Three men were killed and one critically injured in a devastating avalanche on Monday, March 24, near Kaslo, British Columbia, according to reporting by Global News and the Vancouver Sun. The slide occurred in the Clute Creek watershed, on the east side of Kootenay Lake, while two groups of heli skiers with were staging below the treeline.

A transport helicopter pilot approaching the zone saw the avalanche release and alerted the skiers. One group was able to escape, but the other group of four was swept into the trees.

Friends and industry colleagues have identified the deceased as:

• Jason Remple, owner and lead guide of

• Alex Pashley, Global Sports Marketing Manager (Snow) at The North Face, who previously spent nearly a decade at Smartwool and held roles at Slash Snowboards, Dragon Alliance, and Rossignol

• Jeff Keenan, professional snowboarder and co-founder of Dinosaurs Will Die Snowboards.

A fourth skier, a 40-year-old man from Nelson, survived with critical injuries and was flown to hospital for treatment. Kaslo Search and Rescue manager the group was 鈥渧ery, very proficient,鈥� adding that even with conservative terrain choices and expert guides, conditions can turn unexpectedly dangerous. The team recovered all four individuals from the debris; attempts to resuscitate the three men were unsuccessful. The North Face shared a tribute to Alex Pashley on Instagram, describing him as a kind, curious, and adventurous spirit whose work as a photographer was celebrated in snowboard media. 鈥淗is search for adventure will forever guide us,鈥� the brand wrote, offering condolences to his wife, Erin, and his beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dale and Rainer.

Brent Sandor, VP of Marketing at 686 and a longtime friend of the deceased, shared many memorable days with both Pashley and Keenan鈥攐n and off the snow.

鈥淎s I entered the snowboard community, both Pashley and Jeff loomed larger than life, having already built lasting legacies for themselves,鈥� Sandor told SKI. 鈥淭hey, along with their partners Leanne and Erin, were an omnipresent force in our community鈥攝igging and zagging, always a constant presence as they crossed paths with everyone in and out of the mountains.

鈥淭heir presence put you at ease and reminded you why we all chose this path. My thoughts and entire heart go out to Leanne, Khyber, Erin, and everyone else in Jeff and Pash鈥檚 inner circle who are deeply affected by this tragedy. As a community, we鈥檒l support those who need it most and get through this together.

鈥淭ell your friends you love them.鈥�

 

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Avalanche Conditions Were Critical

On the day of the incident, Avalanche Canada had issued a High (Level 4) avalanche danger rating at all elevations in the Kootenay Lake region. warned that rising temperatures and strong sun were creating 鈥渧ery dangerous avalanche conditions,鈥� with the potential for large, destructive natural avalanches. Recreationists were advised to avoid all avalanche terrain due to persistent slab avalanches on north to east aspects at alpine and treeline elevations due to deeply buried weak layers; wet loose avalanches on all sun-exposed slopes, and weakening cornices, capable of triggering deeper slides on slopes below.

Avalanche Canada reported widespread natural avalanche activity on Monday and Tuesday, including a size 4 avalanche on Sunday that ran to the valley bottom and climbed the opposite side of the drainage. The snowpack was described as highly complex and unstable due to multiple buried weak layers dating from January to March.

The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the incident near Kaslo. has suspended operations and extended its deepest sympathies to all affected.

Recent Tragedy in Alaska

This incident follows another deadly heli-skiing avalanche earlier this month. On March 5, three men were killed while skiing with Chugach Powder Guides near Girdwood, Alaska, in a slide over half a mile wide with debris as deep as 100 feet, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Despite deploying avalanche airbags and being accompanied by a guide, the victims could not be rescued in time due to burial depth and terrain complexity. The avalanche was the deadliest in the U.S. since 2023. Conditions that day were rated 鈥渃onsiderable,鈥� with a buried weak layer noted as a known hazard in the region. These back-to-back tragedies in Canada and the U.S. are a powerful reminder of the inherent risks of backcountry skiing鈥攅ven when guided by seasoned professionals鈥攔einforcing how unpredictable and unforgiving the mountains can be. Please check your local avalanche forecast before venturing into the backcountry, and bring (and know how to use) avalanche safety equipment and a partner.

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Michael Gardner died in a fall on Jannu East (7,468m), in Nepal鈥檚 Kangchenjunga region, on October 7. The 32-year-old was attempting a new route with longtime friend and climbing partner Sam Hennessey up the imposing North Face, one of the great unclimbed faces of the world. This was the duo鈥檚 fourth trip to Jannu East and third attempt at the North Face, having turned around in 2022 when their shelter was shredded by ice fall and in 2023 without good overall conditions for a proper bid.

The details of Gardner鈥檚 fatal fall are not yet clear, but Climbing confirmed that Hennessey has successfully descended. Partway through his descent, he intersected with a French team who was also retreating from an attempt on the North Face, and the group rappelled the final 700 meters together. A search via drone and on foot was not successful, but did locate some of Gardner鈥檚 personal equipment below the face.

Hennessey and Gardner had racked up an otherworldly list of standard-shattering ascents over their seven-year partnership. They were truly redefining fast and light alpinism, climbing Alaskan testpieces in fractional time (often in ski boots with skis on their backs to descend); but perhaps most importantly they were doing so quietly, with overflowing, contagious joy.

Mike is survived by his mother, Colleen, and sister, Megan. His father, George Gardner, was a storied Exum mountain guide who died from a fall while soloing the Grand Teton in 2008 when Mike was 16. Mike was beloved by all in his orbit, including fellow guides, clients, and athletes who were fortunate to call him 鈥渇riend.鈥�

 

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The word 鈥渓egend鈥� gets thrown around too much in our alpine-climbing circles. But if Mike Gardner didn鈥檛 earn it, then no one has. His style was all his own: a bushy mustache capping a wiry frame, usually clad in blue jeans and a pearl-snap shirt (often sleeveless), driving a beater truck and riding his skateboard everywhere from Ridgway, CO, to Nepal. Stories of Mike are the canon of barely believable (but nonetheless true) mythology: After just a one-hour introductory seminar, Mike nearly broke the U.S. breath-hold record, clocking roughly eight and half minutes; and made the Arc鈥檛eryx athlete team鈥檚 radar when, as a safety guide for one of their ski photo shoots, he offered to help, donning the athlete鈥檚 jacket and hucking a backflip for the camera to everyone鈥檚 astonishment.

Mike was a reluctant climbing 鈥減rofessional,鈥� who, prior to signing with Arc鈥檛eryx, didn鈥檛 have an Instagram page nor a knack for self-marketing. 鈥淗e wanted a guarantee that he could maintain his authenticity while pursuing climbing as a career,鈥� Athlete Team Manager Justin Sweeny said. 鈥淚 reassured him he could. And we started to build what was the most unique athlete relationship I have ever been a part of. 鈥� Mike鈥檚 legacy lives on through all the people he touched and his soul rests easy in the land of the giants.鈥�

 

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I met Mike shortly thereafter at the Ouray Ice Fest in 2020. He hung around cragging and chatting with a genuine ease and openness, deflecting inquiries about himself and achievements toward his recent passion of skijoring (a competitive winter sport where skiers are towed by horses, dogs, or motor vehicles around a track), but the profoundness of his nascent achievements quickly shone through his quiet humility. 鈥淐limbed the Infinite Spur in ski boots and skied off the summit? Repeated Light Traveler in 31 hours?? Who is this guy?!鈥� I asked myself and then the internet the next morning. The first Google result: a 2010 Powder Magazine article naming him as one of the 鈥淏est [20] Skiers in the World Under 18.鈥�

He and Sam Hennessey continued ticking big alpine routes at a voracious pace, particularly in the Alaska Range. Teaming up with Adam Fabrikant, they sprinted from Kahiltna Basecamp up the Cassin Ridge聽and in a single 64-hour push, walking across the tundra and catching the bus back to Talkeetna. New routes on Denali鈥檚 Isis Face, (also in ski boots, carrying skis), and the 聽with Rob Smith, nothing seemed to stop them. In 2022, also with Rob, they climbed Denali鈥檚 route in 17 hours 10 minutes. It was Mike and Sam鈥檚 second route up Denali鈥檚 gigantic South Face, having made the second ascent of Light Traveler in 2018. This spring, the duo made the of the same face with Eric Haferman.

 

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It is a rote temptation to reduce a climber to a list of their ascents, and if there is one thing for sure it鈥檚 that doing so here leaves out a number of days Mike considered remarkable purely for the company he kept, whether adventuring locally in the Tetons or in the Himalaya. Nevertheless, it is an undeniable truth that Mike was among the greatest alpinists of our time, pushing the limits beyond what most of us could even conceive as possible.

On a day of sport climbing on Anvil Island during this summer鈥檚 Arc鈥檛eryx Climbing Academy, in between carefree whippers and ocean dips, Mike told us of his planned tattoo once he and Sam completed 鈥渢he Jeast鈥� (Jannu East): a fierce mapache.

Mapache Style (Raccoon Style)

adjective | ma路pa鈥嬄穋he style

1. the style of alpine climbing in which you embody the spirit of existing on the fringe

Push into the dark forgotten corners.
Sustain on what you have.
Scrappy to the bitter end.
Life on the fringe. Eat trash, live fast. Mapache for life.

 

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The first time I met marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols, he gave me a blue marble. As I wrote in my 2011 国产吃瓜黑料 story about him, it was sort of awkward.

鈥淗old it at arm鈥檚 length,鈥� he鈥檇 told me. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what the Earth looks like from a million miles away鈥攁 water planet. Now think of someone who鈥檚 doing good work for the ocean. Hold it to your heart: think of how it would feel to you and to them if you randomly gave them this marble as a way of saying thank you.鈥�

I can still picture that moment in San Francisco鈥檚 Golden Gate Park outside the California Academy of Sciences, still feel my discomfort with his suggestion melting away as I imagined the face of a good friend who was working in habitat restoration when I handed him the marble. J鈥攖hat鈥檚 what everyone who knew Nichols him called him鈥攈ad a knack for getting people to embrace their touchy-feely side. He was an accomplished scientist but certainly not a typical scientific thinker. It鈥檚 one of the many reasons his death in June at the age of 56 is so sad: the world needs people like him right now.

J first made his mark in the mid-1990s, when he tracked a female loggerhead turtle that made its way from Baja, Mexico, to Japan. Nobody had recorded an animal swimming an entire ocean before, and he took the then-unconventional step of posting all his data online. He followed the turtle for 368 days before, unfortunately, she most likely perished in a squid-fishing net.

When I met J, he was an associate researcher at the California Academy of Sciences attempting to pioneer a new approach to ocean conservation by investigating the positive impacts that being near, on, or in the ocean has on our brains. His belief was that if we could understand why water environments make us feel so good, we鈥檒l be far more inclined to protect them. He wasn鈥檛 a neuroscientist, so he had to build a movement in order to inspire researchers to take on the work. That鈥檚 where gifting blue marbles came in handy. The act went viral, and by the time J gave me one, he estimated that a million blue marbles were circulating among ocean lovers. Meanwhile, he鈥檇 inspired a diverse mix of scientists, surfers, and even real estate agents to think differently about our connection to water.

A few years after my story about J came out, he published his first book, , which 国产吃瓜黑料 reviewer Abe Streep described as 鈥減art neuroscience treatise and part self-help manifesto.鈥� The mix of scientific explanations and relatable anecdotes about people finding peace and clarity by the ocean had broad appeal: the book became a national bestseller.

In the years since, J gave hundreds of lectures, hosted Blue Mind conferences, and built partnerships, forging ahead with his vision. He was always extremely generous with his time, working with nonprofits without pay, and was known to give away copies of Blue Mind. His most fervent supporters boosted his efforts through the (I was a contributor to an earlier version for a couple years after my story was published).

J and his wife, Dana, raised two daughters in a house that they built in the redwoods north of Santa Cruz, California, following their completion of an epic trek of the Pacific Coast, from Oregon to Mexico. It was reached by a dirt road and was by all accounts a magical place. I never visited, but I heard stories of the craftsmanship and attention to detail, as well as lively dinner parties. In August 2020, J was home alone when a neighbor came to the door and let him know that the was rapidly approaching. J grabbed his dog and a few things, and evacuated. The house burned to the ground that night. The next day, he wrote a moving letter to his daughter Grayce, who had just left for college, telling her that the home had served its original purpose of raising their family. J and Grayce later wrote a book together inspired by the letter, .

J and I stayed in touch intermittently over the years. At some point, he began signing off all his emails with what became his trademark farewell, I wish you water. I liked that, as I think most people in his orbit did. Earlier this year, we started corresponding again, looking for a time to connect. It wasn鈥檛 easy. He and Dana were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in the South Pacific, where they鈥檇 renew their vows in the water. I was mired in a busy stretch of work deadlines. But we kept trying. I was eager to hear what he was up to鈥攈e was always pursuing some new opportunity to grow the Blue Mind movement鈥攁nd I sent him a note in the second week of June. Several days later, I got a reply from Dana letting me know that he had passed.

I never did give away my blue marble. It sits in a wooden case on the top of my bedroom dresser where I keep a small number of items that are meaningful to me. Every time I open the case, it serves as a precious reminder to protect the ocean. Unlike J, I need that reminder. But if I could, I would give it back to him now to thank him for his life鈥檚 worth of work inspiring the rest of us to take better care of ourselves by taking better care of the ocean. Since I can鈥檛, I鈥檒l take a walk to the beach. That will make me feel better, just like he always said it would.

The Dr. Wallace J. Nichols Memorial Fund was established to fund the continuation of his work and is approved by his family. You can contribute .听

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In a surprising鈥攂ut not unheard of鈥攄etermination, the Teton County Coroner ruled the death of Jackson Hole, Wyo., ski instructor a homicide. The 71-year-old Jackson resident was on April 14, and was on life support in an Idaho hospital until his death on April 17.

Wuerslin, who was skiing on the intermediate Rendezvous trail, was hit by a skier located uphill from him 鈥渨ho failed to maneuver鈥� around him, according to ski patrol reports. Both men were taken to the hospital, and the 34-year-old skier who hit Wuerslin, who also lives in the region and hasn鈥檛 been publicly identified, was released to recover at home. Wuerslin was not teaching at the time of the accident.

Following an autopsy, coroner Brent Blue determined the cause of death to be intracranial hemorrhage and ruled Wuerslin鈥檚 death a homicide. Blue also shared that , and doesn鈥檛 mean that criminal charges will be brought. The Teton County Sheriff鈥檚 office said that its investigation is ongoing, and that they are currently seeking eyewitnesses to the April 14 collision.

While a homicide ruling in a ski collision is very rare, it does highlight the growing concern over out-of-control skiers and snowboarders on increasingly crowded slopes. Since the pandemic, more and more people have turned to outdoor recreation, and since the winter of 2021.

Collisions aren鈥檛 new, but they are becoming more common. The Colorado Sun, and reported that 鈥渋t would appear that the increasing frequency of injuries coincides with the rising number of [skier] visits.鈥� The Sun noted that since the ski industry isn鈥檛 required to report skier injury data, it鈥檚 nearly impossible to confirm with hard numbers.

That said, the Denver鈥揵ased daily newspaper did collect trauma center admission data from 25 Colorado zip codes reported to the state鈥檚 health department between 2017 and 2022. Reporter Jason Blevins also visited the two busiest ERs in ski country and spoke to over a dozen injured skiers. Through that, the Sun came to the conclusion that there鈥檚 鈥渁n increasing concern about safety on ski slopes as crowding and collisions increase.鈥�

There鈥檚 no real debate that collisions on the slopes are accidents, not premeditated, but that doesn鈥檛 make the responsible party immune from criminal charges. After , a 21-year-old liftie named Nathan Hall was charged with, and ultimately convicted of, criminally negligent homicide. Hall, who had just left his post for the day and was heading down the mountain via the Lower Riva Ridge run, collided with 33-year-old Alan Cobb at a high rate of speed. Cobb suffered a fractured skull and died the same day. Hall鈥檚 sentence included 90 days of jail time, three years of probation, and an $18,000 fine.

Just two seasons ago, a snowboarder who collided with a skier at Colorado鈥檚 Eldora Mountain was charged with leaving the scene of a crash. Nicholas Martinez, 29, slammed into Eldora ski instructor Ron LeMaster, who never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at the base of the mountain on Nov. 3o, 2021. In that case, the Boulder County prosecutor鈥檚 office declined to push forward with a manslaughter charge because they couldn鈥檛 prove that Martinez was snowboarding out of control, nor if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Martinez was and received a $500 fine and 40 hours of community service, to the disappointment of LeMaster鈥檚 family and friends.

In Jackson Hole鈥檚 Wuerslin case, it remains to be seen whether criminal charges will be brought. Still, there鈥檚 no denying that skier collisions are not to be shrugged off as 鈥渏ust part of the sport.鈥� That personal responsibility needs to be taken seriously鈥攐r else there could be legal consequences.

鈥淭hese incidents unfortunately continue to be an occurrence for skiers,鈥� JHMR鈥檚 Risk and Safety Director Jon Bishop , 鈥淚t is your duty as an uphill skier to avoid those below you. We ask that everyone ski in a safe and respectful manner.鈥�

It could be a matter of life and death.

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The first time I met Robbi Mecus, she told me she liked my skirt. I was 25, working as an interior caretaker in the Adirondack High Peaks, my first job with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). My male supervisor had recently told me the skirt was unprofessional. But Robbi loved it鈥攕he lamented the fact that she couldn鈥檛 wear one on the job as a ranger. She loved embracing her feminine side.

It was summer 2020, and Robbi, who had been a forest ranger with the DEC for over 20 years, was passing by my backcountry cabin at Marcy Dam, a major trail intersection in the Adirondacks. She had just rescued a pair of hikers from the Trap Dike, a class four climb in a steep, rocky gully on Mt. Colden, where many hikers get in over their heads. Robbi knew this area better than just about anyone, and it took her just a few hours to get the pair safely back on trail.

I had been looking forward to meeting her for a long time. I had heard her calm, unwavering voice on the radio all summer. In the years to come, her voice would become a balm. I’d hear her on the radio and a flood of relief would wash over my body. Thank God Robbi is coming. Everything will be OK.

Later that summer, I would successfully file a claim of discrimination and sexual harassment against that supervisor, citing a long list of incidents that included his distaste for the skirt. The day I met Robbi, I had no idea what was coming. But I was standing for something I believed in鈥攖hat women belong working in the outdoors鈥攂y wearing that skirt. Robbi saw that. We were fast friends, bonded by this common thread that wove our lives together.

Now I鈥檓 left wondering how to move forward without her support and passion. On Thursday, April 25, Robbi died in an ice climbing fall on Mount Johnson in Alaska鈥檚 Ruth Gorge, at the age of 52. She was on a route called the Escalator, and she and her climbing partner, Melissa Orzechowski, fell about 1,000 feet. Another climbing party on the route witnessed the accident, called for help, and descended to the pair, where they confirmed that Robbi had died. They dug a snow cave and attended to Melissa鈥檚 injuries throughout the night. The next morning, Melissa was flown out and transported to a hospital where she still remains in critical condition.

In the wake of her death, Robbi has left many communities grieving. She was an incredible ranger, an accomplished climber, a powerful advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, a mother, a mentor, and more. Our relationship was just beginning鈥擨 hadn鈥檛 yet cashed in on her offer to get out for a climb in Keene Valley, and we鈥檒l never get a chance to go to the Rage Against the Machine concert she invited me to. But in the four short years I knew Robbi, we spent many hours skiing together in the backcountry and at Whiteface, our local mountain, and we were on multiple rescues together. I got to see her shine in the most precarious and stressful situations: in helicopters, doing rope rescues, on carry-outs. I also saw her shine in the most joyous: on the dance floor, with a margarita in hand, or traveling the trails in her favorite mountains.

For someone as tough as Robbi was, she had the softest, kindest face. She was tall and strong with electric blue eyes and long brown hair, often tied back in two braids. From the moment Robbi understood gender as a child, she knew she was a girl, and a girl who loved the mountains. Both felt out of reach: she didn鈥檛 have examples of trans people in her immediate community, and living in New York City, the mountains were far away. But early on, she found a climbing community and immediately fell in love with the sport. To her, everybody was equal at the crag.

In 1999, Robbi became a forest ranger in New York. She was in her thirties, working her dream job. She got married and had a daughter. In an interview with , she said she thought that maybe that was enough, maybe she could make her life work in a man鈥檚 body.

Then, when Robbi was 44, she came out as a transgender woman. She couldn鈥檛 keep hiding. In a place like the Adirondacks鈥攃onservative and blue-collar, without a big community of openly trans or queer people鈥攕he thought her career as a ranger would be over. She knew the job relied on personal connections within the community and her coworkers, and believed that she would lose those relationships after coming out.

But people who knew her, like her coworkers, ended up supporting and respecting her. Robbi said she felt a wave of relief. It was all coming together. She was finally in the right body, with the right job.

Throughout her career, she relentlessly worked to create a safe and supportive community for LGBTQ+ climbers in the Adirondacks. Back in 2022, she and Melissa started the Adirondack Queer Ice Fest, the first of its kind, and a huge success. She became a role model for people who aren鈥檛 always seen or accepted by the outdoor community. She had put up a number of first ascents in the Adirondacks, and was known throughout the region for her climbing prowess.

Unlike a lot of forest rangers, Robbi was very public about her work. She agreed to interviews with the press. She delivered presentations on the complexities of mountain rescues. She conducted Facebook Live Q&A events, wrote for the Alpinist, and was interviewed on their podcast. She performed at live storytelling events. She did it all because she believed it was so important that women like her were visible. Before she transitioned, she didn鈥檛 see any queer rangers or trans climbers.

Robbi was a damn good ranger. Once she was called to rescue a man at the Boquet River Lean-to. It was her first rescue in a zone new to her, and she reached him at sunset. The helicopter pilot radioed her and said she had two minutes to harness the patient or they鈥檇 turn around, because they couldn鈥檛 hoist someone in the dark. Another ranger was brought in to help. With webbing, she tied a full waist and chest harness in under 90 seconds (less than half the time it usually takes). They hoisted the patient, and then the other ranger. Robbi walked out with the rest of the group. No ranger since has been able to beat her record.

Robbi and I were thrilled every time we got to work together. She made me feel seen, respected, and empowered. Soon, our texts shifted from work talk to plans to make dinner together, or get out for an adventure in our free time.听 She was a ball of fire. In winter 2023, we took an avalanche course together. After our first day in the course she texted me, 鈥淟et鈥檚 see how many times the instructors will automatically gender some random made-up rescuer or ski patroller as male today. It was all over the place yesterday. Did you catch it? 鈥楾he guy running the probe.鈥� 鈥楬e needs to start shoveling downhill.鈥� 鈥榃hat if your wife or girlfriend were caught in the avalanche?鈥� That last one I loved. I looked around the room at the students and a good 40 percent of them are women. WTF?鈥�

Robbi affirmed the disappointment and anger I often felt as a woman in the outdoors. She was so articulate about it, so precise. She saw it, said something, and carried on proving the world wrong. She supported me in every way. It’s dizzying to imagine how many people she impacted, if in just four short years she could give so much to me.

This spring, she was at the height of her career, as strong as she had ever been. Weeks before she left for Alaska, she and her close friend and coworker Chrissy Raudonis, the Lake Colden caretaker, saved the life of a man who became lost on Mount Marcy, New York鈥檚 tallest mountain. They spotted his tracks off trail just hours before a blizzard would have covered them. A few days before she flew out to the Ruth Gorge, I sent her The New York Times article about the rescue. I wrote how proud I was to call her my friend, and how excited I was for her that she was back in Alaska. She responded simply with, 鈥淐hrissy, too!鈥� That was Robbi. Humble as ever.

A ranger I used to work with called me when he got the news. I鈥檝e tried to find words for what it feels like when someone tells you the unimaginable. I keep falling short. He had the tone of someone who has to deliver bad news all too often. He invited me to a gathering that evening where friends and rangers, some who had worked their entire careers by Robbi鈥檚 side, told stories about the rescues they had been on together: the hard, the hilarious, the unforgettable. They all said that they never worried about Robbi. She was so strong and calculated. Something like this would never happen to her. She was one of the best rangers New York has ever seen. Before we knew it, it was four in the morning.

Robbi was magic, someone you became a better person around just by standing in her light. She glowed on her best days and her hardest. Everyone she met could feel the care and passion she brought to her work and her community. I grieve for the people who loved her. I’m more sure than ever that we must tell people we love them, even when it might feel strange or scary. I鈥檓 learning that loving hard means that loss hits hard, too. Robbi would tell me that it鈥檚 worth it.

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Dallas LeBeau has been identified as the 21-year-old skier who died on April 9 on Colorado鈥檚 Highway 40 just west of the Berthoud Pass summit after attempting to clear the width of the highway on skis. According to the preliminary incident report from the Grand County Sheriff鈥檚 office, LeBeau lacked the necessary speed and distance to complete the jump and landed on the highway pavement.

At approximately 3 p.m. on April 9, the Grand County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a skiing accident. A bystander initiated CPR. However, LeBeau, who was wearing a helmet and other protective gear, was unconscious and not breathing. Emergency responders and the Grand County Coroner鈥檚 Office arrived on scene and closed traffic on Highway 40 in both directions while investigators processed the scene.

According to the victim鈥檚 mother, Valerie LeBeau, who spoke with SKI via email, her son was skiing with friends at the time of the accident. Valerie said that Dallas had been preparing for this jump for over a month, checking the run and building the jump. He got sick, so the attempt was delayed by about 10 days. Even though the slope faced north, meaning it should have had good snow, she believes some of it melted, which may have slowed him down too much. Dallas didn鈥檛 have a great competition season, so he may have wanted to prove himself in skiing, said his mother, adding that he wanted to submit a video to GoPro for their Line of the Year contest. Dallas had experience with big jumps before and planned to do a double backflip in Jackson Hole鈥檚 Corbet鈥檚 Couloir. However, he had never tried to cross a road, only cat tracks.

Dallas grew up skiing in Colorado, primarily at Winter Park, Granby Ranch, and Steamboat. He began skiing with the Winter Park Competition Center at around 8 years old. At 11, he shifted his focus to park and pipe skiing. He competed in this discipline until he turned 18, when he transitioned to Big Mountain skiing and started competing in the Freeride World Qualifiers as an adult. He achieved a 4th-place finish in Aspen at the age of 18. This was his third year competing in FWQ. Dallas鈥檚 younger brother, Dusty LeBeau, 18, also competed in his first FWQ this season.

鈥淒allas first put on skis before he could walk in our driveway, and we would pull him up and down,鈥� Valerie recalled. 鈥淒allas loved skiing the entire mountain. He often went storm chasing to Wolf Creek for any big snowfall he could get to. He dreamed of making the FWT and traveling the world skiing and competing.鈥�

Dallas worked as a Big Mountain coach at Winter Park this past winter and enjoyed getting paid to ski. During summers, he worked at a marina in Grand County and also did remodeling work on homes and condos. He was skilled in construction and car repairs, and was considering future options like attending a trade school or pursuing a pilot鈥檚 license. Dallas leaves behind his longtime girlfriend and ski partner, Sophia Morris.

Valerie said that the family has received many wonderful tribute messages about Dallas sharing how he touched many people. One of the skiers he coached told the family, 鈥淸Dallas] was an amazing person and by far my favorite coach. He taught me so much and has changed my life for the better in so many ways. Dallas helped me get over fears and drove me to be a better person. He is someone I aspire to be like. Words can鈥檛 describe what an impact your son has made not just on me but on my entire team in the short span of a season.鈥�

Jumping road gaps is part of a storied ski tradition that brings with it significant risks. Many of these visually stunning jumps have been captured in vintage images and contemporary ski films. Iconic road gaps include Karl Fostvedt鈥檚 Idaho highway jump in the 2019 film 鈥淩eturn to Send鈥檈r,鈥� the Mt. Baker Road Gap in Washington, and several throughout Utah.

Significant planning and safety precautions have historically gone into such feats, as well. Josh Daiek鈥檚 backflip over Lake Tahoe鈥檚 Highway 50 in 2020, featured in 鈥�7 Stages of Blank,鈥� highlighted the dedication and planning required. When the footage was released, Daiek wrote about his thought process of executing the jump on his YouTube account. 鈥淚 never really grasped the amount of work that goes into such a task, the amount of people I would rely on, the patience needed, the necessary weather to line up, the stress 鈥� To be honest, I obsessed over this gap for close to a decade, always keeping a close eye on the landing and awaiting proper conditions.鈥�

In light of the tragic accident, Valerie shared her belief that no social media post or contest entry is worth risking one鈥檚 life. 鈥淚f parents and friends try to tell you that something is a bad idea, you should listen,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 hope this tragedy might save someone else鈥檚 life by making them think before they do something.鈥�

The post 鈥淗e Taught Me So Much鈥�: Coach and Skier Dies Jumping over a Highway appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Editor鈥檚 note: New details about the fatal incident have been added to this report as of Feb. 15.

Renowned telemark, big mountain, and expedition skier Katherine 鈥淜asha鈥� Rigby, aged 54, is confirmed dead in an avalanche in Kosovo during her #tourdepiste project. that a 54-year-old foreign citizen lost her life in an avalanche at the Ski Center in Brezovica. The Police spokesperson for the Ferizaj region, Kanun Veseli, reported the incident to Radio Free Europe.

The Kosovo Mountain Search and Rescue Service received a call for help in the 鈥淓agle鈥檚 Nest鈥� area, known for its avalanche risks. Despite initial reports of two missing skiers, only one casualty was confirmed. Rescue teams provided medical aid on-site but were unable to save her. The service urged caution when skiing off-piste due to adverse weather conditions.

SKI was notified on Feb. 15 by those close to Rigby that it was a small avalanche at 2:30 pm local time and challenging weather conditions that led to her death.

Rigby suffered extreme trauma to the chest during a skiing incident, where she was caught in a small avalanche. The avalanche, measuring approximately 25 meters by 10 meters, occurred on a 35-degree slope that led to a high-force collision with trees, resulting in massive internal bleeding and damage to her organs, particularly her lungs.

Despite the quick response of her skiing partner, fianc茅 Magnus Wolfe, who reached her within 20 seconds and attempted CPR, Rigby鈥檚 injuries proved fatal, and she passed away within seconds.

The incident unfolded near the top of the run where Rigby dropped in, triggering the avalanche.

Tributes to Rigby continue to be posted on social media by those who knew her and were influenced by her ski career.

 

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In 1996, for challenging the conventional perception of the sport by embracing speed and aggression typically associated with alpine skiing. Despite facing skepticism and prejudice, Rigby aimed to redefine telemarking with her high-speed, hard-driving style. In the 1996 U.S. Extreme Skiing Championships, Rigby sought to showcase her skills and earn recognition for telemarking by outperforming traditional alpine skiers. 国产吃瓜黑料 also credited her as 鈥渢he best female telemark skier in the known universe鈥� when she appeared on the cover of Women 国产吃瓜黑料 in the Fall of 1998.

Rigby achieved numerous feats in ski mountaineering and exploration, including the first telemark descent of Choy Oyu and the first ski descent of RFHP in India鈥檚 Himachal Pradesh region. Additionally, she accomplished the first ski descents of several peaks in Kamchatka and Lebanon, explored and descended peaks in Siberia, skied Ecuador鈥檚 Cotopaxi and Chimborazo volcanoes, completed multiple first descents in Baffin Island, conquered 21 peaks in 21 days in Bolivia, and appeared in Warren Miller鈥檚 2001 film, 鈥淐old Fusion.鈥� She was also cast in 鈥淯ltimate Survival Alaska鈥� Season 3 in 2015.

Rigby鈥檚 impactful career, marked by groundbreaking feats as a telemark skier, has left an indelible mark on the skiing community.

 

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Honoring the life of someone who spent their days exploring wild places often means embracing the pursuits that brought them joy. This approach can lead us to all kinds of unconventional memorials, from marathons that are also eating contests, to costumed snow-blading events, to mountaintop poetry readings. In this episode, we talk to snowboarding icon Jeremy Jones and author Peter Moore who, after losing loved ones, found a home for their grief鈥攁nd their joy鈥攊n the mountains.

The post Celebrating the Spirit of an 国产吃瓜黑料r appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On Tuesday, October 17, Tom Gerbier, a 38-year-old Air France pilot from a suburb of Paris, died after falling on 14,505-foot Mount Whitney. Gerbier had a permit to climb via the Mountaineers Route, a highly exposed climb covered in loose rocks, steep enough that a slip or trip would likely result in death.

When Gerbier did not show up for his flight the next day, rescuers went looking for him. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park rangers found a body on Thursday, and Tulare County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the body was Gerbier. Sequoia rangers reported that Gerbier fell about 1,000 feet, likely from a section of the Mountaineers Route called The Notch. The climber鈥檚 death was the first of the year on Mount Whitney, but the second of the season in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.

In most years, the section where Gerbier fell is an exposed scree field鈥攁 section that requires an easy walk to traverse. But Ryan Huetter, a local guide who is IFMGA certified, told me that the section was still covered in snow and ice when he climbed past the section on October 21. 鈥淭he traverse is exposed to a drop of over 1,000 feet onto bands of rock. As soon as you trip you鈥檇 move very fast and not stop.鈥� Huetter says. Dave Stimson, another local IFMGA certified guide, told me he would never guide clients on that section.

The snow and ice are mostly not fresh鈥攖hough a few inches fell in early October, the majority is what remains of the enormous snowpack that blanketed the Sierra Nevada over the winter and spring. By April 1 the Southern Sierra region, home to Mount Whitney, sat at. This incredible snowfall鈥攖he most in recorded history鈥攃reated hazardous conditions that persisted through the summer and fall. Huetter says聽there are still 200-foot sections of snow and ice in the climb鈥檚 last 400 feet.

In a traditional year, much of the snow and ice is from the Mountaineers Route by the end of July. Huetter said he spotted pieces of gear on the exposed traverse during his ascent of the peak on October 21. He says many climbers are daunted by the steep rock and instead follow the traverse鈥攅ven though it is extremely treacherous when covered in ice.

Huetter believes Gerbier fell while attempting to take the traverse and skip the technical scrambling. 鈥淚 saw either a glove or a single crampon stuck in the snow from where I stood at the Notch,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was maybe like 60 to 75 feet out from the notch along the traverse.鈥�

While many climbers are the route鈥檚 final 400 feet to avoid potentially dangerous slip-and-fall conditions, hikers and climbers without ropes often ascend and descend the tricky traverse. Sometimes, people just look up at those steep slabs and search for a way around. 鈥淧eople are scared of the final 400, it鈥檚 got kind of an aura to it,鈥� says Huetter.

Unprepared climbers are a common site on the highest in the continental United States. Huetter believes that the challenge of obtaining a permit during peak season鈥擩une through September鈥攎any climbers now seek permits to climb in May and October, which is less crowded but prone to harsher conditions聽they鈥檒l encounter harsher conditions. 鈥淭he height-of-season quota definitely seems like it forces people out of the opportune climbing seasons. When they encounter snow, many climbers are woefully unprepared,鈥� he said.

Whitney鈥檚 summit is so popular that the Forest Service manages it with a restrictive permit system. The permit system as we know it today evolved out of conflicts between land managers and backpackers in the The Forest Service cites the high volume of traffic on the mountain and the need to protect its natural resources. More than 100,000 people apply each year and around 30,000 of them receive permits. Those who didn鈥檛 receive one can climb the route before May 1 or after November 1, but often face serious winter conditions.

Mount Whitney is no stranger to climber deaths. of the that result in on the mountain occur in April before the permit system begins.

鈥淎 lot of people think that in late season the snow will be gone, but whatever鈥檚 left is going to be extremely dangerous,鈥� said Huetter. The snow conditions he encountered this week were extremely firm, and offered marginal protection. Too hard to pound in a snow picket but too soft to place an ice screw. Certainly slick enough to take a slide.

The Sierra Nevada offers remarkably consistent conditions to climbers. The weather is very stable in the summer, and the mountains rarely see the kind of regular afternoon thunderstorms that hammer Colorado. The snowpack typically withers under a midsummer sun. 鈥淭he fact that the conditions in the Sierra are usually so benign is a blessing and a curse,鈥� says Huetter. 鈥淚t makes climbers here bad at pivoting from their objective.鈥� Climbers in California, he argues, don鈥檛 pay as much attention to changing conditions and are often caught unawares.

During Huetter鈥檚 recent ascent of the Mountaineers Route, he encountered a solo climber who’d taken a technical rock route. The climber wore approach shoes without crampons; according to Huetter, 鈥淗e was gripped. He had full-on saucer eyes and was trying to find a path through the rock slabs.鈥� Huetter asked if the man had any spikes and the soloist responded he did not know he would encounter snow. 鈥淵ou can plainly see the snow from Iceberg Lake at the base of his route,鈥� said Huetter.

Whether or not Gerbier slipped to his death on ice鈥攐r fell due to some other mishap鈥攎ay never be known. But Huetter and Stimison both warn experienced and novice climbers alike that the Whitney route鈥攚hile popular鈥攊s trickier than normal this year, given the historic conditions from just a few months ago.

鈥淚ceberg Lake never melted this year,鈥� said Stimson, reinforcing just how much snow fell in the Whitney basin. 鈥淭here was a lake underneath the Keeler Needle that I鈥檝e never seen before.鈥�

In a statement published on October 21, Air France said that it 鈥渞egrets to confirm the accidental death of one of its pilots, which occurred on October 20th, 2023 while he was on a stopover in Los Angeles (California). The company offers its most sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.鈥�

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Christophe Claude Michel Henry, known as Tof, an accomplished professional big mountain skier from Chamonix, France, famous for his fast, bold skiing style on steep, exposed terrain, died on October 11 while skiing a northeast-facing line on 8,179-foot Puntiagudo Volcano in the Los Lagos Region of Chile. He was 38.

A procession through Chamonix occurred on October 23, during which the community and Henry鈥檚 loved ones paid their heartfelt tributes. They strolled through the town carrying skis, poles, ice axes, ropes, and all the elements that define the Chamoniards鈥� identity as mountain people.

In recent days, more details have emerged about Henry鈥檚 death. According to an Instagram post by French and Chilean photographer Mathurin Vauthier, who was sitting on a nearby ridge watching and capturing the descent with a drone just after 8 a.m., Henry and legendary Chilean mountain guide Juan Se帽oret were skiing simultaneously down a 50-degree slope, stopping just above a short downclimb, when Se帽oret fell above Henry and began to slide as the sloughing snow around him caused Henry to begin sliding at the same time. Both slid 200 meters before going off a 150-meter cliff band and dying shortly after impact.

Henry was born in Chamonix and began skiing at age two, freeriding on big, wide skis at age 15 alongside fellow Chamoniard Aur茅lien Ducroz, an eventual two-time Freeride World Champion. With Chamonix鈥檚 unmatched access to big, vertical terrain and long seasons, Henry progressed rapidly and, at age 18, started skiing with Pierfrancesco 鈥淧if鈥� Diliberto, the monoskiing founder of TKB Films. It wasn鈥檛 long before Tof was redefining the style of steep skiing, eschewing staggered hop turns in favor of straight-lining 50-degree test-piece lines in variable snow conditions and cranking GS turns above massive exposure. The painting of aesthetic ski tracks on virgin slopes hanging vertically on display above the Chamonix Valley for the whole town to see was an art Henry sought to master. He soon found himself under the wing of other mentors like Nathan Wallace, an American ski mountaineer who called Chamonix home for over two decades.

As Henry continued to push and inspire what was possible in the Alps, he made his mark on the multigenerational legacy of Chamonix alpinism by pioneering new lines and skiing classic ones in his fast, bold style.

Filmmaker Daniel R枚nnb盲ck, who shot and directed Henry鈥檚 film 鈥淏orn in Chamonix,鈥� notes that while Henry continued to push the limits of big mountain skiing, his passion for fatherhood and his son, Jules, age 10, took on a greater significance. 鈥淭he last few years, the kind of connection and passion he got for Jules was very deep,鈥� he says. 鈥淭of talked more about what Jules was doing than what he was accomplishing himself.鈥�

As news of his passing circulated the internet last week, tributes to the man spattered social media channels. Many of them referenced his gutsy skiing and transformation of what鈥檚 possible in mountain riding. Some recalled the powerful chemistry they felt being on the same rope or line as Henry. But almost all of them mentioned Tof鈥檚 warm, larger-than-life smile.

鈥淓ven people who met Tof once in their life were always touched by his smile,鈥� says snowboarder Jonathan 鈥淒ouds鈥� Charlet, one of Henry鈥檚 best friends who shared many first descents with him, including the North Face of Aiguille de Triolet and on the north face of the Arete de Rochefort. 鈥淗e was riding every day like it was his last.鈥�

Charlet recently watched Vauthier鈥檚 drone footage of the accident and could only speak of the beautiful day in Henry鈥檚 final moments. 鈥淭he footage is amazing. The color, the day, the sky, the conditions, the snow mushroom鈥擨 think he was in paradise. Next to the sky on the tip of the mountain, you are next to God. I think that was a really perfect moment, maybe the best in his life. I鈥檓 just happy for him to have that before dying. It鈥檚 amazing. The gift of the life is amazing.鈥�

Photographer Arthur Ghilini, who has known Tof Henry since they were in ski club together at age six, said people are flying in from all over the world for Henry鈥檚 funeral service. 鈥淟iving in this little valley skiing these crazy things, we don鈥檛 always realize the impact we鈥檙e having on the rest of the world until so many people are coming here to honor Tof,鈥� he says.

Henry is survived by his son, Jules, his sister, Caroline, his father, Renault, and the entire Chamonix freeride ski community.

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