Photo Credit - Black Diamond Tours
Niseko and the surrounding areas have been battered with what can only be described as all time epic snow conditions this season, especially since the new year. While everyone has been out making some of the best turns of their lives, we may have forgotten a little about safety issues and the consequences that come with the mountains and the sport we love. A tragic accident at Shiribetsu-dake is a quick wake up call for everyone.
Shiribetsu-dake Avalanche Takes A Life
On Saturday January 16th a Sapporo man died in an avalanche at Shiribetsu-dake (Rusutsu) at age 66. It was reported that the incident happened around 3.40pm and the man was on a guided tour with a group of eight people.
The man triggered the avalanche shortly after beginning his run and was buried for an hour before being found. Unfortunately he had not survived and died before he could be air-lifted by chopper to a hospital.
Please ensure you and your riding/skiing group have the right backcountry equipment and know how to use it correctly when going beyond the boundaries of any resort, including Niseko United. You may need your life saved or save a friends life one day!
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Props to the dude for still getting out there and ripping at 66! Hope I still can! A shame someone that had such a passion for the game has lost his life to it. RIP!
WOW that really is sad news! He must have been in amazing shape at 66 to hike up there. I think it took us like 3 hours and we were all mid 20s.
Did he have a beacon? An hour to find him seems ridiculous if he did or they new how to use their gear!
According to the news in Sapporo he was carrying a beacon. Hard to comment on if it is a ridiculous amount of time to find someone without knowing more of the details or being there at the time.
Hope all the tourists that are yet to come to Hokkaido this year have the right gear before going beyond the boundaries!
So we are due to come over in a few weeks and want to do some backcountry tours without a death, can anyone suggest a safe company to use?
Grant check out Black Diamond Tours or drop in at their lodge when you are in town – Black Diamond Lodge in Higashiyama. The crew their know their stuff and have all the gear to keep you safe!
Thanks. Will drop in when we get there!
That is just messed up! An hour is well and truly game over, he had no chance of surviving.
This is a tragic loss of life. Ride safe – be informed.
I’ve also read he was carrying a beacon… but the sad reality is that MOST people found with beacons working properly are already dead.
We don’t really know many details – while an hour is certainly a long time we have no idea how many searchers there were equipped with beacons, what kind of beacons they had, or where they were in relation to the slide, the victim, or other dangers.
If there was only one other beacon in the group and it was way down the bottom of the hill then an hour may be considered quick – we just don’t know… We do know that after 15 mins your chances are 50% – and that’s ignoring the fact that fully 25% of victims suffer fatal or potentially life-threatening injuries before the slide stops and the clock starts ticking!
Carry a beacon and practice with it – but just as important be 100% confident that your riding buddies are also competent and have their sh*t together!
@ Ryan & Kuri – I think you guys have put forward a few very important points:
- Ride safe
- Be informed
- Carry a beacon & practice with it!
- Be 100% confident that your riding buddies are also competent and have their sh*t together!
Also don’t forget to check the batteries/power of your beacon! No juice no work!
great post as usual!