"Last Tracks" in The Stranger

Decent article in one of Seattle's free weekly papers on the three boarders who disappeared a few months back. The author is a bit loose with her definition of BC, but good on the reasons we do it.
She also makes Joedabaker sound like the super-guru that he is.
:

www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=521725

That is a well done article. I thought the risks and rewards were described much better than we are typically portrayed.
I still take issue with what seems to be new catch phrase though "Avalanche beacons breed complacency". I don't want to speculate about whether or not safety equipment could have saved more people this year but I am pretty sure that being prepared isn't one of the parents of complacency.

""It offers me peace of mind and serenity," says Eric Houtkooper, an avid backcountry skier I found in a forum at www.turns-all-year.com....every moment is heightened. Combine that with thousands of feet of untouched powder"

Well stated Eric

a good read

I still take issue with what seems to be new catch phrase though "Avalanche beacons breed complacency". I don't want to speculate about whether or not safety equipment could have saved more people this year but I am pretty sure that being prepared isn't one of the parents of complacency.

Maybe I an misreading the context of this, but my understanding of complacency is the attitude, "I have a beacon, so we can ski anything and we will be safe." The feeling that I purchased insurance (a beacon) so we will be safe or "they will find me" without proper understanding of the snowpack.

When I was approached for this article, I was very careful about the message that would be conveyed to the readers without intruding on the writers creativity and the sensitivity of the men's families. My feeling was that it would partially, on some level, raise awareness of the dangers and happiness that is found in backcountry touring. I appreciate the balance that Courtney created with the article with respect to the families who have lost their loved ones.

Nice job Joe and a good representation of that particular weekend and the sport as a whole. Glad you agreed to the interviews.

Is that really a feeling that anyone has though? If anything when I put on a beacon my thoughts are more about hoping I never have to use it. Maybe there are people who become overconfident when wearing a beacon, I certainly haven't done a scientific study. It just seems as though during avy discussions lately that people discard the use of beacons because of this argument that they wont save you all the time and suggest that even wearing one can taint your judgement. I can appreciate that there are situations when someone might leave it at home because they are going solo or the conditions or terrain make it less of a factor, but the suggestion that carrying one is somehow related to bad judgement doesn't make sense to me.