Doug Coombs reportedly killed in avalanche

[hucksquaw]

damn. this sucks. his legacy will always be remembered - even in his death DC is still a legend. R.I.P. Doug - hope there's endless blower wherever you may be.

[Kya]

So sad, so sad.

[panda44]

does anyoone know who the other guide was???

please respond if you know anything.....

[onehotchili]

somehow i missed this thread earlier today....

so sad.... RIP bro.

[skiing-in-jackson]

I just clicked on..has this news, terrible news been verified yet?

[BeanDip4All]

Terrible news. Heartfelt vibes to his family.

Doug was a legend... one of the first ski porns I bought was at a Matchstick screening is Portsmouth, NH where all the skiers came, spoke, and signed our posters... I had to have been about 15 and was totally in awe of the entire show.... we stood in line for an hour after the movie and he wrote, "Courtney, Keep ripping and watch out for avalanches... Doug"

[jhveteran]

For those of you who might never have seen it.

Rest in peace, Doug.

[divegirl]

What a heartbreak. He was a true legend, from the stories I've heard from others I know on this board. RIP Doug. So sad to have to break it to Lego when he gets home.......as he's talked about Doug a number of times while teaching me about backcountry skiing/mountaineering over the last couple years.

[schuss]

RIP.

that's about all one can say.

[DrRy]

Condolences to his family and loved ones. What a terrible tragedy.

[The Dad]

Oh man. RIP.

[t-bar]

so tragic. all the sympathy in the world to family and friends.

[Out_to_lunch]

What a horrible loss
Prayers go out to his family.
He sure did a whole lot to help the skiing community.

[bossass]

I don't know how I didn't see this thread all evening.

Shocked. Saddened. Never met Doug, but he was major idol growing up. Had the Church poster on my bedroom wall. I'll bet it's still at my parents house. Always wanted to take his steep course. My first Powder magazine was the photo annual with him and schmidt dropping a cornice together.

RIP.

[freeskisquaw]

I can't believe this, I'm so bummed out, even though I never met Doug he was always an inspiration to me and one of the reasons ive pursued skiing througout the years.

[midget]

For those of you who might never have seen it.

Rest in peace, Doug.

I wore the t-shirt that had that photo on the back for years until it just fell apart. Would be cool if K2 did another run of those shirts/posters in his memory.

[rideit]

Please check out the 'dedicated' thread, I am trying to put together something cool. However it comes together. Thanks.

[ski_faster]

RIP Doug and positive vibes to his family.

[Xover]

huge, huge, tragic loss
right now, off the top of my head, this loss is on the level of Alex, Trevor and Hans
prayers for emily, his son, his family and close friends - including all those in Jackson and right here at TGR - including some of those on this very board

i only had the opportunity to "meet" doug a couple of times - once in AK about 5 years ago and another time at the City of Rocks like 3 years ago.
i'm sure others here can say more heartfelt and accurate words about him than i can.

this is a HUGE loss of mammoth proportions not only to "our" worlds as skiers and ski mountaineers, but also to the climbing, alpine and guiding communities as well and way more so - beyond words - to his family and son - the saddest of all.

RIP Doug!!

p.s. serioursly hope the other "employee" wasn't Miles.

[str8line]

Oh God! What a massive bummer. The world has lost one of the most perpetually stoked and talented people ever.

I first skied with Doug and Emily for two full days in Jackson in January 1992 when he showed me every nook and cranny of his home mountain. It was a truly enlightening experience for me and to this day he was the most balanced person I've ever seen on a pair of skis...and he was skiing with his arm in a cast and with one pole! The conditions were challenging hardpack and he simply dominated that mountain with a fluidity and ease that I have tried to emulate to this day. Even with one arm, nothing held Doug back during those two days-even a particularly challenging Corbett's fell to his effortless technique. His fall-line method of skiing also had an impact on me, Doug didn't mess around with juking here and there and unnecessary traverses-he took shit out top to bottom. His jovial personality and devil-may-care attitude were the hallmarks of a dude that, had he lived to be 100 years old, would have had the irreverent spark of a 16 year old. Of course, Doug had become the first World Extreme skiing champion the year before and when I attended the second World Extreme's later that season it was he that I watched with zeal as he picked his lines apart like he'd skied them a thousand times. There was so much to learn from the master. Emily was an amazingly powerful and balanced skier as well and together their stoke for the sport, each other, and others who shared their passion was off the charts.

In the interceding 14 years I've had the pleasure of skiing with Doug on several occasions, even a few times with me leading him around Snowbird and Alta. He seemed genuinely stoked to follow me around, but I made damn sure to get on his tails as often as possible to continue my lessons. The fact that he was willing to follow my lead around a couple of resorts that I'm sure he knew pretty well says something about the man also-his ego was well in check. Doug didn't ski to impress, he skied to be impressed. His accomplishments and plethora of ascents and descents were his greedy way of satiating an insatiable appetite for thrills and powder.

I feel so bad for Emily and so sad that his son will not personally know his father. My condolences to them, his family, and his friends.

Rest in peace Doug.

[Tap]

Powder Mag put out a poster of Doug in AK coming up on a bergschrund

massive size made him look so small...the size and grandeur of the mountains he brought to us

still have the poster and i just went out to my shop to look at it

respect

[greenmachine]

RIP Doug, you made a huge impact on our sport and obviously to this community. your spirit will live on.

[White Knuckle]

Never thought I could feel such sadness for someone I've never met.
Godspeed Doug-God Bless The Coombs family.

In Memorium.

[Telepath]

sad.

p.s. serioursly hope the other "employee" wasn't Miles.

It wasn't.

[Dside11-11]

So sad. Someone I looked up to since I was 12. Seemingly superhuman in most of our minds. I can't imagine the loss his family feels.

To a life very well-lived. RIP Doug Coombs.