Safety Tips For Travel in Avalanche Terrain

Skills and equipment for safe travel in avalanche areas

What everyone need to carry when in avalanche areas.

Like any other sport there is special equipment you and all the members of your group need to carry when traveling in avalanche terrain. The first thing everyone needs is to have knowledge. All the special equipment you carry needs to be practiced with before getting into a situation where you need to use it efficiently. Time is of the essence when rescuing a buried victim. Safety equipment includes:

• Shovel
• Avalanche probe
• Rescue beacon
• First aid kit
• Radio or cell phone

How to recognize avalanche areas

Many of the signs that you are in an area where avalanches are possible are easy to spot while others take a more experienced eye. Many of the methods for recognizing potential avalanches are:

• Is there avalanche activity in the area you plan to ski?
• Has there been a lot of precipitation in the last day and a half?
• Has there been any snow loading caused by high winds?
• Is the temperature above freezing or rapidly rising?

Other Signs indicating avalanche danger

• Are large cracks forming out from where you are while skiing or snowboarding?
• Whumpf sounds are layers in the snow pack collapsing. This is an indication of high avalanche hazard.
• Abrupt temperature changes or heavy snow, wind, rain and high winds can all increase avalanche hazards.

How to travel safely in avalanche areas

Route selection is always a group decision. The more people in the group that input information about which route to take the better. This way the variables involved can be better evaluated and the group can select the best route based on facts not which run looks best to ski. All the conditions that determine avalanche safety need to be evaluated before an informed decision can be made.

If you must cross a suspect slope cross one at a time. Each group member should watch the person crossing. Remove pole straps and unbuckle all pack straps. These will serve as anchors and pull you down into the snow.

The angle of the slope is one factor that should be considered. Low angle slopes under 25º are unlikely to slide while slopes 30º + are ore likely. Choosing a low angle route when possible is often a better choice.

If possible choose a route on the windward side of the ridge since there will be far less wind deposited snow. You also avoid overhanging cornices that build over leeward slopes.

A sure sign of avalanche activity is slides that have occurred. If slopes similar to the one you plan on skiing have slid then it is likely the one you are looking at can slide as well.

Natural vs. human triggered

Avalanches are either triggered by natural conditions such as changes in weather, snow loading or other conditions that naturally occur. Most avalanches are triggered naturally. Alternatively human triggered avalanches are responsible for most people being buried. The weight of a skier, snow boarder or snowmobiler can cause a failure between the layers of snow and result in an avalanche.

When caught in a slide what do you do?

When an avalanche approaches from above try to avoid it by skiing down and to the side; trying to get out of its path. Large avalanches can travel at hundreds of kilometers per hour so do not try to out run it. It is always best to get out of its way.

If the unthinkable happens and you are caught in a slide try to remove you pack and skis and get rid of your poles. All these can serve as anchors and actually hinder your chance of survival. Move your arms and legs as you would treading water. This will work the same way in snow and actually keep you near the top of the flow. As you feel the snow start to slow down start to struggle for the surface. Make one last push to get any part of your body above the surface of the snow as you feel the snow stop. Even a glove above the surface of the snow will dramatically speed up rescue.

Avalanches are deadly and failure to respect the areas you venture into can literally cost you your life. Even the most experienced guide can only evaluate the snow pack They can never say definitively whether or not an avalanche will occur. Plan your routes carefully, carry all safety equipment and know how to use it, travel with more experienced people and learn, learn, learn.