9| Wall of White: Part 2
Sep 20, 2023, 04:00 AM
On a crisp March afternoon in 1982, a multi-day storm struck the Lake Tahoe area. The media was reporting avalanche on top of avalanche along with the mass amounts of snow that were falling every hour. The families who rented cabins were pushing furniture against sliding doors to help reinforce the barrier between them and the blizzard, as they wondered if there was a way for them to escape before they ran out of food. Yet, when an avalanche came barreling down the mountain, these cabins were the safest place to be.
Volunteers all buried their trauma and stepped up to do everything they could to help in the face of devastation.
Despite this wall of white creating a snow globe-esk look, the dangers and disappointment were felt to the bone at every body, bruised and blue, that was pulled from the snow. “A rescue mission is always, at best, controlled chaos- a fight against time, distance, terrain and the elements.”
Yet, Bridget, a German shepherd search and rescue dog was seen bounding happily in the snow, and tossing a piece of debris to herself. To anyone else, this might have been normal, or even expected behavior. After all, these dogs had been trained to find the bodies of those buried beneath the snow, and then rewarded for it. Yet, to her handler Bridgette was celebrating. And 3 days later, everyone would learn why.
Welcome BACK to tragedy with a view.
Sources:
Book: Wall of White by Jennifer Woodlief
https://tahoetopia.com/news/tragic-alpine-meadows-avalanche-march-31-1982
https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/buried-documentary-alpine-meadows-avalanche-1982/#
Volunteers all buried their trauma and stepped up to do everything they could to help in the face of devastation.
Despite this wall of white creating a snow globe-esk look, the dangers and disappointment were felt to the bone at every body, bruised and blue, that was pulled from the snow. “A rescue mission is always, at best, controlled chaos- a fight against time, distance, terrain and the elements.”
Yet, Bridget, a German shepherd search and rescue dog was seen bounding happily in the snow, and tossing a piece of debris to herself. To anyone else, this might have been normal, or even expected behavior. After all, these dogs had been trained to find the bodies of those buried beneath the snow, and then rewarded for it. Yet, to her handler Bridgette was celebrating. And 3 days later, everyone would learn why.
Welcome BACK to tragedy with a view.
Sources:
Book: Wall of White by Jennifer Woodlief
https://tahoetopia.com/news/tragic-alpine-meadows-avalanche-march-31-1982
https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/buried-documentary-alpine-meadows-avalanche-1982/#