Avi experiences

Joe- Glad to hear you're ok.

Warning: it's written like a research paper, which it is. I wish someone would translate it into the common vernacular.

The MEC website has some good "plain English" discussions of some common heuristic traps/human factors, along with a few ways of trying to reduce these hazards:

"Human Factors" link; MEC website

Can't read that too many times, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.

I fell victim to familiarity as Gary stated earlier in this tread and ended up nearly buried in an avalanche last Saturday in Crystal's A-Basin (Southback).
The South was controlled and opened, bombs were dropped on both sides of our intended run
As I rolled into the open bowl it was untouched pristine. Looking down there was nobody below me and I rolled into the run without a ski cut. 10 turns later out of the corner of my eye I saw the surfaced crinkle and break up. Looking for an exit to the right the whole bowl was breaking for 100 feet, looked left and there was a class 5 rapid developing with no exit, straight below me liquefaction was in effect the whole slope was broken for at least 300 feet. Some how I kept upright in a wrestlers stance at an slightly down angle hoping to cross the white water rapids. Got pulled under the snowy current and my downhill ski came off and I came back to the surface. No swimming, but battling to stay on top-not scared but ready to accept my fate. My ski partners had already pulled out their beacons as soon as I was swallowed by the fractured debris. I came to rest behind a rock out cropping, and the avy had so much force it ran down and 50 feet up the slope on the other side of the basin. The resulting problem was 1 foot of snow on a weak crust that a credit card could penetrate and low density snow below that to the rain crust layer.
Since the majority of the slope had slid I spent time searching for my lost ski, but skied out on one ski and came back 2 hours later and found my ski. Thanks to the person that found the ski and stood it up in the tree!!!

I was thankful to be alive with no injuries, but kicking myself for letting familiarity control my thinking and trusting that the area had been controlled already.
This is not my first ride in 29 years of BC touring, so I was kicking myself for not following my protocol with an initial ski cut.
Needless to say for a well seasoned BC veteran I was a little embarrassed.
Not sure how many good reminders are left in the bucket, so that makes me feel uneasy.
The lesson was to formulate our safe protocol and stick to it-do not let familiarity take over.
Glad to be out with a people that knew how to respond!!
Thankfully safe-Joe

I recognize that spot in the photo - head of Silver Basin? I've always thought that spot was a bit sketchy, especially climbing up - no good options and lot's of wind effect. Luckily, it looks like the gradual decrease in slope angle allow the deposition to spread out. Scary, though, I'd bet!

Glad you are OK.

I recognize that spot in the photo - head of Silver Basin?

Actually Gary that was in Avalanche Basin, NW facing slope half way down the ridge from the summit of the Silver King toward Lake Elizabeth. Patrol calls it Appliances.

I have skied that "line" numerous times and the high entry point usually limits the snowpack analysis on that exposure.

Good observation Zap-it does not increase pitch until at least 50 feet on entry.

The complete amazement is how many people this has affected.
People keep coming up to me on the mountain, parking lot, and lunch and want to hear the story of the avalanche.
Humbly I stop and take time to tell them every detail, because I feel a responsibility for the gift of surviving. That experience should be shared until the memory fades.
Skiing and boarding should be fun, but it important to know the potential consequences of not being prepared and having a plan.
My girlfriends 11 year old niece feared that the sluff created from carving on the groomed runs may avalanche. To a degree she may be right some day, but at least it created awareness.
Joe

My girlfriends 11 year old niece feared that the sluff created from carving on the groomed runs may avalanche.

Not such a far-fetched notion. We had an inbounds slab avy on upper Monument, I believe, at Crested Butte in the 1990's. Freaked out patrol and locals alike. No one buried, but an extensive search was needed nonetheless. This was on an expert run that had a cat track where lots of folks would traverse to easier terrain.