Everest 2013' Tragedy Story & Current Avalanche Concerns

I Writer Chip Brown with National Geographic has pieced together a very good article after speaking

directly to some of those involved. It's officially released today and we'd like to share it with you.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/11/sherpas/brown-text

There's been too many avalanche related deaths this year in Nepal.  16 Sherpas lives lost on Everest in April ( Nepal's peak spring season) and currently 38 avalanche deaths + in the Annapurna and Manang region in October (Nepal's peak autumn season).

I found this information on the Canadian Avalanche Associations website today. http://avalanche.ca

There are approximately 150 avalanche fatalities reported every year by the 17 countries that are members of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR). 

I wonder what that figure will look like in the years to come. Climate change is making the mountains more dangerous than ever before and this is cause for concern in our mountain town of Nelson, B.C. and surrounding areas.

Autumn is now upon us now here in Canada. I look out the window and the peaks are slowly turning white in higher elevations, indicating the ski and board season is about to begin. Typically mid November the accumulation adds up enough for backcountry skiers to begin testing slopes, well before the controlled ski areas are open. This can be a very dangerous time of year as heavy snow falls will need time to heal and bond to the warm earth underneath.

Where we live it's a backcountry mecca. We have the highest concentration of helicopter and Cat Ski operators in the world and access to some of the deepest untouched-skiable-powder routes on the planet, and all are in avalanche in terrain.

In the weeks to come outdoor enthusiast will start tuning their equipment, theatres start pumping out adrenalin flicks like Warren Miller, and people get pumped. It think it would be safe to say that 80% of the people that live here are ski and board enthusiast. Getting educated in avalanche awareness and skills and sharing your knowledge and daily findings in the snow pack is a way of life in the Kootenays. Just a reminder it's that time of year again to tune your avalanche awareness along with your edges.

On another note- Peak Freaks has been sponsoring Nepal's one and only ski team with proper clothing. Anyone wanting to donate jackets and pants and lightly used gloves, they would be very much appreciated. The Nepalese people are small people so perhaps some teen or women gear would fit nicely.


Triple Crown- Mountaineering Safety Course  team are now at base camp at the base of Island Peak. Everyone is doing well and in the morning, NPT they are having their Puja. This will be their second one this season. First the one with Lama Geshi in Pangboche and now the one at base camp where their food and equipment will be blessed.