Anything changed in 10 years?

What do you all think, has anything changed? I still see all kinds of stupid mistakes and people getting lucky...


news.nationalpost.com/how-a-massive-aval...red-one-guides-life/

And it never will.
People are human and inherently stupid.

Look how many people die driving every day.
How many accidents do you see or hear about EVERY day?

Yet despite the risks,  education, mandatory testing and licencing, people still drive badly, use poor judgement, text , eat and drive drunk and stoned.

And like drivers who think it's the other person who is  driving badly.....Most backcountry skiers think they a paragons of safety and it's the other people who are  exhibiting bad form.

But to show some positivity.....with my new air fan airbag... I'm gonna be IMMORTAL!

Qualitatively, it appears to me that the average backcountry traveler is more avy-savvy.

The number of US avalanche deaths has stayed roughly flat [1] for the last 15 years, but backcountry use has grown [2][3] or stayed flat [4]. Per-capita, we're doing better, I think; definitely not worse.

[1] avalanche.state.co.us/accidents/statistics-and-reporting/
[2] www.earnyourturns.com/wp-content/uploads...C-gear-units_15x.gif
[3] www.earnyourturns.com/18754/skiing-down-...g-through-sias-data/
[4] www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi....msg131441#msg131441

I guided for a few years before realizing that it was not for me. I feel if that accident had happened today the reaction of the authorities and public would have been more severe. There is no longer the attitude of "oops too bad" or "they knew the risks". Guides are having to answer for more and more things about their trips as land owners/agencies understand the innerworkings and risks of somewhat newer sports such as BC skiing and how laws apply to said activities. The laws and case law defining the responsibility of all involved parties is starting to put the burden of responsibility on land agencies to ensure guides operating on their land are properly trained, certified and able to be held accountable.

One may rethink their actions if their permit is at stake.

I spoke up on my trip with SME and then skied down with the rest to group up in a terrain trap. Was a beautiful run (Concordia Ice Fall). The is no reason to say that a slope and how you are not dispersed is "100% safe". If I were to ski that slope unguided, I would not have everybody collected in a group at the bottom..not as "communal" but not a bad idea to hedge things anyway..

I doubt there is really enough data to draw any conclusions about any changes in skier behavoir. The weather pattern leading up to those deaths was particularly bad in terms of creating a deeply buried persistent weak layer.

The tunnel creek incident certainly tells us that "powder fever" can still kill highly skilled and experienced professionals.

I still see "conga lines" in popular areas, the very thing that contributed to such a large number of deaths a decade ago.