Near Death Experience - Avalanche on Washington Pass


C

CtrlAltDl

New Member
While riding the new (to me) 2003 VFR-800 heading east-bound on the recently opened Washington Pass a 18" and a 12" snow/ice ball (known as "Death Cookies") rolled down Liberty Bell avalanche shoot and launched off a 60' snow bank that graized the tank and my arm and impacted the lower right fairing and our rear tire.

The embankment can be seen in this photo just right of the yellow sign.
SR 20 Above Spiral Gulch | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The avalanche shoot is LB3 in this photo.
SR 20, North Cascades Highway Avalanche Map | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It's Liberty avalanche zone is this photo:
The hairpin curve - North Cascades Highway | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It's center right in this picture, before it was plowed:
The view from Liberty Bell 3 towards Liberty Bell 1 and 2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Here is that shoot 11 days ago:
Clearing at Liberty Bell | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I know riding a motorcycle can be dangerous, but I never would have guessed there was a risk of being injured on it from an avalanche!
 
T

Tmak73

New Member
That is pretty nuts! Hope you are alright. On a side note I am looking at an 03 VFR!
 
C

CtrlAltDl

New Member
Yea, no injuries for me or my wife who was on back. Just a crazy experience knowing that our lives could have ended in an instant.
 
C

Chevyfazer

New Member
Damn man glad y'all made it out ok!!!

But let's be real here for a min, death cookies set it off or that sweet, sweet V4 churning through the Leo Vince did? Lol
 
B

bleedinblue

Senior Member
Elite Member
Im glad that your ok.Thanks for posting.Its a good reminder to scan for more than cars.
There is alot of roads carved through rock a little south of me.Iv wondered about falling rocks before.
Its to unsafe to pay alot of attention for them.You 2 are lucky.
Make sure you play the (I got you home safe) card later lol
 
C

CtrlAltDl

New Member
Chevyfazer said:
Damn man glad y'all made it out ok!!!

But let's be real here for a min, death cookies set it off or that sweet, sweet V4 churning through the Leo Vince did? Lol
Click to expand...
lol, we were kidding that it was my buddies Harley who was just ahead of me with straight pipes.

It wasn't to much of a shocker to get stuck in the middle of something like that. That pass was just open two days before that. We were seeing snow and rocks on the road all over the place, but I was just in the wrong place and the wrong time.
 
T

threexcharm

New Member
I owned a VFR 800. It was first year that they introduced V-TEC. I should have never sold it. I honestly miss it. Great bike.

Isn't human nature strange? After 6 years of owning the bike, I wanted something new. Despite really liking the new bike, I still thought about that VFR.

Kinda like an ex-girlfriend....

Joe
 

You must log in or register to reply here.


Top