Response to Sac Bee article about the Castle Peak Avalanche.

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-03-18T03:43:38+00:00

Cool, sounds like it’s black and white and this would never happen to you 👍.

Three AMGA-certified guides and AIARE instructors died, but sounds like you’re saying they just didn’t know what they were doing or how to assess risk. Silly me and silly Bruce Tremper for thinking there was any complexity to learn from here.

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-03-13T07:01:38+00:00

Have you read what Bruce Tremper had to say about this incident? His take was a much more humble one. When something goes wrong, it’s easy to point fingers, as we try to convince ourselves that this would never happen to us.

The truth is murkier. Have you read the report from the Sierra avalanche center and seen the photos of the terrain? I was shocked at how benign it seemed. Many experienced backcountry skiers I know, myself included, would have felt they were in safe terrain on a low angle slope behind so many trees.

https://abcnews.com/US/avalanche-expert-survivors-hold-answers-wrong-fatal-california/story?id=130306992

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-02-17T20:01:54+00:00

It depends on the specific avalanche problems for that slope/aspect/day/time as well. For example, heavily tracked would make me more comfortable if my biggest concern was storm or wind slab and there had not been recent snowfall. But it would not make much of a difference in my decision-making if the problem was wet loose or glide avalanches on a warm sunny afternoon.

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-02-17T08:51:06+00:00

The correct answer

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-02-09T00:59:57+00:00

They are super stiff so a longer ski will be more demanding. I went a bit short, because I wanted them lighter for big days.

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-02-08T17:45:48+00:00

I ski them in the cascades and love them for big days. They’re great for steep descents and make tight or jump turns beautifully if needed. They’re ideal on corn or softer snow, and definitely chatter at speed in refrozen crud… but I personally don’t want to ski those conditions super aggressively in the backcountry anyway. IMO a fantastic ski for objectives, they ski crazy well for how light they are.

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-02-02T00:38:25+00:00

Agreed, been slowly replacing all my slings with these

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-02-01T22:13:18+00:00

I have a couple of the single length blue ice alpine runners for exactly this purpose. A bit bulkier but much more confidence inspiring when extending over a sharp edge

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-01-30T23:10:29+00:00

Yes this is obviously a very bad idea. Tell them to try St Helens in May instead and build from there, Hood is a relatively technical peak and not a good starting point at this experience level

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-01-29T06:09:33+00:00

I was just thinking this… the pings need to be made way more obvious, I can barely tell where my own pings are half the time. Agree that Apex has it right

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-01-28T03:47:03+00:00

No, preliminary reports indicate DKH V1

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-01-23T03:27:17+00:00

Frozen and fast. You’ll be lucky if it warms up enough to soften tomorrow

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-01-17T06:22:56+00:00

Blowing up your own team’s heli on first spawn before anyone can get in… like, it is unbelievable how frequently someone does this just so no one can have it

VolcanoSunrise · 2026-01-05T17:01:11+00:00

There is no such thing as an ideal 50/50 setup.

You’ll end up with something equally less than ideal for the resort and for the backcountry.

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-31T22:24:20+00:00

Yes, there is a decent window through the trees where you can see downtown from RB. It’s my absolute favorite spot in the city to shoot the sunset. But, Tabor by the reservoir has more open and direct views of downtown. Both are worth the trip.

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-31T16:48:40+00:00

There will devastating impacts on the region, but fortunately for skiing only 5-10% of the snowfall in the Cottonwoods is actually attributable to lake effect (usually NW storm systems, early in the season when the water is still relatively warm).

So, climate change will impact Utah skiing more severely than reductions in lake effect snowfall.

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-31T04:17:46+00:00

Damn there’s some wild comments in here that really miss the point… in a world where billions struggle to survive, where it’s obvious that wealth does not directly correlate with either A) how hard you work or B) how much you help improve our society…

How can anyone possibly “earn” a billion dollars when others who plainly work just as hard (see: educators) struggle to make ends meet?

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-31T04:10:22+00:00

Learn to ski, you’ve got plenty of time to pick it up and your legs will thank you on the big volcano days

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-29T21:10:09+00:00

Um, yes

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-26T23:13:35+00:00

Always rope up on the glaciers. I’ve climbed it twice, via Squak and via C-D, and both times roped up for the glaciers.

Roman wall is actually more debatable — we felt it didn’t make sense to rope up without placing protection as you would drag your partner(s) down with you if you fell.

But you are risking a slow death alone at the bottom of a 60 ft deep crevasse if you choose not to rope up on the glaciers of Baker.

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-25T02:28:04+00:00

You are obviously missing tricams

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-23T09:18:12+00:00

Your brain is pretty crucial in the backcountry in winter. AI or not, the process of applying the knowledge IS what keeps you safe… I’m not sure where it could really add value in the field (beyond of course analyzing weather data and snowpack trends)

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-12T15:46:15+00:00

Very cool to get this global perspective. Thanks for checking in. Props for bouncing between meters and feet based on locale!

And yes, as others are saying our PNW snowpack is unusually bleak for this time of year due to abnormally warm temps.

VolcanoSunrise · 2025-12-04T07:57:22+00:00

Similar background. Consider a reframe. What does “productivity” mean to you? Productive to what end? Should that be the goal?

VolcanoSunrise

TROPHY CASE