As for A.F., over the weekend doctors inserted dozens of pin into his bones in an effort to reconstruct his legs. He will be off skis for the rest of the season and may not be able to make turns until his rehabilitation is complete in early 2001. When he is able to get back into the powder, however, A.F. said he will be back out there. I have a lot of experience, but I have learned a really humbling lesson. More than anything I feel that I did let down the ski patrol at Whitewater, the amount of publicity about the snow conditions was more than adequate.
People have to be responsible for their own behaviour and decisions and choices in the back country.
Next time I write an article about avalanche and back country travel, I'll be the number one case study.