This Sunday I picked up some buddies and was headed to ski at Silverton. For those who don't know, Silverton, CO, has Silverton Ski area which is comprised a single lift and you hike the ridgeline to get to the runs. They make you carry avalanche beacons and other gear to be safe.
Up here we were getting a huge dump of snow and the day promised to be great. Past Durango mountain the road was pure snow and only had a few faint lines showing someone else was headed the same way we were. Along the way we ran into 2 Russian guys who had ran off the road and were stuck in about 2.5 ft of snow. They were digging and my group all agreed to stop and help. I found a good tow hook under their car and hooked up the strap, gave them a couple of good yanks and out they came, they were very grateful and offered to buy beer and Red Bulls for us all.
During the pull about 4-5 cars passed us as we were helping pull the Russians out. Total time off the road was about 10 minutes. A plow passed by and I got in behind him. We continued to drive and just as we neared Coal Bank Pass (below Molas pass) the plow guy stopped in the road, we waited, I then made the move to pass him thinking he was doing something else. He jumped out of his truck to stop me and scolded me back behind him. We waited some more and my buddy went up to talk to him and he said that an avalanche just came through and wiped over the road. The road was closed and he turned us all around.
Turns out that, most likely, the very cars that passed me during the extrication were hit by the avalanche and got stuck in the snow. I didn't hear that anyone was hurt, but we clearly made a good choice by helping and got to ski the whole day at Purgatory instead. Silverton closed after one run because it became too dangerous, even more glad i wasn't there.
The Russians said that we now owed them beer because they saved our lives.
TR
Up here we were getting a huge dump of snow and the day promised to be great. Past Durango mountain the road was pure snow and only had a few faint lines showing someone else was headed the same way we were. Along the way we ran into 2 Russian guys who had ran off the road and were stuck in about 2.5 ft of snow. They were digging and my group all agreed to stop and help. I found a good tow hook under their car and hooked up the strap, gave them a couple of good yanks and out they came, they were very grateful and offered to buy beer and Red Bulls for us all.
During the pull about 4-5 cars passed us as we were helping pull the Russians out. Total time off the road was about 10 minutes. A plow passed by and I got in behind him. We continued to drive and just as we neared Coal Bank Pass (below Molas pass) the plow guy stopped in the road, we waited, I then made the move to pass him thinking he was doing something else. He jumped out of his truck to stop me and scolded me back behind him. We waited some more and my buddy went up to talk to him and he said that an avalanche just came through and wiped over the road. The road was closed and he turned us all around.
Turns out that, most likely, the very cars that passed me during the extrication were hit by the avalanche and got stuck in the snow. I didn't hear that anyone was hurt, but we clearly made a good choice by helping and got to ski the whole day at Purgatory instead. Silverton closed after one run because it became too dangerous, even more glad i wasn't there.
The Russians said that we now owed them beer because they saved our lives.
TR
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