QotNews Hacker News, Reddit, Lobsters, and Tildes articles rendered in reader mode.
2 Survivors Describe the Terror and Tragedy of the Tahoe Avalanche; The story of how nine skiers were killed, and six survived, in the deadliest avalanche in modern California history. (Gift link)
This is such a great follow-up to the Atlantic article. I was really struck by the "unspoken competition" aspect to this tragedy that comes to play in groups that size. ESPECIALLY if you're a super strong high-performing woman, I can understand how and why they would be up front with the lead guide. Still- what were the guides thinking not sending people across that final slope one at a time? This is standard procedure as the articles both state. Why did they cross together?
My condolences to those lost. This is a profound tragedy that needs more answers.
Yeah, I really resonated with how the human factors probably contributed, and appreciated that this article took the time to explore that.
It seems to me that they were in a big rush; they clumped up with the leader when they should have known better, and even left Mr. Hamilton behind when he couldn't get his binding right. We may never know why, but the most sympathetic theory may be that they were nervous and uncomfortable and therefore eager to get off the mountain. A whiteout blizzard with gusts up to 50 mph has a way of putting you in a state of subdued panic, especially if you are anticipating still having to dig your car out of the snow and drive home through said blizzard.
As far as the decision to cross the slope together goes, I think the map in this article makes it much more understandable. They were in amongst trees when the avalanche hit them, which probably had made them feel safe. Trees indicate that that area doesn't experience avalanches on a regular basis, and the fact that they were able to dig out multiple people also indicates that the avalanche had almost run out of steam by the time it hit them, meaning they were right on the edge of safety. In the whiteout conditions they might not have realized they were so close to the peak.
princesspool | 5 hours ago
This is such a great follow-up to the Atlantic article. I was really struck by the "unspoken competition" aspect to this tragedy that comes to play in groups that size. ESPECIALLY if you're a super strong high-performing woman, I can understand how and why they would be up front with the lead guide. Still- what were the guides thinking not sending people across that final slope one at a time? This is standard procedure as the articles both state. Why did they cross together?
My condolences to those lost. This is a profound tragedy that needs more answers.
[OP] previousinnovation | 3 hours ago
Yeah, I really resonated with how the human factors probably contributed, and appreciated that this article took the time to explore that.
It seems to me that they were in a big rush; they clumped up with the leader when they should have known better, and even left Mr. Hamilton behind when he couldn't get his binding right. We may never know why, but the most sympathetic theory may be that they were nervous and uncomfortable and therefore eager to get off the mountain. A whiteout blizzard with gusts up to 50 mph has a way of putting you in a state of subdued panic, especially if you are anticipating still having to dig your car out of the snow and drive home through said blizzard.
As far as the decision to cross the slope together goes, I think the map in this article makes it much more understandable. They were in amongst trees when the avalanche hit them, which probably had made them feel safe. Trees indicate that that area doesn't experience avalanches on a regular basis, and the fact that they were able to dig out multiple people also indicates that the avalanche had almost run out of steam by the time it hit them, meaning they were right on the edge of safety. In the whiteout conditions they might not have realized they were so close to the peak.
Georgiancat9 | 2 hours ago
Can't stop thinking about this article.
"He struggled to make the hole bigger, broke through and sat up. He was expecting to see a commotion of rescue activity. There was only silence."