Ski Builders Forum

I just recently started skiing with a beacon inbounds since I already own a beacon and batteries are so cheap. Does anyone else do this? Also, do you guys think that ski patrol would or does avalanche beacon searches when there are avalanches that happen inbounds? I usually am skiing with my brother who wears one so that helps for sure.

my beacon is ALWAYS on and zipped up in the back pocket of my pants. I don't care if I am at the shit hill or in the BC. I figure at a resort, if anything it would make it easier for them to find my body if I fall in a tree well.

On big powder days I wear my beacon at the hill.
You just never know...

On more than one occasion I've come close to burying myself in my own sluff.
Gotta watch out for that
Besides they can't ski cut the whole hill. Where would the fun be in that?

sam

up in mt at big sky at least the wind is insane and the patrollers are understaffed for the size of the zone. I have had at least 4 friends caught in in bounds slides in the last 4 years. I would never ride without mine strapped just past my first layer.
Bridger basically requires it wherever I want to ski.
If you want an open top casket it will help them find your carcuss quicker assuming your face isn't stripped off.

Besides the avis at JH I think corporate ownership of ski hills is beyond out of control and the bad western snowpack aside patrollers get paid less and less and treated worse and worse, this will only lead to more in bounds problems. just my .02

I see you are from Colorado. The way I look at it is: I would rather say at the bar with a nice frosted one in front of me "Whew I'm glad I had my beacon on me and lived through that" than 6 feet under snow suffocating to death "dang wish I had my beacon on me..."

Check these out:
this was in the resort:
http://www.avalanche.org/proc-show.php3?OID=7002917
here is another one:
http://avalanche.state.co.us/pub/accidents_co.php

Yes! On fresh snow days or those traveling outside the resort.
ra

I always where my beacon, whether inbounds at the resort or in the BC. I can't say for all resorts, but here in Jackson the patrol does search for a beacon signal first in the case of an inbounds slide. This is how the most recent victim of an inbounds slide at Jackson was found so quick. Unfortunately it didn't make a difference. I have been doing it for 10 years now and it just becomes habit every time I get ready to go skiing anywhere, I put on my beacon.

I have skied less than 10 days in the last 10 years without a beacon.

Unless I am skiing in a 100% non avalanche environment such as a plastic dry slope or man made snow on grass surrounded by no snow I would consider it irresponsible of myself not to wear my beacon. If I'm out piste skiing for the day and witness an avalanche on the mountain I would not be able to assist in searching if I don't have my beacon.

Hyak (aka snoqualmie east). Not open midweek and the skin track goes right up by those towers. Amazing. This just happened today. Luckily the ski area was closed. And, in case you were wondering, that is not a steep slope. Just touching 30 degrees, maybe.

Oops! Where did all the snow go?

I wear mine inbounds often, but always in the backcountry. My Ortovox F1 of 14 years finally stopped working last August. It was a rugged little guy and saw many many days use. But over the years, I've had to use it a few times for things like this and it's not fun!


Ski smart and stay safe.

I always wear mine. I didn't in colorado when I was in HS, but skiing at Crystal for 4 years just lead me to wear it all the time.

Hell, yesterday I released a 10'x10' slab at meadows.

no reason not to wear it if you have it.