much the same in every corner of the US, they use Freedom of the Hills as the bible and get in accidents. If you were a climber in the PNW, you gave wide berth to the Mountaineers & Mazamas so you wouldnt get caught up in a falling 9 person rope team, unnecessary rockfall, or inefficient belays to the point of it being dangerous. Speed=safety was never taught in the curriculum of these classes.

If you look at the accident OBJECTIVELY - they continued with 2 of 5 avalanche red flags in plain sight

1) Recent avalanche activity
2) Rapidly rising temperatures

This was an avoidable accident in my opinion
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