Forced to use an unfamiliar beacon

To Joes' point as well, then it likely is the nature of their insurance policy.  I wonder if all heli ops are the same way?  I heli skiied 20 yrs ago out of Golden, BC.  We didn't even use beacons.

Exactly, it was a mandate from their insurance company but isn't it ridiculous when an insurance company by trying to avoid litigation makes you actually ( marginally) unsafer???

Regrettably, I'd argue that a insurance companies primary reason for existence is not to make anyone safer, except their insured and their shareholders. Stop the presses, right?

When I was up at Cascade Powder Cats they had a similar stock of avy beacons, but briefly tested mine for reception against the guides and let me ride with it.

I bet your questions about it are pretty rare ones for them to get from guests, thinking you are probably more experienced and thinking about safety margins and equipment than a lot of the clientele.

The really dumb thing was that our concerns were met with the suggestion we wear their trackers but carry our own in our packs to use in a search. They even encouraged me to use my beacon in their beacon array.

So that'd be an increased chance of a searchers beacon being left on and of a beacon in a loose pack being mistaken for a victim.

The client beacon practice exercise is designed to meet minimum legal standards, i.e., if they give you "industry standard" safety equipment and training they can argue that they weren't negligent in their approach if you get buried and die.  I've had more than one guide tell me that they have zero confidence that a client could rescue them, so they don't factor it into their safety planning.  It's why many of the operations have a "tailgunner" pack with a radio in it that they make the clients take turns wearing.  The pack-wearer always has to go last.   In case of a burial, they call in the heli.  So, notwithstanding what they told you, it's likely that they don't care about the capability of your personal beacon, their policy is pure CYA.  

As an aside, I was snomo accessed touring at WA Pass on Sat.  I'm surprised you have anything to talk about other than the incredible powder up there!  Those Mazama locals sure know how to keep a secret.  

As an aside, I was snomo accessed touring at WA Pass on Sat.  I'm surprised you have anything to talk about other than the incredible powder up there!  Those Mazama locals sure know how to keep a secret.  

LOL. You are absolutely right. I was just posting the same to a friend. The scene up there is incredible and a real eye-opener.
As you say, Mazzzzama boys and girls keep a low profile and probably like it that way.

PS. Your points are dead on but maybe for heli-touring they need a different policy as no tail gunner and you are spending a lot more time in avy terrain , moving slowly up skin tracks.

I was also surprised just how many snomo-skiers there were are up there. I've never seen any other skiers where I normally go (Cle Elum/Teanaway area).

BTW - Where's the trip report? Interested to see where they dropped you.