Seattle PI article

Joe, thanks for taking on the "burden"of telling the story on the radio.

It's so strange, to me, that this story has blown up as much as it has.

Not that it's not a compelling one, but I guess I'm personally suprised that the sense of community we take for granted, or at least I feel, with other BC folks, is maybe not as evident in wider swaths of society? I don't know, that seems to be the element that is motivating a lot of the coverage. Anyway, regardless, way to tell it with the understated dignity it all deserves. I don't know what to say, but I hope to see you on a skin track soon

PS You are a true gentleman, and that came through int he interview, which is not light praise. As I remember it there were a couple snow boarders there, however.....we'll be in front of your house with pitchforks!

Our pay-attention-to-detail minds and a newscaster's "tell the juice" mentality can be a straining process.

Joe, you did well and showed utmost respect to the families and friends.  Your fellow bc brothers and sisters are proud of you for taking that on.

Go get some turns!

... I guess I'm personally suprised that the sense of community we take for granted, or at least I feel, with other BC folks,  is maybe not as evident in wider swaths of society?

There is a systematic phenomena at work. Where the crowds are fewer, and it takes effort to get there, the community is stronger.

When I lived in Tennessee, I would often go to the Obed on the spur of the moment (basically the moment that work was some semblance of done), expecting I would hook up with someone to climb with. The very best days for this were weekdays with marginal weather - I would run into one party and they would immediately invite me to climb with them, no matter who they were or where they were from. On a nice weather weekend day, hundreds of people would be at the exact same place, and it would take a dozen asks to find someone to trade leads.

The exact same snowy hillside served by a lift transforms in this manner, depending on whether or not the lifts are running. Beyond the lifts, it generally stays good, although the same crowd phenomena can occur out there as well.

Heard the broadcast and just wanted to add another voice saying nice job Joe. You did very well.

Thanks to all of you who have shared kind comments and supported me.
I was very nervous as you probably could tell in my voice, also a little concerned that the questions could float to something more uncomfortable.
I am comfortable to say that my emotions were up and down and I was not quite sure if I would be able to hold it together to explain the story.
I was checking my emails, reading Russ and Marcus online support in the waiting room and Justin PM'ed me right before I was to go on the show, your show of support helped me get it together enough to see it through.
I talked to Scotsman right afterward and it comforted me to know the public did not have to suffer long.
I was so focused to not say anything to offend the families and friends feelings and try to focus on the truth of the recovery including the efforts of the volunteers.
Only a couple items on my list that I brought in were spoken.
Don caught me a little off guard when he had the article from the Stranger and went into my personal experience with the missing snowboarders. Nice research by them.
And from there...time was to short to really get the experience out.
Never in my wildest dreams had I expected when I got up that morning 11 hours later I would be sitting 2 feet away from Captain Keith from the "The Most Dangerous Catch" on the Ron and Don show.
Captain was really cool as he is/was a backcountry skier in Alaska, so he could relate to the experience.
Once again a special thanks to the Crystal Mountain ski patrol, they did their share of work in the effort and were not in the PI article, but should have been included.

Once again-All of you thanks for the kind words and encouragement before and after the show!

Joe

Some disturbing comments in the Seattle PI article from former SAR members. Interesting in their perception of the unacceptable risk that anyone skiing in the backcountry take.