Beacon Training

Last night was avalanche training on Cypress comprised of skills practice searching for one and two buried beacons, and an avalanche scenario searching for three buried snowshoers.

Interesting excercise especially using the new Pieps DSP digital beacons.

Generally very fast locating the first beacon, however, there were some issues isolating the first beacon, and completing the fine search to pin point the beacon.

Hollyburn Medical Rescue

Yesterday there was a medical rescue on Hollyburn Mountain.

Just after 9am Tuesday morning a 20 year old male snowshoer fell near the summit of Hollyburn Mountain as he was descending the marked trail. He fell approx. 20m and dislocated his right shoulder.

Cypress Nordic Patrol responded and advised NSR. It was decided to launch an immediate Heli Response due to the extremely icy conditions. A NSR member was quickly dropped in to assist and the subject was brought up to the summit to the waiting chopper. He was then transported to the Cypress parking lot, and then to the hospital.

The radio interoperability of Talon, NSR and Cypress was key in making this call a success.

Thank you from James Martin

James Martin is the snowboarder that was lost for a 4 days and 3 nights on Mount Seymour, and miraculously surivived. He sent a thank you email to the team....


"Once again, I would like to thank all of the North Shore Rescue Team for not giving up and I am very happy that you rescued me. I am in Ontario, staying at my Mom and Dad's while I recover. I am doing alright and the frost bite is healing well. My feet are still swollen but I am starting to move around a lot better than I was. Doctors figure I will recover completely with no plastic surgery needed.

On Saturday January 10, 2009 my parents had a welcome home party for me. Many of my friends, family and neighbours attended. We explained to everyone how the North Shore Rescue Team are all volunteers and would appreciate any donations that they would like to give.

Again, I can not thank you enough for saving my life, and as I said in one of the interviews I can not repay you enough for everything that everyone did to rescue me.

When I return to Vancouver I would like to meet with the team to thank everyone in person. I am also interested in helping the North Shore Resuce team by becoming a volunteer, helping raise donations, speaking to different groups on my experience and the importance of being prepared.

Sincerely,


James Martin"


Thanks James, we look forward to chatting on your return!

4 Lost Snowshoers Hollyburn Mountain

Last night we were paged out for 4 lost snowhoers on Hollyburn Mountain. They were heading up the regular snowshoe trail and then decided to venture off to the left (West), and then got lost. They phoned 911 on their cell phone and we were called out.

We found them fairly quickly, and walked them out to the main nordic ski run, where the subjects and rescue crew were picked up by snowmobiles and brought back to the Nordic Base.

New York Times Article on Avalanches this Year

Whistler Blackcomb resort in British Columbia has stationed guards at the top of some areas to prevent skiers and snowboarders from entering hazardous terrain. Grouse Mountain resort, in North Vancouver, has suggested that government action may be needed to deter skiers and snowboarders.....

Click here to view the article.


Thanks to Al McMordie for sending this over.

Avalanche Lecture by Chris Lawrence

Tuesday night training we had a lecture by very experienced ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guide) Chris Lawerence.

Most interesting was his comments on the current snowpack in the coastal range mentioning that it is acting more like a a Rockies snowpack. He also mentioned his route finding this year is extremely cautious and he is taking very conservative routes. The snowpack is very unpredictable this year.

The North Shore Mountains are a little more predictable, however, the avalanche rating changes constantly due to the rapid changes in weather.

I was surprised he described much of the terrain that we travel in outside of the ski resorts as complex as we travel in terrain that has multiple avalanche paths, has many terrain traps, trees and other hazards that could cause issues.

Chris has assisted us on many searches and had a few pictures of examples of North Shore terrain that we should be cautious around. Particularly crossing the thaw line, when the snow pack approaches 0 degrees C, it starts to lose cohesivness and slides are more likely. We very often gain and loss elevation on searches and cross the thaw line, and its important to keep in mind that the avalanche danger at one elevation may be completely different at another.

He also described some of the main hazards on the North Shore are getting swept over cliffs and into trees if you are caught in an avalanche.

He also described using "Extrodinary Safety Measures" when crossing avalanches chutes on the North Shore such as roping up, so as not to be swept off cliffs below.

North Shore Avalanche Forecast

North Shore Avalanche Forecast
Click on the link above to go to the CAC site for the full advisory.



Travel Advisory: Issued: Wed, Jan 7 Next Scheduled Update: Sat, Jan 10 The current rain will likely cause an immediate short-term spike in danger that will quickly diminish as the rainfall comes to an end, the snowpack becomes completely saturated and cooling temperatures freeze everything solid on Friday. On Thursday, if you decide to venture out stick to low-angled primarily forested terrain and watch out for the massive tree bombs! New snow on Saturday will likely bond poorly to the newly formed crust.

Avalanche Activity: Issued: Wed, Jan 7 Next

Scheduled Update: Sat, Jan 10

Numerous small avalanches involving the new snow were skier triggered on Tuesday morning. As the snow rapidly accumulated then turned to rain on Tuesday afternoon, widespread avalanches up to 30 cm deep and some significantly larger, probably occurred, but reports are limited. As the surface snow becomes increasingly saturated, wet loose snow avalanches that can carry a significant amount of mass, also become more likely.

Furthermore, as rain water continues to add load to, and percolate through, the snowpack large slab avalanches involving a crust near the ground will become possible.

Snowpack: Issued: Wed, Jan 7 Next Scheduled Update: Sat, Jan 10

Check out the South Coast discussion forum for recent observations from the Cypress backcountry.

As rain water saturates the upper snowpack it becomes weak and cohesionless. Rain water can percolate through the upper snowpack pooling on and effectively destroying the bond to impermeable boundaries such as a crust approximately 40 cm above the ground. Furthermore, water also has the tendency to saturate weak low-density layers, such as the basal facets, making them even weaker. But as soon as the rain stops and the temperatures cool the entire snowpack will probably freeze up solid.

View Avalanche Observation Summary (NEW!) Weather: Issued: Wed, Jan 7 Next Scheduled

Update: Sat, Jan 10

Thursday: Up to 15mm of rain ending near midday then cloudy with a chance of showers or flurries, freezing levels at 1300m and dropping to 600m and moderate southwest winds shifting to Northwest.Friday: Snow developing in the afternoon with 5cm of accumulation and freezing levels at 500m, light westerly winds becoming moderate souteasterly.Saturday: Snow with 10 to 20cm of accumulation and freezing levels at 600m rising to 900m.

Prepared by: Cam Campbell

Extremely Unusual and Dangerous Snowpack in Whistler

"UNUSUAL" SNOWPACK COULD AFFECT CONDITIONS ALL SEASON, CONCURS AVALANCHE EXPERT

In light of this year's unusual snowpack, Chris Stethem, an internationally-recognized snow science authority, was brought in by Whistler Blackcomb in the wake of last week's fatal avalanches to provide additional insight into the current snow pack. His findings concur with Whistler Blackcomb avalanche forecasters in that there is currently an extremely unusual, and dangerous snow pack.

Read the full advisory from Whistler...

Avalanche Awareness Days 2009 at Grouse Mountain

Join the Solicitor General, the AdventureSmart Team, the Provincial Emergency Program, the Canadian Avalanche Centre, and North Shore Rescue at Grouse Mountain on January 10 and 11, 2009, to promote public safety in the face of avalanche hazards.

Avalanche Awareness Days is an annual public education initiative, and the event is very timely this year in light of the province-wide focus on issues concerning snow instability and access to uncontrolled terrain.

As part of the annual campaign, everyone is encouraged to attend and learn about outdoor safety and snow awareness. The AdventureSmart Team will demonstrate new safety equipment and survival techniques proven to save lives.

A press conference will be held on Saturday, January 10, at 10 a.m. by British Columbia’s Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General, the Honourable John van Dongen, in front of the Peak Chalet at Grouse Mountain.

The executive director of the Provincial Emergency Program, Cam Filmer, will also speak. Media interested in attending the event are advised to contact the public relations office at Grouse Mountain on Friday, January 9, to arrange Skyride passes for personnel.

Please note that Saturday will be an exceptionally busy day atop Grouse Mountain and advance notice of your attendance is required to secure a spot on the Skykride.

For more information, please contact:


William Mbaho
Manager, Public Relations & Communications
Grouse Mountain Resorts Ltd.
Direct: 604.998.4255
Mobile: 604.764.8522
Fax: 604.984.7234
http://www.grousemountain.com/

North Shore Rescue Team Policy

North Shore Rescue has a long established policy in which our team does not support fines or charges against people who get lost, stranded. ill or injured and require rescue. This policy has been established for various valid reasons .. i.e. they made evade rescue or families and friends may try to launch their own rescue and make the situation worse

North Shore Rescue does not accept proceeds from any organization that recoups their costs or bills people who are rescued.

Although this is not NSR Policy, Mountain Resorts have a right to exercise any reasonable sanctions (ie revoking of passes) on people who knowlingly violate the resort's code of responsibility.NSR respect's that right.

Tim Jones
Team Leader
North Shore Rescue

Map of Christmas Seymour Rescue

This map shows GPS coordinates of the rescue on Christmas Day of two missing skiers (and one bonus skier who we didn't know was missing).

This map is a little misleading - much of this terrain is considerably steeper than it appears and goes through avalanche terrain. The two subjects were caught in an avalanche in this area.

Please note this is NOT A TRAIL, and only shows the path of the rescuers. I would not recommend going into this terrain.

Photo Credit: Doug Pope

Recent articles surrounding fines

Some interesting articles on recent discussions surrounding fines, bans etc.

Ski out of bounds and go directly to jail? - 24 Hours

Province Considers fining out-of-bounds skiers - The Province

Gov't targets out of bound skiers - The Province

Dangerour Moral Imperative - The Province (Letter to the Editor)

And a recap of recent events from OutdoorVancouver.ca.

I would like to re-emphasize North Shore Rescue's policy of not charging for rescues, and we do not support charging for rescues.

As Tim states in the 24 Hours article -
"People who can't afford to pay fines and operation costs could evade rescuers," Jones said. "I appreciate the [government's] concern but they should put together a task force of stakeholders to take a look at this before rushing into anything."


On a separate note we watched The Fine Line last night. A great new film by the Canadian Avalanche Association - some sweet skiing and riding, and good info on avalanche awareness.

Boy Scout Rescue Picture

Picture from the boy scout rescue that occured when his troop was snowshoeing Mount Seymour Provincial Park in mid-December 2008.

Thank You to Agencies re: Mt. Seymour Task

(Posted on behalf of Tim Jones)

As the Operational Search Manager for the search of snow boarder Jamie Martin who was lost on Mt. Seymour for 3 nights, I would like to sincerely thank the many organizations and individuals who assisted our team in his successful rescue

• Talon Helicopters
• RCMP Air Section
• North Vancouver RCMP
• Mt. Seymour Resorts
• Lions Bay Search and Rescue
• Coquitlam Search and Rescue
• Metro Vancouver
• Canadian Avalanche Dog Rescue Association
• Canadian Avalanche Center Forecasters
• BC Parks
• Provincial Emergency Program

As it happens many times in major stories such as this, the efforts of so many are unintentionally overlooked. On behalf of all the members of North Shore Rescue we sincerely appreciate your involvement and support.
Sincerely,
Tim Jones
Team Leader
North Shore Rescue

Four Rescued on Grouse Mountain

Three skiers and one snowboarder were rescued on Grouse Mountain yesterday when they ducked under a rope and headed out of bounds. Ski patrol verbally asked them to return from the dangerous avalanche prone area, which they refused. Ski patrol could not follow the men out of bounds due to the high avalanche danger but a helicopter was called in and assisted the group back to safety. Read the article in the Province "Skiers, snowboarder face bans"