Missing snowboarders last winter???

Wow, what an amazing community. We are blessed.

greg

I like to write things down.  It helps me remember.  Memories enrich our lives.  So I hope it is okay for me to share a few memories from June 21.

First and foremost we remember the snowboarders who were lost in December: Kevin Carter, Phillip Hollins, and Devlin Williams.  Most of us didn't know them in life, but they were part of our community. 

A couple of threads about the December search can be found here and here .  Reports of conditions on December 1 and afterward can be found here , here , and here .

There were no heroes on the mountain yesterday, just members of the community who decided to spend a day looking.  Everybody contributed something: walking the search line, remembering details from December, mulling ideas, relaying messages, digging in the snow, offering moral support.

Special mention should be made of Scotsman, Joedabaker, Marcus, and Andy, who saw the snowboarders on December 1 and provided special motivation for the search.  It was a privilege to spend the day with David and Megan, long-time friends of the victims, who were pillars of emotional support when we volunteers were getting wobbly.

Our party of twelve volunteers split into two groups, nine on foot and three on skis.  This was a stroke of luck, because when the walkers made their discovery the skiers were in a perfect position (up on the ridge) to relay messages.  There were other strokes of luck yesterday.  We felt fortunate to have contributed to an ending which, while it was not happy, was absolutely right.

Tears were shed. 

Fears were confronted. 

Mysteries were pondered.

When we returned to the cars, I asked the walkers to pause for a picture, to remember the day better.  Later, when we rejoined the skiers, it was awkward and impractical to get everybody together for another shot.  So I regret that I don't have a picture with everybody in it.  I hope it is okay to post this picture as a way for us in the TAY community to send our thoughts to you, the family and friends Kevin, Phillip, and Devlin.  Our hearts go out to you.



PICTURED [L-R]: The walkers - Me, zackalope, Andy, Marcus, russ, snoslut, jdclimber, Randy Beaver, Stugie.  NOT PICTURED: The skiers - Joedabaker, Kyle Miller, Scotsman. ALSO NOT PICTURED: The ski patrollers - Paul and Lynn Baugher, Jen, Ben, and Allison.
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There were no heroes on the mountain yesterday,

PICTURED: The walkers - Me, zackalope, Andy, Marcus, russ, snoslut, jdclimber, Randy Beaver, Stugie.  NOT PICTURED: The skiers - Joedabaker, Kyle Miller, Scotsman.
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I think you are wrong. I see a whole group of them.  Way to go guys.


he·ro Audio Help /ˈhɪəroʊ/ [heer-oh]
–noun, plural -roes; for 5 also -ros.

1. a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

I want to offer my profound thanks to all of you who came out and helped yesterday. It is such a huge relief to me to have found them while they were still buried. And your willingness to stick it out when it went from a search to a recovery is clearly above and beyond the call. I am particularly grateful to Scotsman, for both starting this thread and for pulling what must have been a lonely, difficult duty on a windy ridge. I'm proud to have spent a day with all of you.

Dave

Very well put Lowell,
I add a special thanks to Scotsman who made action out of what others were just thinking.
Crystal Mountain ski patrol played a very active role and were a surprise addition to the group meeting (the skiers) right as we got to Bluebell Pass.
I am not a religious man, but there must have been Mountain God(s) power guiding us to their location. There would have been better odds finding a needle in a haystack.

There are no words that justify the feelings that I experienced yesterday working with TAY and Crystal Mountain volunteers, Dave and Megan. The relief that our mountain men can be brought home to their families.
It was emotionally filled to say the least-up, down and sideways.
To paraphrase what Justin said, "That so many could work together with really no leader is amazing!"
There is a sense of bonding that may never be spoken by the searchers, but forever felt by me.
I have now made several lifelong friends in one day that would have taken me a lifetime to make.

Joe

What a kind effort to undertake....amazing