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Had a very interesting day yesterday, felt like I did something like a triathlon up in Tsugaike back country with Fattwins and two other mates - hike, ski, swim in a frozen creek hole - possibly get hypothermia/die.

 

We decided to head out to Tsugaike for some BC fun yesterday morning. Have a nice hike up to the peak... well, except for me and my snowshoes. Kept sinking down a good two feet every step and the only thing that was heard for a kilometer or two was "Fukin hell, G-damnit!!" \:o Had a complete nightmare going up the hill but finally get up to the top and we traverse on over to an area with no tracks. Looked epic for about 400 meteres or so until you get in the trees.

 

Get some really nice turns and then start the adventure out. Lots of stopping and regrouping and a few of us were more than tired with cramps and little energy after the hike up.

 

Heading down a path that what seemed like mushies but ended up being a creek bed and alluvasudden, WHAM!!! I fell into what was at least a 3.5-4 meter tall well-looking hole eek.gif eek.gif Broke through the freezing water and ended up getting one ski tangled up in some branches poking through while the other was up to my knee in freezing cold water. MAAAAATTTEEEE!! F****** get me outta here!!!! \:\( Was yelled at the top of my voice because I was the tail of the group.

 

Waiting for Fattwins and Mike to come back I fratically worked at getting my ski untangled from the branches and checked my body as best I could for injuries. I looked forward to getting it outta the branches and into the freezing cold water eek.gif

 

5 minutes passed and finally they had gotten up to the hole - legs, toes were going numb and losing feeling quickly. Fattwins yells at me to take off my skis in order to get out. So, tried using my stocks but couldnt see through the water so I tried my hand. Freezing cold water up past my elbow came as I popped my bindings free. Got my foot free and tried to stand somewhat and found myself up to my thigh in freezing cold water. Thank god my jewels didnt get frozen shifty.gif

 

FTs gets a rope set up and the work to get me out started. 10-15mins in the water now, legs and arms numb and movement was difficult. Attached the beaner to my BC bag and they set up the rope and start pulling me out. Would get up a step and then slide down. Up one more and then down. Grasped at branches up high to get some leverage and had my mates pulling frantically. Body freezing and internally getting colder by the minute and after about 10-15 minutes of pulling and manuvering, my mates got me out. Still had a 2K slide out or so but at least with me moving my body would stay somewhat warm or hopefully not get any colder.

 

Another 20 mins later and finally get down to the bottom of the Gondola and dumped out what seemed to be like 2 gallons of water from each boot. Feet were blue but got into a combini and was able to warm up.

 

What an adventure I tell ya.

 

Moral of the story, if you go into the back country, make sure youre prepared - First thing Im gonna do back in Kobe is buy a rope.

 

Cheers for the rescue Fattwins and Mike. Hope you add your view of the story. Still wish Mike coulda snapped a pic \:o

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That's very scary... \:\(

I hope you feel OK now, Yamakashi. I'm glad you are survived. Skiing back country with Fattwins must be very fun. But please be careful, please!

Buying a rope or preparing for winter mountain sounds very good, you should do it for the next adventure! ;\)

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Glad you're ok mate, bloody hell eek.gif . Well done with the rescue guys. Damn lucky you were riding in a group and had that rope with you. Creeks catch a lot of people out as do tree-wells and other holes.

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Bloody hell indeed eek.gif Woah, that's quite an adventure you had there. Fortunately you were riding with the right people to get you back out. Glad all turned out okay. I assume you got your skis okay?

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Wow! Things like that never happen, until they do. Good thing you had the well prepared Fattwins in your party and glad to hear you are ok.

 

Regarding your ascent, perhaps less drinking with Davo in pre-season and more running with him would have been a better choice ;\) . What type of slowshoes were you using?

 

Rope is also useful for making a sled to move injured people (you can often use your avy shovel in it's construction.... or so I am told). In glacial areas rope is vital. I am doing a few days of rope assisted descents and crevasse work later this season. I am hoping that this will give me some good rope familiarity.

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Dear Britain:
What type of slowshoes were you using?
I'm yet to hear the full story but someone in the group was apparently on mine. Which means the grey Denalis by MSR. Had I been around town, they would have had the long flotation tails too. You don't sink much with them on. Denalis are reasonably priced, quite light, and have got heel lifters to save your calves, so they're not bad snowshoes. The major complaint you hear about molded snowshoes is the click clacking they make on firm snow or ice.

I've got a BD shovel that has holes on each side of the blade for lashing together skis into an emergency sled. I think you've got to drill holes in your skis for it to really work. You can use a large snowboard as is if you put a hole in one end. I can't say anything about avalanches, but my shovel's great at clearing the drive.

If you need an emergency rope in Hakuba, you can buy one in town at Rapie, now located on the main drag next to Komeri. Their prices are no worse than Ishii Sports in the city. The Chinese opposite also does a wicked tan-tan-men, the hot and spicy Sichuan-cum-Taiwan style raamen. I'm not a big raamen fan, but that one is full of sesame paste and chili oil. It's really tasty.
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Wasn't somebody advising you to take a snorkel on that particular trip? Good advice by the sound of it.

 

Talking of ropes, I just read 'Touching the Void' which involves harrowing descents on ropes. Not only is having ropes important, so is developing a protocol for their use.

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Sounds like quite the adventure?! If you have to make a 'stretcher' '100mph racing tape' is great to lash together skiis & poles and a handy compliment to the rope. I would be interested to know what snowshoes also?

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I baptise thee "CreekBoy". No longer shall you go by the name Yamakashi.

 

We were all very relieved to get Yamakashi outta there, and we knew he was alright when he told me to take a photo of him! Hehe. He looked like a hamster trying to get up out of a plastic bucket when we looked down into the hole!

 

But seriously, get yourself all, and I mean all, the gear you think you will never need if you go BC. FT even commented that he thought he was taking us into an area that really didn't need any of the gear!

 

At least the fridgid water shut up the obscenities coming outta CreekBoy's mouth on the way up! Hehe.

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That is the second BushPig I come across. The other family member I know of lives in the UK and quotes swaps.

 

Otherwise I am just curious with regards to the gear you bring along. How much is too much? Reading the various threads, I always thought that Fattwins was overdoing it, but I guess I was wrong (thank gof for CreekBoy).

 

Out of curiosity, how many other people out there have ever used a rope as an emergency tool (not to go through technical sections or the like)while in the BC?

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Thanks for the well-wishes everybody. Creek boy - damn, everybody in Hakuba was saying that. I certainly wasnt the first and wont be the last but am very happy to have escaped from that escapade without too much damage clap.gif

 

Damn, wish I was still in Hakuba. So much for me being a yukiotoko. Once I leave it pukes!!! mad.gif

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Ok so here we go

 

We went up through the shizen and into the skiers left of tengupara(?) A rather easy ski even in a good snow years. avie danger is low at best most times due to the terrain and the rather large trees under the snow.

 

My side of the story.

 

1 damon and yama were tired, bad snow shoes and sinking in killed them off early.

 

2 damon cramping slowed us on the out.

 

3 everyone just wanted to get down and chill.

 

4 on the ski out I let damon lead and he went down an easy way instead of a slightly harder but safer way.

 

5 we were in hole city.

 

6 most dangers were hidden but..... were still there big time.

 

7 me not stopping at the hole to warn everyone to slow down a bit.

 

8 bad luck.

 

thus yama ended up in a hole. a big freaking hole at that. I will say this I thought he was head down and when I saw his face I was pretty relieved. mikey got the rope back to us in abot 5 mins, also was a cool cookie and a counter balance to my jitterniss. We worked we setting up the rope while yama got it around his waist.

Mike was the anchor and I was the pull man. I was quite happy to get him out of the waterand then make sure he didnt go back in.

 

once out I was worried about the cold and hypothermeia (spelling) so I kept talking to him just in case of shock and kept him moving.

 

One mistake was made when yama threw his first ski away from us instead of to us. we then needed another 5 mins to get the ski. packed everything up in a rush no care taken to do it right just wanted to get yama off of the mountain.

 

In the end no damage except that yama must now and forever be known as creekboy.

 

What I brought for safty one 16m rope short but enough. 3 3meter 5mm ropes for sled making. 2 Silver E blankets. along with all my avie kit.

 

dude you scared the living shiiite out of me!

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>>One mistake was made when yama threw his first ski away from us instead of to us. we then needed another 5 mins to get the ski.

 

He must have thrown it a long way.

 

Sorry, silly joke.

 

Without harping on the topic: I really would like to hear if the sinking snowshoes were the MSR models and if they had flotation tails. Also snow depth and dryness and the rough weight of those wearing them. It may seem pedantic, but exhaustion via snowshoe struggle is not what anyone wants and the MSR Denali is a very highly regarded shoe.

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