Responsibility

When we see people do stupid things should we call them on it?

When we see a group of six kids with no avalanche safety gear in the backcountry of a ski hill, should we remain silent? What if these kids are standing on top of a long, steep chute with an invisible bottom? What if these kids all have day passes clipped to their jackets, which is a pretty sure indication they are not familiar with the terrain? What if their very approach to the cornice edge (all together at the same time) reeks of stupidity?

Should we shake our heads in dismay and turn away so as not to see? I think most of us are too polite to interfere with the kids’ personal choices. Almost universally we would agree that what those kids are doing is damn silly, if not suicidal. But few of us would call them on it. We don’t want to be perceived as the uncool guy who preoccupies himself with safety, even by a group of six stupid kids. I shouldn’t say stupid, ignorant is more appropriate. Many people wandering like loose cannons in the backcountry are smart enough to know riding down snow is a fantastic way for our brains to enjoy our bodies, but they are ignorant of the dangers to themselves and others, and of the precautions they could take.

One could argue that silence in the face of such obvious stupidity (there I go again) is a natural response bred into us to strengthen the herd. If an avalanche does hit such a group, they will probably all be buried at once and their removal improves the overall intelligence of the herd. I think this is just the easy way out. This same group, encouraged to proceed down the slope in a careless manner by the absence of protest, could also cause a slide to hit a group of the smartest people in the world who, by sheer bad luck, happen to be traversing the slope below. So the herd is actually worse off.

Most of the time, people in the backcountry of ski hills without gear are not swept away by avalanches. But it has happened in the past (Fortress and Baker come to mind) and it will happen again, sooner than later if more people venture out without the means to rescue themselves. Then we all begin to suffer the fools. Our society does not tolerate much meaningless death. Very few of us will be permitted to kill ourselves through poor decisions past boundary ropes before the heavy boot of legislation steps in and regulates where and how we may enjoy ourselves.

If someone was about to kayak a river without a life jacket on, would we keep our mouths shut? If someone was about to launch a 20-foot gap jump on a bike without a helmet on, would we offer a reminder? Why then won’t we tell people without avalanche gear to get out of the backcountry?

Steve Crowe