Mapping the Tragedy: Niki Choo’s Strava Data & the Castle Peak Avalanche

Описание: To truly understand the "how" and "where" of a backcountry accident, we have to look at the data. In this film, we analyze the GPS tracks from Niki Choo—one of the professional guides on the trip—to reconstruct the events of the Castle Peak avalanche.

This incident, which claimed the lives of 9 people in Northern California, is now the deadliest backcountry skiing accident in United States history.

By overlaying this Strava data onto Google Earth and CalTopo, we can visualize the group's exact route, the slope angles they encountered, and the specific terrain traps that played a role in this tragedy.

In this technical deep-dive:

Route Reconstruction: Viewing the group's ascent and descent lines through Niki Choo’s GPS data. From day 1 and 2 of the 3-day trip.

CalTopo Terrain Analysis: Measuring the slope angles and aspects where the slide occurred.

Google Earth Visualization: A 3D look at the Castle Peak area to understand the scale of the slide path.
https://earth.google.com/earth/d/1X9S...

Timeline of Events: Correlating the GPS timestamps with the Sierra Avalanche Center’s weather data.

Our goal is to learn from this data to better understand terrain management and decision-making in high-consequence environments.

⚠️ VITAL SAFETY GEAR & EDUCATION
Traveling in the backcountry requires more than just a plan; it requires the right tools and the knowledge to use them. Never enter snow-covered terrain without a beacon, probe, and shovel.

Take a Course:
I strongly encourage everyone to sign up for an AIARE Level 1 or 2 course. Your education is the most important piece of gear you own.

Get Your Rescue Gear:
If you need to get outfitted with a reliable beacon, probe, and shovel, you can find the gear I trust here:
👉 https://amzn.to/4rooAek

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