You aren’t asking for the praise, but this is heroic both in deed and communicating the significance of preparedness in the backcountry. A chilling experience, but valuable to share. Cudos!
I was thinking about if I were there and looked up in saw that... Probably one of the most horrible images I've had in my thoughts... And I've seen people die in front of me. Just something extra traumatic about this. Like being alone like that and falling and suffering in the cold alone before inevitably dying alone is much more horrific than a car crash in my opinion. There have been indie films about this dying in the extreme wilderness, and those are by far the most scary movies ive ever seen. And somehow I still absolutely love the wilderness. Actually watched a movie about a couple getting mailed by a bear on a hiking trip the day before I started my hike on Appalachian trail 😂😭🤦♂️
My nickname since I was a kid was Eagle Eye...so I'm stoked my good eyesight came into use beyond being able to read road signs earlier than everyone else.
@@CodyTownsend I mentioned this is a different comment higher up but not sure if u would be able too see it. But this actually got me thinking about how I've been wearing my old prescription lenses while out in the wilderness.. they are fine for driving and what not, but not a chance in hell I'd be able too see something like this from that distance with them. Im going too Americas Best too get a pair of Prescription glasses for $30 this weekend so that way I don't have to worry about messing up my "nice" pair or worry about having contact lenses in
1. Superb video by two great ski mountaineers and high end humans. I really appreciate the share. Wish they had shown videos like this in my Wilderness First Responder Course. 2. Cody is spot on. It's bad rescue practice to judge the subject during response, and bad karma to judge them afterwards. Assessment and learning from the actions of others doesn't have to be judgmental. Anybody who's spent much time in the mountains has something they can look back on and say, "I can't believe I did that and am still alive." Some folks get ahead of themselves, and just get caught by the law of averages. "There but for the grace of God go I." 3. To push or not to push the PLB button? Cody understands that tapping into SAR generally means tapping into bureaucracy. If he had pushed the button first, by the time he made the cell phone call, he might very well have found himself competing with his own PLB signal and decisions that may already have been in execution--and with a bare hour of daylight, may not have had time to sort out the mess. Bottom line, it worked. 4. This series - THE FIFTY - is absolutely worth repeated viewing for any ski mountaineer--or anybody that deals in very real, but nearly unquantifiable risk. In nearly every episode, hazards and risk mitigation are professionally and maturely assessed and discussed in a straightforward and accessible way. THE FIFTY is a tremendous project, on many levels. Big thank you to Cody and Bjarne for their hard work on and off the mountain. See you out there.
As an ER doctor and backcountry skier I’d like to commend both of you. It’s tough to keep a level head in those situations and your knowledge and experience clearly showed. The first hour in a trauma is called the golden hour for a reason. Therefore a good rule of thumb is to do whatever you can to evacuate patient as quickly as possible to a trauma center. Which is exactly what you did.
Thanks so much. Means a lot coming from an ER doc. I learned a lot, including that Golden Hour, from WFR courses and hence why we sought evacuation. A lot of things went right but it was a minor miracle that he was to a Cat 1 hospital within 2 hours of the fall.
Insane… someone was looking out for that guy. The one in a million chance you happened to stop and look back when you did… gives me chills. Great work 🙌
Having been a Squamish mountain rescue tech, team leader and unbelievably a director, I was never able to publicly talk about tasks but boy did I want to! Lots to learn from every task as the debriefing resolves. Safe to say this guy was extremely fortunate you looked up at the right moment, had the necessary skills/experience and contacts! That's clear. Things can go sideways quickly for rescuers and subjects if forethought and quick action isnt executed swiftly. Once i called a SAR manager directly when i watched 1st hand the north walls in Squamish collapse in a massive rock slide ( close calls no injuries) to active action before a 911 call. My take away (because you explained the rescue part and your decision making choices) is if you go solo, and I do a lot (breaking one of the most basic and important rules...) do NOT attempt your most sought after nor most difficult lines!! Its best to step way back, do a reconnaissance or enjoy moderates. When shit goes sideways and you are alone..... you're pretty fkd. Unless of course a highly skilled and experienced human happens to witness your actions..... well done. Hope he's ok, looks like serious orbital injuries and I feel for him. Unbelievable to live.
when bjorn was holding the skiier while they waited, and the condition of his face and everything, must have been so comforting for him. thats when i cried.
Wow. Thank you for sharing this. How unbelievably fortunate that guy is that you happened to see this at the exact moment he needed you to. You are both to be commended. It made me tear up thinking about what he must have thought when another human being got there and told him that help was on the way. Just crazy.
I'm late to the party on this. But Excellent job. After my own backcountry emergency with no cell service, I now carry a Sat Phone. They are a light and not that expensive anymore.
my thoughts exactly. was he down climbing central at 4pm by himself? seems like a terrible idea... he literally owes his life to cody happening to turn around and look at the mountain at that exact moment.
Actually Christian a lot of people do exactly what you said. It just goes unnoticed because a majority of the time there are no accidents in that situation or reports of their success because the type of person that goes solo likes it that way and accepts the consequences if it does go south. The victim made a mistake, one that is hard to learn from because he made the mistake we all already know and that's don't fall where you shouldn't fall. Being solo was his prerogative that day and I can't judge him for that. We chose not to talk about the victim because there isn't much to learn from, instead we chose to talk about the rescue because we though there was a lot of lessons that could be extrapolated from that day for the general backcountry traveler population.
I stumbled onto your series, and it’s so much better than the typical huckster crap you usually see. Then I saw this episode, and I can’t express my admiration for you and your crew. It’s not just being bro’s in the mountains, it’s about making sound decisions, turning back when warranted (in the parent episode), and mounting a sane and effective rescue of a fellow mountain traveler. Though I’d love to know some of the background and circumstances that led to the individuals accident, I respect that you gave him his privacy. Well done guys!
Thanks for the kind words JS. As far as background for the victim. He made an obvious mistake that there wasn't much to learn from in the grander scheme of things...mainly, he fell where you shouldn't fall.
I maintain a backcountry rescue sled. I want to never use it. This was good work. This saved a man. More importantly you are safe. Good thinking, solid teamwork, all of the thumbs up!
This is so crazy! Unbelievable how you were able to see that, and very much right that if you were a minute late or a minute early, you might not have ever seen him. Was he skiing alone? Great job and effort on the rescue
We need more videos like this from responsible backcountry shredders like you two. This is an antidote to all the gnarly glorification of risk taking that goes on these days in mass marketing campaigns a la GoPro. Thank you gentlemen for being selfless, being prepared, and being willing to share this valuable information with all of us viewers. Think I might buy myself a tracker for these sorts of situations.
4:53 definitely glad you guys were there. By the looks of his eyes, he would almost certainly have not been able to extricate himself from the apron of the central and see himself down the remainder of the 4k of descent that preceeded the boot up the “coolie.”
Clearly you're both professional, and incredibly skilled. From making the call not to ski in attempt 1, to the way the emergency was handled.You provided SEVERAL opportunities to learn from. Many thanks. Looking forward to more of The Fifty.
This is reality, and you and Bjarne should be praised for telling this story. We all watch epic stuff on youtube, but we need a reminder it can be dangerous. I truly respect both of yours´ respect for the mountain and your knowledge. Big up Cody and Bjarne!!!
Textbook rescue! Brought back memories of watching a ski mate fall down the north face of Torreys and live after a well executed S&R effort. Watching a body tomahawk down a steep face, much less into a scree field is never a fun experience...then shifting into rescue mode to ensure the victim has an opportunity to be rescued is all that matters. Great recap!
This video probably is the best one for me!!!!!! Absolutely! Isn't just to show great skier challenging mother nature ...this was a real life or death situation where all the experience and wise decision come to play crucial. Yes, was a miracle that Cody spotted the other guy on that split of the second and asset the situation and result of that. Was a miracle that Bijarne deided to assit the guy and flew his dron ........Great work you guys, thank you Lord for having these two guys at the right time at the right place!!!!! Thank you for sharing the educational part of this situation !!!
Cody and Bjarne - you guys are heroes. Our kids and us parents, we film on lift access backcountry, this is a great PSA and we will be sure to do the same. BRAVO.
That’s why you do go back country alone folks! You guys did all the right things and that man was lucky as heck that the only other people on the mountain had seen him and had more sense than he!
Cody this is something that a lot of people don't know, I read about this then actually was put in a situation where I used it and it definitely worked. now you guys may not have had your cell phone with you, however if you had and you dialed 911 a GPS signal is sent to the nearest Emergency response center immediately as I mentioned I have had to use this function. my situation was not in the mountains. it was on a back road in Northern Alberta where there was no cell service, and I was first on the scene of a vehicle accident. I had read about the 911 function less than 2 months prior. after hitting 911, the nearest Ambulance base was about 50 km away. I like you, drove back to where I could get service, I could never get a clear signal, however on my way the ambulance passed me heading to the location of the accident, I turned around and followed the ambulance, where I assisted as there were five people in the vehicle. so even if you dont have cell service hit that 911 right away. it will send a signal of your location and they need to respond. I also carry a Garmin inreach I think I would have established communication with someone left it with buddy so he could also have communication. after reaching the injured fellow. he could have relayed possible injuries and LZ possibilities. however nicely done. as you said shithouse luck you even saw the guy. I do have one question though. was the guy alone?
You guys saved this guys life, what an amazing job you did! I live in the area and has never been filled in on information regarding his company... was he skiing alone?! Just sounds very unsafe to me, and I keep wondering why his friends didn't ski down to him if he had any there with him...
getting a helly so fast on joffre is incredible. I think the PLB could have taken much longer and the gps might have been flawed give the steepness of the slope. Well done!
glad you guys didn't just write this one off and say "man that sucks" and ski off! you definitely saved a life. His injuries looked gruesome, hope his eyes were alright
Props for not letting “taking a video of everything” getting in the way of the actual rescue. So much today we see people doing this but putting an emphasis on getting it on video.
That bloke is so lucky he could've died easily you guys did an amazing job as a team splitting up and using the right resources to rescue the fallen man. Well done fellas!!!
Thank you for the debrief of this incident! This and showing tons of your decision making process on the Fifty Project has been great conversation starters on risk with all of my BC partners.
Extremely informative and inspiring vlog. I've been watch the series over the past few weeks and I feel these guys don't get enough credit for the work they put into making these videos. This series is setting the standard for outdoor entertainment and with time will get the recognition. Thank you Cody and Bjarne!
Aside from the rescue itself, an amazing coincidence in time was recognized by you to save the day. Whereas a minute either side of a brief window would prevent credit to your eye witness account. You are a true hero, in this case, for being in the right place at the right time. My deepest respect to you Cody.
Great outcome. I fell over 2600 ft down an ice chute. In 2016. It took several hours for SAR to locate me, and as I was being hoisted up destabilizing rope broke, if it wasn't for the quick thinking of my Rescuers who also had a SAR background I wouldn't have survived. In my interviews before I got a hold of my Rescuers I told the media 1000 1500 ft. I would have never imagined 2600. You can read my story in Backpacker magazine, Out Alive: falling down a mountain.
Jason, thank you for sharing your story and for the recommendations at the end. I’m interested in starting backcountry adventures, and will heed this advice after getting some training
ive watched this a bunch and had to carry people out of the mountains and im going for my WFR this spring good on ya bud.this is exactly what folks who are questioning going into the backcountry need to see.
Great debrief and lessons for all! Used to do S&R in High Peaks, Adirondacks....made my teenagers (now doing back-country outings) watch these 2 episodes several times. Thanks to you 3 for sharing this.
I love this series and can watch the episodes over and over. Just goes to hammer home the point that things can go wrong and then where are you? This was a life saving effort after a fall but people should also realise that a little thing like minor injury or broken kit can also be a big big deal when you are isolated from assistance and miles/hours from safety. Top top work by Cody and Bjarne. Inspirational.
Was the guy really alone in that couloir? That didn't really seem like a wise decision. I'm kind of surprised that it took a while for 911 to transfer you to mountain rescuers. I've never had to call my country's emergency number for a mountain accident so far (touching wood), but from what I know they'll usually transfer you quickly as soon as they've established that it is an actual emergency situation. Maybe it helps that I live in a populated area of the Alps and this sort of calls is probably routine for local operators (I used to live near the hospital where those injured in the mountains around get flown, I'd sometimes hear helis several times a day). Anyway, great job making the correct decisions that day and literally saving the guy's life!
well i live in the alps aswell (Berchtesgadener Land) but I'd assume in the Canadian backcountry you have far less skiers and you cant really expect the operator on the Phone to know the mountains. While here touristic acciddents happen regularly and the operators are "used to it" and act quick and efficient
I have come back to this episode about three or four times because of how well you two handled this emergency situation. Thanks for the footage, thanks for the lesson
Thanks for sharing! Told humbly yet with the expertise of somebody with a lot of backcountry experience. Enjoying this series more and more. Absolutely baffles me that this guy was on his own.
Amazing work! The most important survival and rescue tool is information and you had it all! So important not to panic and to think everything through because every scenario is so unique!
Wow, that was heavy. What a very fortunate series of events that allowed the victim to survive what could have been a terrible tragedy. Big kudos to you guys for your quick work and putting aside everything to help someone in a bad situation.
For what it's worth, I had to use the SOS on my InReach and rescue arrived within 2 hours from pushing the button. Of course, it is very location dependent. Using the InReach is very near the equivalent of calling 911 as well (I work in SAR)
Does the InReach have the ability to make a call via a satellite? Like a Sat phone? Or does it just do weather text and the SOS. I am interested in getting one since most of my outdoor activities I do alone. I have aged out and all of my friends my age have stopped doing the things I still love and am fit enough to do. Thanks
This video touches on the realistic and the ever capable chance of an emergency happening during outings(not just to you) Way to go! And the way you guys handled it was very professional. Very informative video.
Amazing story with such valuable information. You demonstrated how to know and understand what to do in an emergency in a remote location for sure. This guy owes his life to your keen awareness. I hope you were able to catch up with him at a later time and see how he was doing.
Wild stuff, now I don't know his experience level (but I'm going to assume that he's on the upper side of things if he's tackling this peak), but my big takeaway from this is that you can think that you're too knowledgeable and too experienced to get hurt out in the backcountry but really one slip and you could end up freezing to death on the side of the mountain. I'm not glad that you guys or anyone else had to experience this, but I am grad that you made this video. I think that it's going to definitely influence my calculation of risk.
Man, scary and compelling video and well done guys. Awesome (and heroic) decision making. Watching Bjarne with the victim I can't help but wonder how this would have played out had you not been able to get the heli to him that night. Some awful thoughts and decisions to be faced.
Well done guys! I m so happy to be in the Alpes, the emergency mountain rescue seems to be much more organinized and straight forward (+ in most cases, free)
What a miracle. I am surprised that nobody mentioned the BIGGEST mistake in backcountry. NEVER GO ALONE!! What was this guy thinking, being out there by himself!!
First and foremost, the luck to look up at the area. No explanation as to why that happened, but that is what saved the man's life. Secondly, your presence of mind to overcome the cognitive dissonance of seeing something falling over a mile away, and then processing that "I just saw a man falling down a couloir at high speed". Just astounding.
You both said you had the feeling about that day when hit the trail. You were meant to be there for this guy. So many people turn their heads to emergencies. You didn't and I applaud your heroism.
Thank you for sharing! Happy he is ok! Very educational of how quickly things can happen in the mountains and how taking the correct decisions is lifesaving. Even more of an inspiring team right now
Wow. Very sound advice Cody. What a harrowing experience. Very fortunate that all the pieces of the puzzle were in the right place at the right time. I gotta ask though, was that fella skiing by himself??
Thanks for posting. This is valuable information on using experience and judgment in back country rescue decisions. Plus food for thought on solo back country ventures ( I used to go solo sometimes, but quit at age 45, figured my luck was very well maxed out !)
You guys are angels! If it weren't for you, who know if this guy would have made it out alive. Good eye, and it always pays to look back at your line. Who knows, you just might save a life ;) 🧡
Bjarne is a hero. The psychological impact of a hug in that moment shouldn’t be underestimated. Thank you bjarne!
Bjarne is such a humble badass. Cody is too, but Bjarne's experience really shines in this video.
Would love for this guy to come back and do an interview with you guys if you're into it.
Would be really cool
+1
For sure!
This would be sick
You aren’t asking for the praise, but this is heroic both in deed and communicating the significance of preparedness in the backcountry. A chilling experience, but valuable to share. Cudos!
I was thinking about if I were there and looked up in saw that... Probably one of the most horrible images I've had in my thoughts... And I've seen people die in front of me. Just something extra traumatic about this. Like being alone like that and falling and suffering in the cold alone before inevitably dying alone is much more horrific than a car crash in my opinion. There have been indie films about this dying in the extreme wilderness, and those are by far the most scary movies ive ever seen.
And somehow I still absolutely love the wilderness.
Actually watched a movie about a couple getting mailed by a bear on a hiking trip the day before I started my hike on Appalachian trail 😂😭🤦♂️
Cody Townsend spotted that guy from miles away like a freakin' hawk. What an angel
My nickname since I was a kid was Eagle Eye...so I'm stoked my good eyesight came into use beyond being able to read road signs earlier than everyone else.
It comes from the hair
@@CodyTownsend I mentioned this is a different comment higher up but not sure if u would be able too see it. But this actually got me thinking about how I've been wearing my old prescription lenses while out in the wilderness.. they are fine for driving and what not, but not a chance in hell I'd be able too see something like this from that distance with them. Im going too Americas Best too get a pair of Prescription glasses for $30 this weekend so that way I don't have to worry about messing up my "nice" pair or worry about having contact lenses in
A case study in mountain rescue. Incredibly useful, we need more summaries like this for people to learn from. Nice work guys.
1. Superb video by two great ski mountaineers and high end humans. I really appreciate the share. Wish they had shown videos like this in my Wilderness First Responder Course.
2. Cody is spot on. It's bad rescue practice to judge the subject during response, and bad karma to judge them afterwards. Assessment and learning from the actions of others doesn't have to be judgmental. Anybody who's spent much time in the mountains has something they can look back on and say, "I can't believe I did that and am still alive." Some folks get ahead of themselves, and just get caught by the law of averages. "There but for the grace of God go I."
3. To push or not to push the PLB button? Cody understands that tapping into SAR generally means tapping into bureaucracy. If he had pushed the button first, by the time he made the cell phone call, he might very well have found himself competing with his own PLB signal and decisions that may already have been in execution--and with a bare hour of daylight, may not have had time to sort out the mess. Bottom line, it worked.
4. This series - THE FIFTY - is absolutely worth repeated viewing for any ski mountaineer--or anybody that deals in very real, but nearly unquantifiable risk. In nearly every episode, hazards and risk mitigation are professionally and maturely assessed and discussed in a straightforward and accessible way. THE FIFTY is a tremendous project, on many levels. Big thank you to Cody and Bjarne for their hard work on and off the mountain.
See you out there.
This plus the actual episode are a great educational tools, you rarely get to see the decision making process in action.
dane jackson did something similar with some kayaking footage of him doing a rescue. he broke it down bit by bit and explained everything
As an ER doctor and backcountry skier I’d like to commend both of you. It’s tough to keep a level head in those situations and your knowledge and experience clearly showed.
The first hour in a trauma is called the golden hour for a reason. Therefore a good rule of thumb is to do whatever you can to evacuate patient as quickly as possible to a trauma center. Which is exactly what you did.
Thanks so much. Means a lot coming from an ER doc. I learned a lot, including that Golden Hour, from WFR courses and hence why we sought evacuation. A lot of things went right but it was a minor miracle that he was to a Cat 1 hospital within 2 hours of the fall.
Insane… someone was looking out for that guy. The one in a million chance you happened to stop and look back when you did… gives me chills. Great work 🙌
Having been a Squamish mountain rescue tech, team leader and unbelievably a director, I was never able to publicly talk about tasks but boy did I want to! Lots to learn from every task as the debriefing resolves. Safe to say this guy was extremely fortunate you looked up at the right moment, had the necessary skills/experience and contacts! That's clear. Things can go sideways quickly for rescuers and subjects if forethought and quick action isnt executed swiftly. Once i called a SAR manager directly when i watched 1st hand the north walls in Squamish collapse in a massive rock slide ( close calls no injuries) to active action before a 911 call. My take away (because you explained the rescue part and your decision making choices) is if you go solo, and I do a lot (breaking one of the most basic and important rules...) do NOT attempt your most sought after nor most difficult lines!! Its best to step way back, do a reconnaissance or enjoy moderates. When shit goes sideways and you are alone..... you're pretty fkd. Unless of course a highly skilled and experienced human happens to witness your actions..... well done. Hope he's ok, looks like serious orbital injuries and I feel for him. Unbelievable to live.
had me in tears. Just kudos to you - you saved his life and explained to thousands of people to think more critically.
when bjorn was holding the skiier while they waited, and the condition of his face and everything, must have been so comforting for him. thats when i cried.
Wow. Thank you for sharing this. How unbelievably fortunate that guy is that you happened to see this at the exact moment he needed you to. You are both to be commended. It made me tear up thinking about what he must have thought when another human being got there and told him that help was on the way. Just crazy.
Well said
I'm late to the party on this. But Excellent job. After my own backcountry emergency with no cell service, I now carry a Sat Phone. They are a light and not that expensive anymore.
Great work and explanation. I don’t think it was ever mentioned, but did he have a partner anywhere nearby that he was skiing with or was he solo?
My thoughts exactly
Solo
my thoughts exactly. was he down climbing central at 4pm by himself? seems like a terrible idea... he literally owes his life to cody happening to turn around and look at the mountain at that exact moment.
Hey let me just ski this super exposed 50+ degree couloir alone! said no one ever (but this guy)
Actually Christian a lot of people do exactly what you said. It just goes unnoticed because a majority of the time there are no accidents in that situation or reports of their success because the type of person that goes solo likes it that way and accepts the consequences if it does go south. The victim made a mistake, one that is hard to learn from because he made the mistake we all already know and that's don't fall where you shouldn't fall. Being solo was his prerogative that day and I can't judge him for that. We chose not to talk about the victim because there isn't much to learn from, instead we chose to talk about the rescue because we though there was a lot of lessons that could be extrapolated from that day for the general backcountry traveler population.
This level of expertise, intelligence and concern for fellow man is really something..
I stumbled onto your series, and it’s so much better than the typical huckster crap you usually see. Then I saw this episode, and I can’t express my admiration for you and your crew. It’s not just being bro’s in the mountains, it’s about making sound decisions, turning back when warranted (in the parent episode), and mounting a sane and effective rescue of a fellow mountain traveler. Though I’d love to know some of the background and circumstances that led to the individuals accident, I respect that you gave him his privacy. Well done guys!
Thanks for the kind words JS. As far as background for the victim. He made an obvious mistake that there wasn't much to learn from in the grander scheme of things...mainly, he fell where you shouldn't fall.
Did Bjarne ski down after the heli came or did he ride in the heli? Dude had all his clothes lol. Love you guys. This one was a real tear jerker!
I"ve got to think being almost dark he jumped in the chopper.
Just watched this again. Since there is zero chance I can ski as fast as Cody, I think pushing the SOS button is my first move
I maintain a backcountry rescue sled. I want to never use it. This was good work. This saved a man. More importantly you are safe. Good thinking, solid teamwork, all of the thumbs up!
you my good sir, are a true legend.
bjorn holding the fallen skier must have been so comforting for him. what a miracle
This is so crazy! Unbelievable how you were able to see that, and very much right that if you were a minute late or a minute early, you might not have ever seen him. Was he skiing alone?
Great job and effort on the rescue
We need more videos like this from responsible backcountry shredders like you two. This is an antidote to all the gnarly glorification of risk taking that goes on these days in mass marketing campaigns a la GoPro. Thank you gentlemen for being selfless, being prepared, and being willing to share this valuable information with all of us viewers. Think I might buy myself a tracker for these sorts of situations.
4:53 definitely glad you guys were there. By the looks of his eyes, he would almost certainly have not been able to extricate himself from the apron of the central and see himself down the remainder of the 4k of descent that preceeded the boot up the “coolie.”
Clearly you're both professional, and incredibly skilled. From making the call not to ski in attempt 1, to the way the emergency was handled.You provided SEVERAL opportunities to learn from. Many thanks. Looking forward to more of The Fifty.
This is reality, and you and Bjarne should be praised for telling this story. We all watch epic stuff on youtube, but we need a reminder it can be dangerous. I truly respect both of yours´ respect for the mountain and your knowledge. Big up Cody and Bjarne!!!
Textbook rescue! Brought back memories of watching a ski mate fall down the north face of Torreys and live after a well executed S&R effort. Watching a body tomahawk down a steep face, much less into a scree field is never a fun experience...then shifting into rescue mode to ensure the victim has an opportunity to be rescued is all that matters. Great recap!
This video probably is the best one for me!!!!!! Absolutely! Isn't just to show great skier challenging mother nature ...this was a real life or death situation where all the experience and wise decision come to play crucial. Yes, was a miracle that Cody spotted the other guy on that split of the second and asset the situation and result of that. Was a miracle that Bijarne deided to assit the guy and flew his dron ........Great work you guys, thank you Lord for having these two guys at the right time at the right place!!!!! Thank you for sharing the educational part of this situation !!!
Cody and Bjarne - you guys are heroes. Our kids and us parents, we film on lift access backcountry, this is a great PSA and we will be sure to do the same. BRAVO.
Amazing story, the knowledge you guys posses definitely saved his life.
That’s why you do go back country alone folks! You guys did all the right things and that man was lucky as heck that the only other people on the mountain had seen him and had more sense than he!
Cody this is something that a lot of people don't know, I read about this then actually was put in a situation where I used it and it definitely worked. now you guys may not have had your cell phone with you, however if you had and you dialed 911 a GPS signal is sent to the nearest Emergency response center immediately as I mentioned I have had to use this function. my situation was not in the mountains. it was on a back road in Northern Alberta where there was no cell service, and I was first on the scene of a vehicle accident. I had read about the 911 function less than 2 months prior. after hitting 911, the nearest Ambulance base was about 50 km away. I like you, drove back to where I could get service, I could never get a clear signal, however on my way the ambulance passed me heading to the location of the accident, I turned around and followed the ambulance, where I assisted as there were five people in the vehicle. so even if you dont have cell service hit that 911 right away. it will send a signal of your location and they need to respond. I also carry a Garmin inreach I think I would have established communication with someone left it with buddy so he could also have communication. after reaching the injured fellow. he could have relayed possible injuries and LZ possibilities. however nicely done. as you said shithouse luck you even saw the guy. I do have one question though. was the guy alone?
You guys saved this guys life, what an amazing job you did! I live in the area and has never been filled in on information regarding his company... was he skiing alone?! Just sounds very unsafe to me, and I keep wondering why his friends didn't ski down to him if he had any there with him...
getting a helly so fast on joffre is incredible. I think the PLB could have taken much longer and the gps might have been flawed give the steepness of the slope. Well done!
I watched this again and it still amazes me. In the helicopter video you can see it getting dark.
glad you guys didn't just write this one off and say "man that sucks" and ski off! you definitely saved a life. His injuries looked gruesome, hope his eyes were alright
What a good example of what do in an emergency in the backcountry in BC. Good work guys.
Props for not letting “taking a video of everything” getting in the way of the actual rescue. So much today we see people doing this but putting an emphasis on getting it on video.
That bloke is so lucky he could've died easily you guys did an amazing job as a team splitting up and using the right resources to rescue the fallen man. Well done fellas!!!
Y’all are heroes, no two ways about it. Well done.
That was hard to watch. Thank you for sharing! The image of his face was a tough one to watch. Very emotional. I hope he recovered well.
Thank you for the debrief of this incident! This and showing tons of your decision making process on the Fifty Project has been great conversation starters on risk with all of my BC partners.
By making all the right decisions which is always not easy to do, you absolutely saved this man's life, great lessons here, hats off to you Bud.
Extremely informative and inspiring vlog. I've been watch the series over the past few weeks and I feel these guys don't get enough credit for the work they put into making these videos. This series is setting the standard for outdoor entertainment and with time will get the recognition. Thank you Cody and Bjarne!
Excellent video and lessons. Thanks Cody, you not only saved him but also future ones from the lessons learned from this video.
What an storie. GREAT job guys! And the dude was very lucky! 🙌
Awesome=Quick thinking. Seconds away from a very different out come. You guys rocked it. Life is precious. Enjoy the soon to be bundle of JOY!
Thank you for taking care of another human.
Aside from the rescue itself, an amazing coincidence in time was recognized by you to save the day. Whereas a minute either side of a brief window would prevent credit to your eye witness account. You are a true hero, in this case, for being in the right place at the right time. My deepest respect to you Cody.
Great outcome. I fell over 2600 ft down an ice chute. In 2016. It took several hours for SAR to locate me, and as I was being hoisted up destabilizing rope broke, if it wasn't for the quick thinking of my Rescuers who also had a SAR background I wouldn't have survived. In my interviews before I got a hold of my Rescuers I told the media 1000 1500 ft. I would have never imagined 2600. You can read my story in Backpacker magazine, Out Alive: falling down a mountain.
Great read, thanks
Jason, thank you for sharing your story and for the recommendations at the end. I’m interested in starting backcountry adventures, and will heed this advice after getting some training
Great work, great ending, thanks for explaining everything. Very useful!
Absolutely unreal you and your partner were the guys guardian angels that day. Just amazing clear thinking.
ive watched this a bunch and had to carry people out of the mountains and im going for my WFR this spring good on ya bud.this is exactly what folks who are questioning going into the backcountry need to see.
Great debrief and lessons for all! Used to do S&R in High Peaks, Adirondacks....made my teenagers (now doing back-country outings) watch these 2 episodes several times. Thanks to you 3 for sharing this.
I love this series and can watch the episodes over and over. Just goes to hammer home the point that things can go wrong and then where are you? This was a life saving effort after a fall but people should also realise that a little thing like minor injury or broken kit can also be a big big deal when you are isolated from assistance and miles/hours from safety. Top top work by Cody and Bjarne. Inspirational.
I really hope I could maintain composure like you and your partner did, Cody. Thank you for sharing this experience in a teachable way.
Man, Impressive skills and decisions. You were spot on with your decisions and actions, You saved this guys life. Great job.
Wow. Amazing. This is easily my favorite installment of this series.
What a fortunate outcome for such an unfortunate circumstance, glad to hear everyone made it out ok
This is a great story, not just of a rescue, but in learning what to do in similar situations.
Was the guy really alone in that couloir? That didn't really seem like a wise decision. I'm kind of surprised that it took a while for 911 to transfer you to mountain rescuers. I've never had to call my country's emergency number for a mountain accident so far (touching wood), but from what I know they'll usually transfer you quickly as soon as they've established that it is an actual emergency situation. Maybe it helps that I live in a populated area of the Alps and this sort of calls is probably routine for local operators (I used to live near the hospital where those injured in the mountains around get flown, I'd sometimes hear helis several times a day).
Anyway, great job making the correct decisions that day and literally saving the guy's life!
well i live in the alps aswell (Berchtesgadener Land) but I'd assume in the Canadian backcountry you have far less skiers and you cant really expect the operator on the Phone to know the mountains. While here touristic acciddents happen regularly and the operators are "used to it" and act quick and efficient
I have come back to this episode about three or four times because of how well you two handled this emergency situation.
Thanks for the footage, thanks for the lesson
Thanks for sharing! Told humbly yet with the expertise of somebody with a lot of backcountry experience. Enjoying this series more and more. Absolutely baffles me that this guy was on his own.
Amazing work! The most important survival and rescue tool is information and you had it all! So important not to panic and to think everything through because every scenario is so unique!
Wow, that was heavy. What a very fortunate series of events that allowed the victim to survive what could have been a terrible tragedy. Big kudos to you guys for your quick work and putting aside everything to help someone in a bad situation.
This is an incredible story… thank god you guys know your stuff and knew what to do! What a blessing.
Beautiful story Cody. You guys are heroes.
Guys, you were heroes! Wow, I'm speechless but so glad that guy was lucky enough to have you around at the same time!
Great Work - It's possible this will be a case study for future Drone Recon Missions for SAR et al. Very Cool.
For what it's worth, I had to use the SOS on my InReach and rescue arrived within 2 hours from pushing the button. Of course, it is very location dependent. Using the InReach is very near the equivalent of calling 911 as well (I work in SAR)
Does the InReach have the ability to make a call via a satellite? Like a Sat phone? Or does it just do weather text and the SOS. I am interested in getting one since most of my outdoor activities I do alone. I have aged out and all of my friends my age have stopped doing the things I still love and am fit enough to do. Thanks
Glad you guys were there to help him !
This is just an unbelievable story.
👏👏👏 well done guys. that's a crazy story
Great work up there! You’re an inspiration, and I’m signing up for a wilderness first responder course right now! Amazing story, keep up it up!
This video touches on the realistic and the ever capable chance of an emergency happening during outings(not just to you) Way to go! And the way you guys handled it was very professional. Very informative video.
Amazing story with such valuable information. You demonstrated how to know and understand what to do in an emergency in a remote location for sure. This guy owes his life to your keen awareness. I hope you were able to catch up with him at a later time and see how he was doing.
Scary... Very Scary. Emotional hearing that and a stark reminder how dangerous skiing is. Well done guys
Wild stuff, now I don't know his experience level (but I'm going to assume that he's on the upper side of things if he's tackling this peak), but my big takeaway from this is that you can think that you're too knowledgeable and too experienced to get hurt out in the backcountry but really one slip and you could end up freezing to death on the side of the mountain. I'm not glad that you guys or anyone else had to experience this, but I am grad that you made this video. I think that it's going to definitely influence my calculation of risk.
Man, scary and compelling video and well done guys. Awesome (and heroic) decision making. Watching Bjarne with the victim I can't help but wonder how this would have played out had you not been able to get the heli to him that night. Some awful thoughts and decisions to be faced.
Well done guys! I m so happy to be in the Alpes, the emergency mountain rescue seems to be much more organinized and straight forward (+ in most cases, free)
Legendary effort. Well done. Super tough situation. Great decision making mate. Love your videos. Thanks for sharing. :)
What a miracle. I am surprised that nobody mentioned the BIGGEST mistake in backcountry. NEVER GO ALONE!! What was this guy thinking, being out there by himself!!
Luck and good decision making... Thanks for posting. Great job guys.
First and foremost, the luck to look up at the area. No explanation as to why that happened, but that is what saved the man's life. Secondly, your presence of mind to overcome the cognitive dissonance of seeing something falling over a mile away, and then processing that "I just saw a man falling down a couloir at high speed". Just astounding.
Well done gentlemen with he rescue, and with the teachable moments on this video. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing. I'm going to learn backcountry skiing this year, glad I that I see this.
So amazing. Any update on how he’s doing today?
Amazing job, guys! Thanks for sharing so everyone can learn from this.
Great work! Watched all episodes and this project is gold! Thank you so much for sharing education and alot of inspiration! So f awesome!
Great Job Cody glad I took my Avalanche education from You and your team of woman at SAFE and Squaw team! Outstanding leadership! Makes me happy!
You both said you had the feeling about that day when hit the trail. You were meant to be there for this guy. So many people turn their heads to emergencies. You didn't and I applaud your heroism.
This is a great rescue summary video. Thanks for putting it together.
So glad that heli made it to the scene. I'm shaking just imagining what Bjarne would have gone through if they hadn't made the flight!
Thank you for sharing! Happy he is ok! Very educational of how quickly things can happen in the mountains and how taking the correct decisions is lifesaving. Even more of an inspiring team right now
Wow. Very sound advice Cody. What a harrowing experience. Very fortunate that all the pieces of the puzzle were in the right place at the right time. I gotta ask though, was that fella skiing by himself??
Thanks for posting. This is valuable information on using experience and judgment in back country rescue decisions. Plus food for thought on solo back country ventures ( I used to go solo sometimes, but quit at age 45, figured my luck was very well maxed out !)
So well done and explained. You obviously made the right decisions. Thank you.
You guys are angels! If it weren't for you, who know if this guy would have made it out alive. Good eye, and it always pays to look back at your line. Who knows, you just might save a life ;) 🧡
Good save, Bjarne & Cody!
nice one. this is why we all train and practice. put a smile on my face to see it all pay off for the guy.
was he really solo on Joffre?