On January 20, 2003, at 10:45 a.m., a massive avalanche released from Tumbledown Mountain in the Selkirk Range of British Columbia. Tonnes of snow carried 13 members of two guided backcountry skiing groups down the 37-degree incline of a run called La Traviata and buried them. After a frantic hour of digging by remaining group members, an unthinkable outcome became reality. Seven people were dead. The tragedy made international news, splashing photos of the seven dead Canadian and US skiers on television screens and the pages of newspapers. The official analysis did not specifically note guide error as a contributing factor in the accident. This interpretation has been insufficient for some of the victims' families, the public and some members of the guiding community. Why did the guiding team seemingly ignore a particularly troublesome snowpack? Why were two groups travelling so close together? Were the guides adhering to best practices for terrain selection and snow stability evaluation? What motivated them to go there? Buried is the assistant guide's story. It renders an answerable truth about what happened by delving deep into the human factors that played into putting people in harms way. The story begins buried metres deep in snow, and through care-filled reflection emerges slowly like spring after a long winter, nurturing a hopeful, courageous dialogue for all who make journeys through the mountains of their life. The story illustrates the peace that comes from accountability and the growth that results from understanding.
Authors
Related Organizations
- Bibliography, etc. Note
- Includes bibliographical references
- Control Number Identifier
- CaOOCEL
- Date published
- 2020.
- Description conventions
- rda
- Dewey Decimal Classification Number
- 551.57/8480971168
- Dewey Decimal Edition Number
- 23
- Distributor
- Canadian Electronic Library (Firm),
- General Note
- Issued as part of the desLibris books collection
- Geographic Area Code
- n-cn-bc
- ISBN
- 9781771603867 1771603852
- LCCN
- QC929.A8
- LCCN Item number
- W95 2020eb
- Modifying agency
- CaBNVSL
- Original cataloging agency
- YDX
- Physical Description | Extent
- 1 electronic text (xiv, 255 pages)
- Published in
- Victoria, British Columbia
- Publisher or Distributor Number
- CaOOCEL
- Rights
- Access restricted to authorized users and institutions
- System Control Number
- (CaBNVSL)kck00241500 (OCoLC)1198998873 (CaOOCEL)458701
- System Details Note
- Mode of access: World Wide Web
- Transcribing agency
- YDX
Table of Contents
- Cover 1
- Title Page 4
- Dedication 6
- Copyright Page 7
- Table of Contents 8
- Acknowledgements 10
- Author's Note 14
- Chapter 1: The Durrand Glacier 16
- January 18, 2003 16
- January 19, 2003 42
- Chapter 2: Buried 54
- January 20, 2003 54
- January 21, 2003 91
- Chapter 3: The Abyss 96
- January 23, 2003 96
- February 1, 2003 98
- March 3, 2003 103
- December 2004 105
- April 2007 107
- February 3, 2008 108
- Chapter 4: Battle with Deception 112
- February 20, 2008 112
- July 2008 115
- January 8, 2009 117
- April 2009 118
- December 2009 119
- Chapter 5: Lesson One: Acceptance 122
- Chapter 6: Lesson Two: Courage 138
- February 24, 1978 138
- September 1985 146
- Chapter 7: Lesson Three: Connection 164
- June 1989 164
- Chapter 8: Lesson Four: Self-Discovery 188
- Winter 1996–97 192
- Chapter 9: Lesson Five: Peace 208
- July 1998 208
- Chapter 10: Lesson Six: Acting on Intuition 220
- August 1999 220
- Chapter 11: Lesson Seven: Truth 244
- Metaphor’s Truth About Being Buried 250
- Metaphor’s Truth about False Alarms 251
- Metaphor’s Truth About Ice and Ice Climbing 252
- Metaphorical truth Sisyphus Summits. 254
- Chapter 12: Lesson Eight: Grace 258
- Epilogue 264
- Glossary 266
- References 270
