Inbounds avy at Squaw vs. Patroller?? Info Please

[beaterdit]

There was no dud. A bomb released the avalanche. Andrew was standing where he should have been and in a freak class four avalanche the safe spot was not safe.

One of the best. I'll miss you buddy.

That happened to my boss one day on my day off. Half mile wide crown up to 10' deep on the fifth or sixth shot in the area of the slide. Fortunately he was buried chest deep against a tree on a knoll and uninjured. It had snapped off trees up to 8" thick in the immediate area though.

Again, vibes to Andrew's family, friends, and coworkers.

Please let us know if we can help.

Rip In Peace...

[ski3 P O]

If you are talking about the racial comment, it is totally inappropriate. It makes one want to be racist.

Don't know what it was, but it has been removed. Glad I did not see it.

RIP

[DJMingus]

sad news... condolences to the whole SV family and especially the patrol.

[old goat]

It's going to be hard to go skiing knowing someone died so that we could all have fun.

[avacadotoast]

I heard this on the radio last night...awful

RIP Andrew...

[norcalocal]

sad day. ++vibes to who he left behind. Died doing what he loved, better then of cancer.

[The Eagle Spreader]

The turn this story took just made me sick. Thanks for the work you did Andrew. RIP and condolences to his wife and family.

[Sinecure]

/\/\/\ Nice idea, but I doubt they'd allow it to happen. Way too much liability if something went wrong.

FWIW, I'm a volunteer at Alpine. I'd come over to Squaw for the day in a heartbeat if I could do that for them. Although I have no idea where they keep their sleds and other stuff. I only know where the clinic is because a friend's niece went one time.

[choc]

Has anyone seen any report by Squaw patrol or the Sierra Avi center that talks in more detail about the avalanche? I am wondering if it went in the new storm snow sliding on the March 1-2 crust, or stepped down to the January crust, like SAC said might happen. Hard to believe that 8-9' crowns were all new storm snow, but maybe with the wind it could have been.

It went on the March 1-2 crust, so all new snow. It ripped out trees and sent debris to T1 to T5 Sibo, and then down to past Mambo Meadows, buring the snowmaking pumphouse and leaving 3m of snow on that, fucking up the top of Squaw One in the process. The crown was freakishly high and that was the reason the "safe" area Andrew was standing was not so safe.

[Bastard Bob]

From a source at the Truckee Ranger District office in Truckee, it slid on the December ice layer that their forecasters have been mentioning in their forecasts for
sometime...

[choc]

No, as I said. It went on the March 1-2 rain crust. The layer you are talking about Bob was another 6' down.

[karma]

From a source at the Truckee Ranger District office in Truckee, it slid on the December ice layer that their forecasters have been mentioning in their forecasts for
sometime...

First of all that layer they are speaking of was formed in late January, second of all, you'll Just have to trust that CHOC knows what he's talking about. March 1-2 crust.

[kidwoo]

From a source at the Truckee Ranger District office in Truckee, it slid on the December ice layer that their forecasters have been mentioning in their forecasts for
sometime...

Headwall would be dirt if that were the case.



Either way it's even more tragic that this wasn't a stupid mistake but rather fully utilized and tested protocol in a 'safe' zone.

Thought about this all day today.

[Dam Skier]

Such sad news. Wishing his family and friends the best, and thanks to all the patrol that risk it for others.

[carvedog]

Damn, damn, damn.

So sorry to hear this. Condolences to his family and to his Squaw family.

RIP.

[ski_rick]

Info I got from Patrol @ Squaw yesterday also was wind loading in the new snow, March 1-2 crust. It was a soft slab.

[SeatownSlackey]

makes me so sad to read this.....

somebody with proper connections please post back with info once a fund/or__? is set up to benefit his family.

[Dory Breaux]

muy no buano.

vibes for sure

[enlosandes]

Wondering if anyone has more info on the tragic accident? Since it happened mid storm, perhaps the crown and debris have disappeared.

[mtnbiker/boarder]

++++ vibes sent to the family and friends of this fine man++++ just horrible news ......maybe he RIP with the other fallen skiers and boarders that have perished doing what they love.....

[ski_rick]

Wondering if anyone has more info on the tragic accident? Since it happened mid storm, perhaps the crown and debris have disappeared.

There was only a faint hint of the crown, no debris, a few bent trees, and the top of Squaw One being dug out yesterday. Amazing how fast the winds wipe out something like that (I heard 9' from patrol). I've got some pics I'll try to post later, time to go ski.

[SchralphMacchio]

+1 for interested in seeing a public incident report from a matter of curiosity but also in the intent of learning more about snowpack stability issues.

[LightRanger]

+1 for interested in seeing a public incident report from a matter of curiosity but also in the intent of learning more about snowpack stability issues.

+2 I would also like to see such a report.

Would the SAC guys do one or no?

[Micol]

+++++vibes++++++
that sucks
RIP

[drop22]

Memorial Celebration for Andrew Entin

A celebration of Drew's life will be held at the Olympic Village Lodge in Squaw Valley at 5pm, Tuesday, March 10, 2009.

Andrew “Drew” James Entin, age 41, of Truckee, California, graduated from this life on March 3, 2009, of injuries sustained during avalanche control work at Squaw Valley USA.

Andrew's family has asked that any donations be made to Squaw Valley Ski Patrol Avalanche Education. Please mail to Squaw Valley Ski Corp, Attn: Ski Patrol, PO Box 2007, Olympic Valley, CA 96146. Also, donations can be made to Plumas Bank to the family - checks payable to Shanna Entin in memory of Andrew Entin.