The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Always be prepared when heading to the backcountry
[ By Mark Reaman ]
The first Colorado avalanche fatality of the 2020-21 season occurred just west of Crested Butte in the Anthracites on Friday, December 18 when a longtime local was caught in a slide. Two Durango men were killed in an avalanche near Silverton the following day, bringing the number of avalanche deaths to three in the state this season. There were six total fatalities last season.
One of the most well-known backcountry travelers in Crested Butte, Jeff Schneider, was killed in what the Crested Butte Avalanche Center (CBAC) described as a large persistent slab avalanche on a run known as Friendly Finish near Kebler Pass. Known locally as Schnoid, Schneider could be found in the mountains any season of the year and was an avid backcountry skier. His tracks were regularly seen early mornings on Red Lady Bowl and identified by the number of tight turns he laid down while descending the slope.
The CBAC reported, “The slab was four feet thick on average, breaking on a layer of old, faceted snow that was buried a week ago. Prior to descending the victim spoke with a group of skiers which was also traveling in the area. When the three skiers completed their descent and returned to their parked snowmobile they found the victim’s snowmobile parked without any sign of him. They snowmobiled to a place where they could see the slope he told them he was planning to descend and saw a fresh avalanche. They located the victim with a transceiver search and extricated him from the debris. Tragically he did not survive the event.”
Members of Crested Butte Search and Rescue responded to the scene Friday afternoon. “We were notified by a reporting party who dug the victim out,” said CBSAR president Randy Felix. “He came to the trailhead to call 911 while other bystanders were still on scene with the victim. The actual recovery was done by bystanders on scene. There were other people skiing in the area who came to the aid of the victim. CBSAR was organized at the trailhead. We started snowmobiling in the field with the reporting party when the victim was brought out by the bystanders in the field.”
By all accounts, the group that discovered Schneider did everything right. They used beacons to find him quickly and one of the group found a place with cell service to call 911.
Fifteen CBSAR members responded to the scene. The CBAC had reported on December 18 that, “For the first time in over two weeks, we got some snow! With the new snow falling on our very weak snowpack, widespread natural and human triggered avalanches were a common theme of the week.”
Felix said the backcountry can be an unforgiving place so everyone who ventures out there, no matter how experienced, needs to be constantly aware. “It is important that everyone going out for a day in the backcountry is prepared to spend an extended amount of time out there should plans go awry,” he said. “If there is an accident and it is obvious that it is a recovery and not a rescue, everyone needs to slow down as emotions are extremely high. Everything needs to be looked at objectively with a clear mind to provide for the safety of all responders and on-scene bystanders. If you do find yourself in a situation in the backcountry where you or your group is providing aid, identify a leader, communicate and work together as a team.
“Calm heads prevail and you do not want to make a stressful situation more chaotic with an unorganized rescue,” Felix continued. “Try to keep too many people from entering the scene and creating more problems. For example, if you are conducting a beacon search and people keep responding to the accident site you will pick up the responders and not the victim on your beacon search. Please, call 911 or send someone out to call for help as soon as possible.”
Felix emphasized that a helicopter rescue is never a guarantee as was the case with the avalanche on December 18. Weather prohibited helicopters from flying into our area. It is approximately a 26-minute flight time once the helicopter is in the air to our area. On-scene companion rescue is always encouraged, he stated. However, rescuer safety needs to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds. “A call to 911 as quickly as possible so SAR can get notified and start the response is crucial to patient outcome,” he said. “The sooner that happens, the sooner we can get medical professionals, avalanche professionals, rescuers and air assets headed to the scene.”
Felix also said it was important for everyone going into the backcountry to get educated, heed the warnings, look at the local avalanche forecast, have the proper gear, listen to your gut, look out for others, carry a radio or satellite messenger, communicate with others you encounter, especially skiers in the same area, and leave an itinerary with a friend or family member. He said if it looks sketchy it probably is, and when in doubt take the conservative line and come back when conditions improve for the steep stuff. Maintain good situational awareness at all times.
Schneider was a former Crested Butte ski patrolman who was driving for Mountain Express this season. A fixture in the backcountry community, Schnoid was a teacher to many and a solid presence for all. He was a good man. A “CB News Profile” can be accessed online at the Crested Butte News website. It originally ran on January 29, 2014. Our condolences go out to all his family and friends.
