# Avalanches: Human Factors



## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I was mentioning this subject a few weeks before the unfortunate accident in the Wasatch.

RadioWest had a great episode about the broader subject in relation to the accident. It's one of the better outdoor episodes in a while.

https://radiowest.kuer.org/post/avalanches-and-human-factor

It's a subject that can be applied to just about any endeavor that involves risk.


----------



## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

It certainly can and we can try. But try as we may, people are continually making "bad" decisions. They do it every day in all aspects of life. And while it is great to be ever vigilant as we go about life at some point mistakes will be made. And some of those will effect other people.

Having been involved in "risky" activities most of my life I've lost some friends along the way. It is always difficult when it happens. But I have always tried to learn from their mistakes.

I truly feel sorry for those that have been effected by the accidents not only this year but years past. People who have had to recover their friends will live with that until they die. But they should not go about taking all the blame.


----------



## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

I've only been part of a hasty search once and the entire time my mind was riddled with the concern of finding a friend's body. It wasn't backcountry skiing but I still have nightmares on occasion about it. We were a lucky team that day. 

Sometimes edgework just goes south no matter how much you try to mitigate the risk. I've always been more risk averse than many of my friends but I've had plenty of close calls. Backcountry skiing, climbing, canyoneering, alpine mountaineering and whitewater rafting have all been experiences for me and most of us in those endeavors know people who have died.

I sincerely feel for the folks up north who were impacted by this accident. I can only begin to imagine how grateful those who rescued are yo the individuals who found them but I also can't imagine what it must have been like to begin a search and discover individuals from another party and know deep down how much the clock had ticked along. 15 minutes is epically fast and slow at the same time.


----------

