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More days by ds0 | More days at Squaw Valley
Saturday, May 1st 2010 - Squaw Rock Garden accident #1
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| user name: |
ds0 |
| location: |
Squaw Valley |
| score: |
9 |
| mode/type: |
snowboard / resort |
| public/private: |
public |
fresh snow (base/top): |
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| conditions: |
Corn
Crud
Slush
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| laps: |
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| vert: |
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start time: |
10:00 AM |
| end time: |
5:00 AM |
ski time:
| -5 hrs
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wind speed: |
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| wind direction: |
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notes: |
I lost my snowboard on Rock Garden today and have to ask Patrollers to get me out after lift closed.
Arrived at Squaw around 9:30 AM. There is a RV trailer flipped over on I-80.
Took the funitel up to Gold coast. Warm up a couple of times on Shirley Lake.
Took a few runs on Granite Chief, and then headed to Headwall.
It was kind of windy at the top and I wear too little cloth so I don't want to stay around.
Ride down to KT, almost no people here. This is the first time I rode at Squaw in a few years. I was still learning to ride last time I was here. I learned to ride on my toe side at Squaw mountain run. The hill layout forces me to use toe side. The run my friend took me was West Face, I think. It was firm. I do not feel comfortable turning very much so we headed back to Headwall.
At the top, I still felt cold so I went back to Upper Mountain just cursing by myself trying to find some good snow. Somehow I got back to Headwall again. The snow is really fun for snowboard so I just forgot about the cold and stick around to navigate all aspects of Headwall. It was interesting to do the traverse toward Cornice and KT direction, kind of remind me the all traverses on Kirkwood chair 6. I learned a lot about where the good snow is on that day and what I should do next time.
I decide to give KT another try to see if the snow has softened. It was good so I hit all the runs that are open. It was about 3:35 PM and I have hit almost all areas. I do not know the names of most KT runs except the obvious groomed ones.
I came to two entrances on the path to Saddle. I took a look at the first one (I learned later this is Rock Garden #1). It did not look interesting so I took the next one (Rock Garden #2). I know there is a problem after I got down. All I could see were rocks, and I was not sure there was a path to go down. I tried to follow the path to riders left. I could not see where it led so I decided to back out for safety reason and the time was late. It was very slippery and I had a hard time to get a good support in order to traverse to rider's right so I could ride down. I slipped down quite a bit every time I moved to the right. I dropped more vertical than I moved horizontally. Now I was close to be on top of a rock or cliff.
Thinking that I didn't want to move downward any more, I decided take off my board to try to move horizontally with boots. This was a BIG mistake. I had even less support on boots even though I used the snowboard as leverage. I couldn't get my board or boot to dig in deep enough because it was ice underneath the thin slushy surface. I thought I dig in but there was really no support.
I made some progress but I eventually slip. While I was slipping, thinking about rocks and cliff around, I had a very bad feeling. I did not struggle but I did try to get more surface contact using my body. I was surprised I actually stopped. I felt so lucky. I was also lucky I was not upside down. I know I can't go down by boots now and I need to find my board to use it to get down. There was a rock on top to my left. I use it for support to climb up. There were some small tree branches on surface so I use them to climb up further until I reach a small pine tree. That is how far up I got. This is a safe position so I call my friend to get the ski patroller to come to help me. I didn't know the name of the run so I could not tell him. I saw a patroller appear on top of the orange sign on Rock Garden channel #1 after some waiting. I yelled and shake the pine tree that supported me. He eventually saw me and came down to talk to me. I just felt sorry I cause so much trouble. I told him I could go down if he can get my board for me. I thought my board was still on top. Another patroller came down from channel 2 and was helping to look for my board. I really had no idea where my board was. I still don't today. They could not see my board and guessed the board was probably below us. I told them I don't worry about the board if they could not find it and I was pretty sure that I could not climb down or up. I think they have no intention to let me down on foot either. They agreed and called a sled to take me down.
I asked them about where I was. They told me it was Rock Garden. Rock Garden was closed all day and just opened. They also told me I had picked the most difficult run to ride last. There are 3 Rock Garden channels and I pick the middle one.
The two patrollers were making a platform for the sled while waiting. Another two patrollers came with a sled, turned it around and placed it on the built platform just on top of me. I climbed a few steps up to get into the sled with the patroller supporting me. I was wrapped inside yellow plastic blanket and tied securely. Basically, I could not move. I could not see how they got me down so there was nothing I can tell.
We got down to mountain run. Another patroller was waiting on a snowmobile. They told me to file a report with security office about the lost snowboard. I thanked all of them and the snowmobile took my down to the funitel. I feel I am one lucky person this day!
Something I learned today
*Don’t take off board or skis on steep because you get far less support without them
*Climb on heel side do not work. Climb on he toe side if you have to.
*Have your cell phone with you. I normally don’t carry phone with me because I lost a iPhone while skiing once. I was carpooling with others so I took the phone with me today.
*Have the ski resort phone number with you. Call as soon as possible.
*Don’t try to get out difficult situation like me. I had a lot of luck.
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