P-SAR On The Peaks

P stands for "preventative."

This past weekend, following a series of storms that dropped 92 inches (yes, you saw that correctly: that's nearly eight feet) of new snow on the San Francisco Peaks, a teammate and I took one of the P-SAR shifts at the top of the Agassiz chairlift (11,500 feet) at Snowbowl.

The backcountry was officially closed due to the extreme avalanche danger, so we were supposed to—try to—stop anyone from going out of bounds, or, if they insisted, to check to see that they had working avalanche beacons and survival gear.

If they got into trouble out there, they'd be on their own, not to mention risk criminal prosecution and a heavy fine for disregarding the official closure.

Luckily, we didn't have to try to stop anyone because no one tried to go beyond the boundary rope... at least, not where we were hanging out by the ski patrol shack. That common exit point was piled high with snow, with the sign pictured above blocking the way.

While people were apparently heeding the warning signs at the base of the ski area as well as the one where we were stationed, a few skiers and snowboarders did ask us questions, including when the backcountry would be opened. We couldn't really answer that, but we advised people to keep a lookout for a press release or word from Arizona Snowbowl on their website. (See the "News & Events" links on the homepage.) They could also call the Peaks Ranger District at (928) 526-0866 for information.

We did overhear talk amongst Snowbowl management and the Forest Service ranger on duty there as they were reviewing information from an aerial survey of the avalanche conditions and work being done on the ground, and we know they'll open the backcountry as soon as they deem conditions "reasonably safe."

Anyhow...

It was beautiful up there, even with the wind chill added to the 6-degree temp when we first arrived at the top of the lift line. It sure was nice to have the warm ski patrol shack to retreat into when we could no longer feel our noses or toes.

Here are a few more photos from the top...

      

 

What Were They Thinking?

Okay. I'm usually not critical of the people rescued by our SAR team... at least not publicly. I mean, we all make mistakes. And even the most prepared, experienced outdoors-people get into bad situations, either by a bit of poor luck or a momentary lapse in judgment. But COME ON, folks. Trying to climb the highest peak in Arizona (12,633 feet to be exact) during one of the worst blizzards in Flagstaff history—really?

I wasn't involved with this particular mission, but here's the article from today's issue of the Arizona Daily Sun: Trio Rescued Off Humphreys

Kudos, though, to our SAR coordinator for his handling of the situation. Having the Snowbowl grooming machines line up and shine their lights toward the area was another great idea! And that helped keep team members safer, too.

Also, thanks to those from Coconino SAR who went out on the mountain on a night like that. It was bad enough on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning when I was up there, but I don't think it was AS bad as Thursday night.

Out-Of-Bounders Beware

It's nearly two a.m., and I'm now back at Incident Command, inside the Agassiz Lodge at Snowbowl, warming up and resting a bit before going back out to continue searching.

The blizzard really has intensified. It's blowing and snowing something fierce out there, and I'm thinking about my teammates who are still on the mountain. Three of them just went up the chair lift in whiteout conditions, to search First Gully from the top down. They'll be starting at 11,500 feet.

This isn't looking good. The subject--a 19 year-old male from the Phoenix area--was last seen around 3:00 in the afternoon, when he and his friends ducked under the ropes marking the boundary of the ski area so they could snowboard on fresh powder. This young man is not an experienced backcountry hiker, skier or snowboarder, and he's not carrying any survival gear or an avalanche beacon.

Our team was called out at 5:30pm, after the subject's friends reported him missing. At the time and for several hours into the search, there was no precipitation. But the news media has been warning of this series of major winter storms--combining within several days' time to be a "top-three weather event" for the area--for at least a week. And, sure enough, it started right on schedule around 11pm.

Conditions quickly deteriorated as some of our field teams snowshoed while others did containment on Snowbowl Road and on a Forest Service road in the snowcat. We're also assisted tonight by Snowbowl personnel, who were a huge help in getting the chairlift up and running to bring teams up the mountain.

I guess I'll do what a few of my teammates are doing and find a spot on the floor to try to sleep until we get our next assignment.

*******

Later...

I was just awakened by our team captain as he burst into the room and loudly announced, "We got him!"

It took me a moment to shake off the sleep and realize what he meant.

"He's alive, Code 4," Andy said. "He walked into our containment team in the snowcat."

Amazing! And, wow, that really highlights the fact that containment on a search is so important. Earlier in the mission, after the snowcat team had driven out and back on Friedline Prairie Road, doing sound sweeps as they slowly went along, searching for tracks, they'd called in to Incident Command to say they'd completed their assignment—negative contact. Then they were told to do it again. And again. And thank goodness they did, because it was that containment that led the missing party to them when he saw the lights from the snowcat and then followed its track.

******

The missing snowboarder was located at approximately 2 a.m., about 11 hours after he'd separated from his friends. He was transported by ambulance to Flagstaff Medical Center for evaluation.

Meanwhile, several of our team members were still on the mountain in increasingly difficult conditions, slowly making their way to pickup points along Snowbowl Rd. Once everyone was safely at the vehicles, we carefully drove back to town on snow-packed, slippery streets. I made it home at 7:00.

Read:  Rescuers Find Lost Snowboarder; Missing Man Located from the Arizona Daily Sun.

******

A Note To Those Considering Out-of-Bounds Skiing and Snowboarding

Be aware that a free backcountry permit is required during the winter for the Kachina Peaks Wilderness. So, if you're planning to do any recreating in this area or want to go out of bounds from the Arizona Snowbowl to do some snowboarding or skiing, be sure to contact the Peaks Ranger District at (928) 526-0866 before doing so.

Permits can also be obtained at the Arizona Snowbowl at the Agassiz Lodge ticket window on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

[[UPDATE: Sometime after I originally wrote this post, the winter backcountry permit requirement was discontinued. See what's taken its place on the Coconino National Forest website.]]

Also, anyone venturing into the backcountry should have with them a pack with survival gear, including but not limited to light sources, fire-starting supplies, extra layers of clothing, an emergency bivy, food and water, a fully charged cellphone (but don't rely on there being a signal), and in the winter, an avalanche beacon.