iceman Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 Rescuers trying to find and save 3 sledders caught in avalanche in Chic Chocs. Reports have SQ and search teams on site. Happened around 17:30. no other news yet dooright, nyskidooerinnewhampshire, NSHM and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrGutz Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 Damn. Hate to hear that, sending good vibes that they find them AOK. GutZ zeusand, NSHM, PLAYHARD and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 27 Author Report Share Posted March 27 Did not end well, sadly all 3 dead. https://www.journaldequebec.com/2024/03/26/deux-motoneigistes-sont-portes-disparus-pres-de-sainte-anne-des-monts NSHM, GSX800, zeusand and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 27 Author Report Share Posted March 27 Three snowmobilers dead after avalanche in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts Rescuers found them several hours after the slide. Three snowmobilers lost their lives on Tuesday evening, possibly swept away in an avalanche near Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Gaspésie. Rescuers began searching for the three people around 5:30 p.m., when an emergency call was placed to 911. They were possibly surprised by an avalanche in the Mont Médaille sector of the Chic-Chocs. "A team of rescuers from a specialized emergency measures team, who are trained in avalanche situations in particular, went to the area to rattissage," says Frédéric Deshaies, spokesman for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ). Local firefighters and paramedics also pitched in. The SQ initially reported two missing, but the number has been revised upwards. They were found late in the evening in the search area, in critical condition. Unfortunately, the three men were pronounced dead shortly after being rushed to hospital. The victims were all in their thirties and from the Eastern Townships. "An investigation is still underway to understand the exact circumstances surrounding this sad event," says Deshaies. MrGutz and PISTON LAKE CRUISER 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snobeeler Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 Very sad, I wonder if they were on marked trail of boondocking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 27 Author Report Share Posted March 27 17 minutes ago, Snobeeler said: Very sad, I wonder if they were on marked trail of boondocking? Off trail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 27 Author Report Share Posted March 27 Update The group of four men, originally from the Eastern Townships, were hiking in the mountains some 20 km east of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts on Tuesday, in an off-piste sector not accessible by federated trails. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) declined to elaborate on the cause of the accident on Wednesday. According to eyewitness accounts, three snowmobilers passed over a ledge. It collapsed, and the men found themselves buried under the snow, according to our initial information. Some were reportedly covered by more than two metres of snow. The fourth snowmobiler alerted emergency services at around 5:30 pm. Sûreté du Québec (SQ) police officers, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts firefighters and the many snowmobile guides who arrived on the scene in the evening could do nothing to save the three men. "It's an extraordinary tragedy," commented Guy Bernatchez, prefect of the Haute-Gaspésie MRC. "They were in their early thirties and fathers. That makes it even more dramatic," he added, before offering his condolences to the families. The SQ would not give details of the victims, but confirms that they were from the Eastern Townships. According to our information, they had already visited the Chic-Chocs in recent months with a guide, and had decided to return to this area, eight kilometers from Mont Médaille. The men were behind the wheel of Snowbnikes or Timbersleds, a type of motocross bike with tracks. These machines are more maneuverable, but less powerful than off-trail snowmobiles. A guide who took part in the rescue, but did not wish to be identified, spoke of a "stupid accident" that could have struck experienced snowmobilers. "It's like the year the French died in Lac Saint-Jean. These are powerful machines, they move, they stir, they move fast," said the man, referring to the tragedy that occurred in January 2020 when five tourists and their guide sank in the icy waters of the lake. Adrénaline hors-piste guide David Lévesque was on the scene with Avalanche Québec on Wednesday, trying to understand what had happened. "Cornices build up a lot with the wind, but when the weather warms up in spring, they get much heavier and can fall much more easily," says Lévesque. Without wishing to go into the details of the accident at this stage, the guide feels that this is a reminder to snowmobilers in Quebec: avalanches can happen here. "People who go to Western Canada do avalanche training for snowmobilers, and they're confronted with avalanches almost every trip. In Quebec, it's really in specific places, in specific conditions. But it can happen." NSHM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smclelan Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 How incredibly tragic. Thanks for sharing this. MrGutz and quebec bob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 27 Author Report Share Posted March 27 The identities of the three people who perished in an avalanche on Tuesday in Gaspésie have been revealed. They are Joël Crête, 35, of Coaticook, Nicolas Vanasse, 30, of Coaticook, and Bryan Forgues Morissette, 33, of Saint-Denis-de-Brompton. The identities of the victims have been confirmed by the Coroner's Office. Almost 24 hours after the accident, we know a little more about the circumstances of the tragedy. According to Jack Verrecchia, owner of Sled Den, a company specializing in off-piste snowmobile guiding, the avalanche happened around 2 pm. "There were four snowbikes: two guys at the bottom, one guy at the top. The fourth friend was filming a video. The guy above cut a line and that triggered the avalanche. All the snow came down on the guys. The man filming immediately went to their aid. "He tried to find his chums . He couldn't find his buddies. When he went, he found a helmet. Panicked, he came out of the woods. He found some other guys. He told them there was an avalanche. I can't find my chums," he shouted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowmaster2112 Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 hate hearing this Godspeed to them and their families MrGutz and quebec bob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quebec bob Posted March 27 Report Share Posted March 27 We all look forward to the adventure this sport affords us , our friends and families each season...often it seems like there isn't much left legal that's still offers this much excitement and fun...and every now and then...when we least expect ...something tragic happens...last season snowmaster and his friends narrowly escaped a tragic ending at one of these moments...it leaves us silenced trying to reflect on what has happened...there are no good words at this time...may peace soon be with there families. MrGutz and NSHM 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wng-2 Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 Very Sad. Condolances to the families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLAYHARD Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 Unreal horror for the 4th buddy... https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/snow-bikes-dead-avalanche-quebec-chic-choc-mountains-1.7156889 'We assume we're all safe out there, and that's our biggest problem,' says expert Jack Verrecchia, the owner of the Sled Den which offers lessons and guides in the Chic-Choc Mountains, heard about the incident Tuesday evening. "We decided to go out there and see if we could give a hand," said Verrecchia. "By the time we got there we knew for sure there wasn't going to be any saving." By the time all the crews got to the site and started the recovery, he says it had been well over three hours. "We had nowhere near enough guys to do what we had to do," said Verrecchia. He says the men who were out on their snow bikes likely didn't have the experience to be on that part of the mountain. The one person in the group who managed to avoid the avalanche, had been off to the side, filming, said Verrecchia. quebec bob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 28 Author Report Share Posted March 28 1 hour ago, PLAYHARD said: Unreal horror for the 4th buddy... Yeah and the slide is probably all on video. serious survivors quilt quebec bob and MrGutz 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowmaster2112 Posted March 28 Report Share Posted March 28 R.I.P. brothers markusvt, GT Rider and MrGutz 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLAYHARD Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 On 3/28/2024 at 2:33 PM, snowmaster2112 said: R.I.P. brothers Amen Amen, Can't say I've ever thought of Hot Pockets & Red Bulls & Gatorade as a last meal, but they were where they wanted to be, doing what they wanted to be doing. MrGutz, dooright, quebec bob and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markusvt Posted March 29 Report Share Posted March 29 Amen. Prayers to the families. You are only fooling yourself if you don't think anytime you saddle up the risk is very high. Ride on in the afterlife our fellow brothers. quebec bob, dooright, MrGutz and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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