Missing Skier Crystal Today 3/1/11

Indeed, honors. This is a bit more serious a reason for me to be bummed that I can't break free of work for a day this week than the reason I had earlier in the week.

My thoughts and prayers are down there with all of you who are searching, to Paul, and to his family and friends. Take care of yourselves.

A friend of mine, John Welcher, knows Melby pretty well and was the last person up on a lift with him....I think around 2 or 3 PM. Sounds like the most likely scenario is that he is caught in a tree well since there was no evidence of slides in the area. Best of luck to you guys tomorrow.

If anybody wants to carpool down from Seattle Friday morning, PM me. I'll leave town about 7.
Don

A friend of mine, John Welcher,  knows Melby pretty well and was the last person up on a lift with him....I think around 2 or 3 PM. Sounds like the most likely scenario is that he is caught in a tree well since there was no evidence of slides in the area. Best of luck to you guys tomorrow.

Welcher was there today. Thanks for his and Dino's help. We. Searched pretty hard on 6. I am amazed that with the help we have not come up with anything YET. The crews have scoured the mountain and the weather gave us a good window today. We welcome any help. The family is still holding up well. Encouraged by the support by all volunteers.

At the top of 6 we were told SB was closed by a patroller. We traversed out to Throne gate and it was open which confused us as usually when SB is closed, that gate is closed as well( although not always). We were tempted to climb through that open gate to get to upper throne runs. We all thought it strange that gate was open.???

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Are you talking about the gate at the saddle or false summit?  Does this explanation help?


There's a gate at the Throne Saddle that protects the hike up the Throne.  Half-way up, at the false summit there's a gate for accessing Southback.  It's not unusual for us to have Southback closed while we're working out there, but to have already done avalanche control on the Throne Chutes, so the Throne summit hike is open.   The "A-Basin Traverse gate" sign is out, because right on the other side of the ropeline (in A-Basin which is closed) explosives could be going off!

Huge THANKS to everyone who helped search today!