Hyalite Avalanche Fatality-10 December 2009

Wyoming 12-09 / Pictures

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Wyoming / Wed. / 12-9-10

1 Word > BLIZZARD

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In the trees, that's where we headed today. We woke up to -12 degrees and 60 mph winds. This kind of weather thins the herd, there was only 2 other trucks on the mountain today. One was the Yamaha factory truck, they were just hanging in their trailer out of the wind. We unloaded and headed straight north from the trailhead. It is an area the locals call no-mans land. You make your own trails up there, no groomed trails, but you can stay in the trees and poke out off and on. The snow was really variable with big drifts of powder and underneath would be a crust and underneath the crust would be sugar snow. This was a day of many stuck and tricky situations. GOOD TIMES!! It is like snowboarding in the trees with a 500 pound, 147 horsepower critter, you pick your line through the trees and float or power through untouched powder anywhere from 1 foot deep to 7 feet deep.

One of my stuck times. I rode up a little rise in the woods and ended up above a creek. It was about a 10 foot drop into the creek, so not a good option, so option 2 was to power through 3 big drifts and not roll into the creek. Oh, and not plow into the trees on the other side. Well I made it through 2 1/2 drifts and then buried it. But stayed out of the creek. In the meantime Larry was stuck in another part of the creek. so you pull out your shovel and dig the sled out.

In the woods out of the wind, we were out in some exposed areas in the midday and later in the day we climbed a mountain where it was all wind blown. Rocks and logs exposed. Working our way back late in the day we tryed to work our way back south to the trailhead. We made a long winding climb up through rocks and small scrub pines, got on top and the wind was blowing hard and the snow was drifted and full of rocks. no way to cross over. We had to drag the sleds around and descend back down the climb. we then worked our way back through the creek in the woods and headed back towards the truck.

When we got out of the woods and a few miles to ride, we pulled off and took a short break. One last energy drink to hydrate, We had been at 10 - 11,200 feet all day. It was great to be on our way back to the truck after all day in the mountains. With no trail to follow and as it gets later in the day you have to make sure that there are not mistakes made or incidents. With the temperture at -3 and the winds howling it wouldn't be a great night to camp out.

Packed up and ready to head home.

Wyoming / Tuesday 12-8-09

Wyoming / Tuesday 12-8-09

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We have found plenty of powder in the trees and we have only seen 4 other riders in 2 days out here. The temps have been cold, at 1:30 this afternoon it was -6 degrees and -10 at 4:30 when we got back to the truck. The winds were kicking up to about 50 mph blowing the new snow around. The last 2 days we have seen snow 6" deep and snow 5 - 6 feet deep on the ground. Like snowboarding, you have to know where to look for the best powder snow. At this time the open meadows are potential trouble because of rock and boulders just below the surface, hidden by this cold powder snow. Any areas that are exposed to the infamous Wyoming winds have exposed rocks and there are creeks all over that one must be aware of. So that leaves the trees and that is the places we hunt out. On this trip Larry and I ride the trees, that is where the 5-6 feet of powder is right now. Weaving through the trees up,down and across the mountains making our own trails.

Followed this creek down through the trees and then a long climb out. No tracks down here, but ours.

Making our own trails. Larry on his 800 Ski Doo Summit 162".

GOOD TIMES!!

Wyoming / Monday

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Today, Monday.
Howdy, it's snowing out here.

The best powder snow is in the trees.

The Arctic Cat M8 is a great boonedocking sled, the 162" track is a powder eater.

Good day in the mountains going back up again tomorrow. It's supposed to snow all night, be nice to pick up another foot or more. Take care.

STORMIN' / Wyoming & Colorado / Leaving on Sunday, Riding on Mon., Tues., Wed. / Exploring New Areas

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In the Saddle

Got out on the mountain bike today. Just wanted to put some time in the saddle, see where my fitness is at. It was about 32 degrees when I started at about 3:15 PM, got home at 9:30, the temp was about 25 degrees. The last 4 hours were in the dark, I use a helmet light and a handle bar mounted light up front with 2 flashing red tail lights in the rear. Had a little bike maintenance about 2.5 hours into the ride, my crank arm started to work it's way off, that was easily fixed. The ride was a combo of pavement and off-road trails with single track mixed with some good hill climbs and hard pack gravel.

The whole idea was to be out and moving for a lengthy period of time. It gives the body a chance to shut down and have to start back up. It simulates a day in the mountains boarding or sledding, or a shift at the Ski Patrol. It's not about a race, it's about endurance. I got the hills in for the power and heart rate, but the mental and physical aspect of having to get the body warmed up after stopping is important. The hurry up, slow down, git it going again is good. During the ride I stopped and ate a quick supper and stopped to visit my parents. The last leg of the ride was about 9 miles. On the last leg I came upon 3 deer right off a gravel trail through the woods in the dark (you know how deer are attracted to me, check out the "DEAD DEER" on the labels)...

The layer system worked great, I was a little cool after the stops but warmed up without sweating too bad during the riding. I put on 1 more layer the last couple of hours as it cooled down. Brought 2 bottles of mix, I use a combination of protein and carbohydrate powder to keep my energy level up and 2 Power Bar gels. About half way through I ate a quick supper, I felt very good the last few miles. Try and get on the snowboard in the next day or two and then get out to Wyoming and Colorado and find some powder.