Avalanche survivor: 'It feels like you're in a washing machine'

nguminh said on February 21, 2012 at 4:47 PM

I am glad she is alive. Don't try to conquer mother nature. She gets really mean when you try to push her button.

speakyourtruth said on February 21, 2012 at 2:23 AM

"like a washing machine"? that's probably an enormous understatement. I hope once the shock wears off their loved ones can focus on the fact they were doing something they all had great passion for. Best wishes to Miss Saugstad too.

nativewa82 said on February 20, 2012 at 9:49 PM

Skiing is alot of fun. I really enjoyed it when I use to go. But really folks, when you have to buy equipment that will possibly save you in an avalanche does that make much sense. Can't these people have fun without pushing the limits and then killing themselves and leaving their children and spouses behind to pick up the peices? I'd feel pretty low is I egged on a friend to do something dangerous and they lost their life.

Conseula said on February 20, 2012 at 5:49 PM

kay777..a car sliding off the road isn't by choice!! You can leave Seattle in a boat,, on a beautiful day, no bad weather warnings and the weather can take a drastic turn.."Straights of Juan Du Fuca." and you have to have the Coast Guard rescue isn't by choice? Going skiing in the out of bound ski areas and knowing about avalance conditions this time of year is choice? If there was avalanche warnings? While my comments may not sound like I am saddened at the loss of these three beautiful people, I truly am! I'm angry that they lost their lives needlessly. Saugstad said there was no avalance warnings when they left and I have read other comments that there were avalance warnings? Does anyone know the truth?

KingX said on February 20, 2012 at 5:24 PM

This is just another example of Evolution in Action. The gene pool just got a little shallower.

kay777 said on February 20, 2012 at 3:08 PM

And she sure doesn't need to pay for the rescue costs. People ski and snowboard out of bounds all the time and this was a tragic event, but the rescue crews go to work for this reason. They want to save peoples lives. So you guys mean that if your car slid off the road and down an embankment you wouldn't want rescue crews to come and save you? You don't want to live another day? Think about that. I feel very sorry for her and the families of the ones who lost their lives doing what they love.

kay777 said on February 20, 2012 at 3:04 PM

When you go out of bounds, its means that it is ungroomed. I was going to go skiing yesterday out of bounds but by the time I got up to the mountain it was high avalanche danger, that was in a matter of 2 hours. They probably went out when it wasn't a high avalanche danger and then it obviously changed and they don't know when they have declared the danger high because there is no internet out there and sure they may have had other ways, but if you are enjoying yourself you don't think about that when earlier it wasn't a high avalanche danger. With 20 years of experience and skiing since I was 5 I know what I am talking about. When you are an experienced skiier, you don't want to go down slopes with people that don't know what they are doing or think they know but don't. You get tired of the same run and that is why we go out of bounds and avalanches can happen all year. Sure some parts of the year have mroe avalanches, but you can get caught up in one in NOVEMBER!. Give them a break!

snowrider said on February 20, 2012 at 2:41 PM

To those who said people who die while skiing in the backcountry deserve what they get: Until you've felt pain and grief, until you've cried in the arms of the mother of a deceased friend or relative, keep your callous, insensitive thoughts to yourself. Think of the sorrow you would feel as the parent, spouse or child of one of these human beings.

swatguy said on February 20, 2012 at 2:41 PM

Elyse is a professional skier who didn't anticipate an avalanche in an out of bounds zone. She had a great chance to tell all the other 20 and 30 somethings that rules are usually made for good reasons....but she apparently is invincible as are many of the Twitter generation.

dakotanative said on February 20, 2012 at 1:18 PM

I guess you can criticize the people that go out in boats that have to be rescued. Or people that slide off the road. They are out of bounds. Let them die.

Conseula said on February 20, 2012 at 12:36 PM

I am saddened and sorry for those who loved the skiers killed in the avalanche. Three beautiful people doing what they loved. I find that so very sad. I am sure they will be missed by all those who knew them.. No, it doesn't seem like a good time to criticize..Then again, some might feel now is the time and still fresh in skiers memory..I'm angered at the needless loss of life..The word "expert" isn't an insurance policy that protects you from being killed when skiiing out of bounds and in avalanche season..I'm having a hard time understanding why these "expert" skiers were (what is the object of their exercise)" skiing out of bounds and during avalanche season"? @my opinion..So they were experts? Now they are dead! I'm not an expert, but I sometimes wonder why "common sense" doesn't prevail? I think some people are "fatalist" and push the envelope well knowing of the possible danger and "I'll deal with whatever, if and when it happens."

collentine1 said on February 20, 2012 at 12:25 PM

She is already on King5?? Wow! Speedy recovery after all her "friends" perished.

kbbcoop said on February 20, 2012 at 12:03 PM

glad you are alive, now please cut a check to pay for the rescue and recovery you all caused and stay inbounds next time.

duanesworld said on February 20, 2012 at 11:35 AM

So what part of "out of bounds" do these "expert well equipped" people fail to understand? Duh!

ScottBallard said on February 20, 2012 at 11:28 AM

It's avalanche time of year, and anybody who knows anything about the mountains in this area knows that. Late winter/spring/early summer is dangerous anywhere above or below vertical drops covered in melting snow & ice. With warmer than usual weather it might be even more dangerous, earlier than usual.

Daytrader said on February 20, 2012 at 10:42 AM

Amazing how people think mother nature really cares if your an expert.

RealOpinion said on February 20, 2012 at 10:31 AM

If my friends died, I sure wouldn't go on TV doing interviews less than 24 hours after it happen... maybe they weren't good friends. Life is full of risks and when you put yourself in a position that was deemed dangerous then you have to expect someone will eventually die. Look at those 4 hikers that went missing on MT. Rainier.. Seriously what do you expect when you try and climb a MT during a very bad snow storm.. Don't expect a lot of sympathy from people if you cause your own death.

Mytake said on February 20, 2012 at 10:11 AM

Out of bounds does NOT mean off limits to professionals,, it means not groomed.

dentalgirl57 said on February 20, 2012 at 10:03 AM

Wow, maybe you should reserve these harsh comments for another time and place. There are family and friends out there who just lost someone they love. Maybe we should be thinking about that...

comiccon2010 said on February 20, 2012 at 9:56 AM

should charge her with reckless endangerment, out of bounds means dont go their stupidity at work

myopinion said on February 20, 2012 at 9:44 AM

3 pretty crude remarks. These people are and were experts. Are any of you?

excoastie said on February 20, 2012 at 9:38 AM

Those out of bounds markers are there for a reason. If you choose to ignore those warnings, then you get what you deserve for your stupidity.

mike2451 said on February 20, 2012 at 9:25 AM

Dumb people doing dumb things, how many times has this happen before, same deal on Mount Rainer, then Rangers have to risk their lives to rescue them, I say no rescue, history repeats itself and we keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results!!!

libbygu said on February 20, 2012 at 9:03 AM

Avalanche danger was very high Sunday when they went out.