Majestic Heli Ski Client Avalanche Fatality Alaska 3/27/21

[BONGERUNI]

Majestic Heli Ski guides had an Alaskan woman client killed in an avalanche on March 27th 2021. Rest in Peace Erin Lee.

Owner posts on TGR (Njord). Majestic Heli Ski has gone FULL CASPER MODE and has still not even issued any statement what so ever on this incident.

Before Majestic was named as the heli operation, a private message was sent to them inquiring if they were the guide service who's client was killed. They responded by pretending the question was asking about the unfortunate and now infamous helicopter crash with 5 fatalities that occurred the same day and replying that it was a different company. When pressed about the avalanche fatality Majestic Heli Ski was involved with, they declined to respond.

No investigation. No report. No comment. No bueno.

Consider this incident if you ever consider booking with Majestic Heli Ski.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2021...nuska-glacier/

[Bunion 2020]

Avalanche investigations are generally done by local Avi Centers.

I am unaware of any requirements for a Heli op to have to perform an investigation or release any findings from an avalanche incident.

If you have something that contradicts that understanding I would love to see it.

RIP to the victim.

[LHutz Esq]

first rule of potential lawsuits club.
-Don't talk about potential lawsuit club!

[total_immortal]

Isn't it common for heli ops to not talk about avalanche accidents? I'd imagine making a big deal of it with public reports and investigations isn't good for business.

[Bunion 2020]

Our snow is sooooo deep you will expire in ecstasy ?????

After one run with our guides you will ask them to kill you because nothing will ever be any better so whats the point of continued existence?

You will die in an avalanche of powdered frenzy?

I could have had a future in marketing.

[SHarmon]

Isn't it common for heli ops to not talk about avalanche accidents? I'd imagine making a big deal of it with public reports and investigations isn't good for business.

Yes, because it ruins their business.

[total_immortal]

Our snow is sooooo deep you will expire in ecstasy ?????

After one run with our guides you will ask them to kill you because nothing will ever be any better so whats the point of continued existence?

You will die in an avalanche of powdered frenzy?

I could have had a future in marketing.

Haha! Good slogans. I was thinking something like "The ride of your life" but yours are better.

[jummo]

This is all in rather poor taste. Even by maggot standards.
Imagine you're on this trip. Okay first pretend you could actually go heli skiing, and someone in your group dies.
And it could have just as easily been you. Then pretend there are people who care about you.
I don't recall any of these tasteless remarks aimed at Greg Harms unfortunate death.
Why is this different?

jummo

[TahoeJ]

This is all in rather poor taste. Even by maggot standards.
Imagine you're on this trip. Okay first pretend you could actually go heli skiing, and someone in your group dies.
And it could have just as easily been you. Then pretend there are people who care about you.
I don't recall any of these tasteless remarks aimed at Greg Harms unfortunate death.
Why is this different?

jummo

People are taking digs at the heli outfit for not being forthcoming about the incident. Read the original post again. This has nothing to do with the unfortunate victim.

[pureantigravity]

Erin Lee, 40.
Fairbanks, AK.

Articles with photos.
http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_...8c928ee8d.html

https://alaska-native-news.com/popul...aturday/54932/

Quite a beaut. She was a survivor. And she was a sister-skier.

Her GoFundMe fundraiser reads:

Erin's death was shocking to all of us. She had survived a life of extensive child abuse and was able to rise above it. She worked her her way through college to become educated and independent. When she graduated, she set out to help other children who were trying to survive traumatic lives. Because no one helped her, she became someone who helped children in need. Erin's mission was to make sure that kids living through this knew that someone cared and that someone was looking out for them. Now that Erin is gone, we've set up this fund to help carry on her mission. This fund will provide grants for kids ages 16-21 who have survived abusive childhoods and who are setting goals so that they are determining their future free from abuse. Donations will go into an account and youth will be able to apply for the grants through an application and interview process. The fund is being managed by a committee of her most devoted friends, Rosalie Rein, Melissa Phipps and Lisa Hay. We will decide and announce the grantees on Erin's birthday, February 15.

And ya ... the heli outfit could have mentioned it and offered condolences in some tasteful way. Life is short and Erin was getting after it like we all should.

[summit]

Very sad

Majestic is one of the most (the most?) inland heli ops in AK, and their zone can behave like a continental snowpack. No idea what their conditions are.

Surely there will be a report from the avalanche center...

[rod9301]

Avalanche investigations are generally done by local Avi Centers.

I am unaware of any requirements for a Heli op to have to perform an investigation or release any findings from an avalanche incident.

If you have something that contradicts that understanding I would love to see it.

RIP to the victim.

Ok, no requirement, but isn't this something that a responsible operator should do?

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[total_immortal]

Surely there will be a report from the avalanche center...

On a more serious note from my last post. Why is everyone so eager to see a report for this incident? Morbid curiosity? Rubber necking? You are all AK heli-guides and want to learn from this guide's mistake?

I just don't see how a report is relevant to the 99.9% of skiers who are not heli-guides, and I wouldn't anticipate a public report being released for this accident.

Condolences to friends and family of the victim.

[summit]

On a more serious note from my last post. Why is everyone so eager to see a report for this incident? Morbid curiosity? Rubber necking? You are all AK heli-guides and want to learn from this guide's mistake?

I just don't see how a report is relevant to the 99.9% of skiers who are not heli-guides, and I wouldn't anticipate a public report being released for this accident.

Are you a heli guide?

There are a lot of avalanche professionals on here.
Heliskiing accidents are not solely generalizable to heli, or even mechanized guiding.
All types of backcountry guiding are subject to avalanche accident investigation by avalanche centers in case of death. Why should heliskiing be the sole exception?

I'm not a mech guide, but I have been heliskiing, have seen (non-injury) avalanche incidents while heliskiing, and am focused on risk and rescue professionally. I find some practices in mech guiding interesting and wonder if there could be lessons learned here.

But really, my point was largely that there should be a professionally done report forthcoming by an avalanche center in response to the OPs contention that there is some sort of cover up, so there is no need for such implications or speculation.

[stealurface831]

On a more serious note from my last post. Why is everyone so eager to see a report for this incident? Morbid curiosity? Rubber necking? You are all AK heli-guides and want to learn from this guide's mistake?

I just don't see how a report is relevant to the 99.9% of skiers who are not heli-guides, and I wouldn't anticipate a public report being released for this accident.

Condolences to friends and family of the victim.

did you ever consider that anyone--even me, someone who is not a heli guide--can learn from an avalanche report?

[Bunion 2020]

Ok, no requirement, but isn't this something that a responsible operator should do?

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In my opinion, yes they should, but take it further.

Ski Areas are not required to submit public reports for fatal accidents unless they involve employees.

I doubt very much a full report will ever see light of day.

There is someone posting here (The OP) who seems to have a boner for Majestic https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...peration/page2 and is trying to stir the shit.

I would like to see the full report but I don't think haranguing someone anonymously has any good outcome.

[BFD]

Very sad

Majestic is one of the most (the most?) inland heli ops in AK, and their zone can behave like a continental snowpack. No idea what their conditions are.

Surely there will be a report from the avalanche center...

I do not think there will be a report from an avalanche center. There is no center covering that area. Only report, investigation will be if lawyers become involved. You are correct about the snowpack. Other companies had previously looked at the area and passed on the location.

[total_immortal]

Are you a heli guide?

No, that's why I'm wondering why everyone seems entitled to see the accident report. We might learn something useful from a report, but heli-skiing is so far removed from your average skier that I would assume there wouldn't be much relevant to a backcountry skier in the lower 48, but I could be wrong...

There are a lot of avalanche professionals on here.

I don't see any of them in here demanding a report, unless you are a pro then you seem to be the only one. The one person who I know is/was a snow safety professional in this thread agrees that it's unlikely we will see a report.

But really, my point was largely that there should be a professionally done report forthcoming by an avalanche center in response to the OPs contention that there is some sort of cover up, so there is no need for such implications or speculation.

By whom? There is no avalanche center that covers the Matanuska Glacier, and a quick Google Maps search shows this to be a very remote location which undoubtedly would be difficult and expensive to access by the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center (which is the closest avalanche center to the accident).

If you guys are so excited to read avalanche reports the CAIC has hundreds that are much more relevant than heli-skiing in remote Alaska. And if you're so interested in this particular accident wait until a civil suit is filed and get the court transcripts, I'm sure that will contain more details about what happened. But none of us are entitled to a report nor should we expect one.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

No, that's why I'm wondering why everyone seems entitled to see the accident report. We might learn something useful from a report, but heli-skiing is so far removed from your average skier that I would assume there wouldn't be much relevant to a backcountry skier in the lower 48, but I could be wrong...



I don't see any of them in here demanding a report, unless you are a pro then you seem to be the only one. The one person who I know is/was a snow safety professional in this thread agrees that it's unlikely we will see a report.



By whom? There is no avalanche center that covers the Matanuska Glacier, and a quick Google Maps search shows this to be a very remote location which undoubtedly would be difficult and expensive to access by the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center (which is the closest avalanche center to the accident).

If you guys are so excited to read avalanche reports the CAIC has hundreds that are much more relevant than heli-skiing in remote Alaska. And if you're so interested in this particular accident wait until a civil suit is filed and get the court transcripts, I'm sure that will contain more details about what happened. But none of us are entitled to a report nor should we expect one.

Sounds like this might be personal for you.


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[skifishbum]

yeah its not like ive ever skied any heli terrain in the satch
some weird axe grindin goin on
or i guess
bunion<3boners

[TahoeJ]

I was heli skiing in Alaska the same week and there were some very reactive layers and we saw a fair amount of activity. The outfit I was with took it very seriously and internally they did reports at the end of the day and asked us for any relevant videos / photos / accounts we had, but I don't see why they would feel the need to share that with the outside world. Let's be honest, they're also busy enough trying to watch the weather and make a plan for the next day, etc. and don't really have the time to produce formal reports.

The only thing that bothers me is the alleged denial of the incident as OP claims...

[splat]

I don't think it would be a reach to say they aren't commenting based on the advice of their attorney.