Avalanche
Having shared Backcountry Access’ Avalanche Safety videos this week, I wanted to present a couple of great avalanche films that all backcountry skiers ought to watch. A Dozen More Turns and The Fine Line are two films that should be on your watch list.
A Dozen More Turns is the story of an avalanche incident in Montana involving a recreational backcountry ski group on New Years Day 2005. This sobering documentary by Amber Seyler tells the story of a backcountry hut trip that resulted in an avalanche incident that killed one person and severely injured another. The accident, the rescue, and it’s aftermath are something that we should all consider. In an interview with The Flathead Beacon in 2008, Doug Chabot of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center said:
“What we see is people with a lot of backcountry experience who understand the science of avalanches, understand why avalanches form, why slopes are dangerous and know what to look for. Yet they still get in trouble. They get hungry for powder and don’t look at the situation objectively. They want to ski the run.”
All of us that watch this movie will see ourselves in it. We’ve all made similar mistakes – the difference is we got away with it.
–Doug Chabot – Gallatin NF Avalanche Center
