Tunnel Creek - the TAKE AWAY

Every accident is sad. Really really sad. Incomparably sad. The fickle spotlight of press attention makes me wish that other accidents, even ones that happened that day could receive similar light. I didn't know Karl Milanowski, but I bet his daughter's college fund could benefit from a trip to the New York Times front page.

Excellent point. Thanks for remembering that one.

Great post Charlie. Pretty much hits the nail on the head, for me. The only real difference between Tunnel and the Phantom was that we got luckier and escaped alive. It's all the human factor element, over and over and over. Jim's observations about skiing with a talkative, open group are spot on as well and that's probably the single biggest change I've tried to make since the Phantom. Even then, I'm not successful all the time.

If you wouldn't ski it by yourself, why should you drag others in there with you...

I read the article and the main thing I took away from it was how devastating it is to family, friends, and the community when a bad decision is made.

The tunnel creek avalanche(not the article) really made me realize I could easily make a bad decision. It also showed me the importance of having confidence in my own decision making vs the groups decision making.

One thing I've been doing (as a take away) is reading the avalanche danger rating outloud to myself. AKA... instead of saying considerable I will say "skier triggered avalanches likely, natural avalanches possible. Cautious route finding and conservative decision making essential. etc"

Although it is really important and seems to have been a big factor in this accident I don't thing a disproportionate amount of blame should be put on group dynamics and asking if everyone is feeling it. At some point, at least with the way I read the article, it was individuals who decided to go along on trip, to ski that route on that day, and finally to swing wider turns away from the trees out into the slope which appears to have triggered. It seems just as possible for a solo skier to have been in these accidents.

I think everyone's take-away will be their own. It was not an editorial piece, but news reportage beautifully presented. It wasn't supposed to be driving any nails home, but as many have said, it allowed us to find our own 'nails'.

There have been many conversations in our house with three kids who ski way above the level of most humans, and parents who want to make sure they have long ski careers. Most of those have been about the human, heuristic elements that played such an enormous part in the eventual outcome of that sad day.

Recently in Utah I had the pleasure of spending some time skiing and talking with a couple of friends who were in the group that day and have been closely tied to telling the story. Their lives, as well as our mutual friends who were lost and their loved ones have been inexorably changed. Their approach to OB skiing has dramatically changed too.

They just want to be sure others can learn from the tragedy and perhaps make it so fewer questionable decision will be made and lives saved, but at the same time every time the story is re-told they have to face the awful memories of digging out their broken friends.

Passing judgment gets no one anywhere and it's good to see so little of that in this thread. Learn what you can, stay safe, speak up if you feel sketched out even if you don't know other group members well, and don't get caught up in the trap where you think others are more knowledgable and experienced than you to the point where you stay quiet. I feel this way often because my partners often DO know way more than I do, even though I know I shouldn't.

Better to be a little embarrassed than have a problem.