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Oplopanax Horridus

Oplopanax Horridus

A veteran SAR volunteer's experiences in British Columbia

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Tag: ski

GoPro Hero, first impressions

By Michael Coyle Posted on 06/01/2011 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with gear, HETS, review, ski, snow, technology, video

I got a GoPro Hero camera for Christmas. I figure since I do some exciting things on occasion I may as well record some of them. I have a few friends who’ve bought this camera, and almost everyone has seen …

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On ski widths

By Michael Coyle Posted on 05/01/2011 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with backcountry, gear, opinion, ski, snow, snowshoe

Some musings on ski widths

The Pineapple Express and Extreme Avalanche danger

By Michael Coyle Posted on 11/12/2010 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with avalanche, backcountry, ski, weather

A Pineapple Express is approaching the coast, and conditions have changed yet again. Everyone should take a moment to appreciate the significance of Extreme Avalanche hazard on the south coast. Take a moment to understand what extreme means: Likelihood of …

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Non-Avalanche Related Snow Immersion Death

By Michael Coyle Posted on 09/12/2010 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with death, InfoSAR, rescue, safety, SAR, ski, snow
Non-Avalanche Related Snow Immersion Death

I was reading a local hiking/mountaineering forum recently when I came across this post detailing a very scary incident that happened to a skier at a local resort. And then I learned a new acronym: NARSID. Now I have never …

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Weather observations redux

By Michael Coyle Posted on 07/12/2010 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with backcountry, ski, weather

In my post yesterday I noted that it’s important to get a synopsis of weather conditions. My rationale; most weather forecasts provided by Environment Canada and other forecasters are geared toward the sea-level public, and contain wind and rain amounts, …

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Weather observations and the coming storm

By Michael Coyle Posted on 06/12/2010 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with backcountry, ski, weather

With reference to the post I wrote on coastal weather patterns, this weeks storm is an illustration of a winter front. However, the public forecasts and the rainfall warning are clearly geared toward the sea-level public. So where does a …

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How to NOT kill Yourself Snowshoeing

By Michael Coyle Posted on 29/11/2010 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with accident, InfoSAR, numbers, safety, SAR, ski, snow, snowshoe, weather
How to NOT kill Yourself Snowshoeing
Descending Mount Matier

Some advice on what to do when everything goes to hell.

Snow patterns on the South Coast

By Michael Coyle Posted on 26/11/2010 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with avalanche, backcountry, SAR, ski, weather
Snow patterns on the South Coast

The south coast of BC (an area encompassing the Fraser Valley, Sea to Sky and Sunshine Coast) is known for rain in the winter months, and with altitude, snow. A rule of thumb states that every 1000 feet of elevation …

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How to Kill Yourself Snowshoeing

By Michael Coyle Posted on 29/10/2010 Posted in Blog Entry, Essay Tagged with accident, InfoSAR, numbers, safety, SAR, ski, snow, snowshoe, weather
How to Kill Yourself Snowshoeing

A review of snowshoe accidents in BC reveals that snowshoers are more likely to die in a slip and fall than in an avalanche.

Backcountry skillz

By Michael Coyle Posted on 21/01/2010 Posted in Blog Entry Tagged with backcountry, opinion, ski, skill

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I learned to ski in the backcountry. I’ve been doing it for almost 20 years now. When I go backcountry skiing, in even the busiest areas, I’ll see about 20 people in a day. Not …

Backcountry skillz Read more »

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