Maya Calderon
Many deaths in backcountry winter recreation occur as a result of avalanches. The technology to manage the risk of avalanches as well as the quality of training for this type of risk have significantly improved in the last couple decades. Despite this, the number of deaths every year has not decreased as much as one might expect because the number of people who venture into avalanche terrain has greatly increased. Most of these people are not properly prepared for the potential dangers of this type of terrain.
This article is NOT a substitute for taking an avalanche course, rather an article that delves into the important decisions one needs to make in relation to avalanches in order to understand why one needs to take an avalanche course in the first place. It helped.
What avalanches are
Understanding What an Avalanche is. An avalanche, in simple terms, is when a lot of snow moves down a hill. The most common type of avalanche that causes deaths of backcountry recreational users is a slab avalanche. A slab avalanche is when a piece of snow (a “slab”) breaks off of a slope and travels down the hill on a weaker layer of snow beneath it. This type of slide can be triggered by a wide variety of forces that act on a slope including but not limited to a skier or snowboarder.
The terrain that produces avalanches
Avalanche terrain has specific characteristics: Plan ahead.
Slopes with angles between 30 degrees and 45 degrees have the highest frequency of avalanches. Terrain above tree line is more susceptible to avalanches than heavily forested terrain. Slopes that have recently received new snow. Slopes that have persistent weak layers in the snowpack. Slopes that have been wind-loaded (snow blown onto them from elsewhere).
The decision tree
The standard backcountry decision framework, simplified:
What is the avalanche bulletin saying for the area? (Low, moderate, considerable, high, extreme). What is the local terrain like? (Slope angle, aspect, elevation.) What are recent conditions doing to the snowpack (e.g. recent loading, temp changes, weather)? Given the above factors, is this particular slope suitable for skiing today?
Each factor plays a significant role in determining a particular direction that must be taken based off of the other factors. For example, a high-rated bulletin typically would restrict access to the highest avalanche danger rated terrain, but a low-rated bulletin does not open up the same amount of “allowed” terrain as higher rated bulletins. That being said, low-rated bulletins open up the most terrain and while they do not guarantee stability, there are typically fewer localized, individual areas of unstable snow as opposed to higher rated bulletins.
The equipment
Since leaving home for this trip has cost me a lot on each of the three versions of this trip, it’s obviously best to make the middle version the cheapest.
Avalanche transceiver (beacon), worn on the body. Probe, in the pack, for locating buried partners. Shovel, in the pack, for excavating.
All backcountry skiers and snowboarders in avalanche terrain carry the following three pieces of safety equipment with them. The following three pieces of safety equipment are worthless to a lone skier in the backcountry who has not had training in using them to rescue another skier.
The course
For those not familiar with basic training, an introduction to traveling in the backcountry would typically be an AIARE 1 (or the equivalent from another country) 3 day course that will provide a student with sufficient knowledge to begin traveling in the backcountry and make basic decisions regarding potential avalanche hazards. Typically this would cost $400 – $600.
AIARE 1, 3 days, $400 – $600, bulletin reading, great basic assessment of the entire ski terrain and much more. This course is absolutely required for anyone who enters backcountry ski terrain and has not prior taken this course. Go without this course and gamble with your life!
For the more advanced recreational skier, or for those who ski in a variety of conditions, the next step would be the AIARE 2 course, which delves deeper into the principles of terrain assessment.
The annual rescue practice
Every year at the start of the season practice beacon searches with your partners. The skills fade rapidly if not used on a regular basis. 30 minutes of searching for a buried skier (as above) on the first day of the ski season is not too much to ask.
The conservative defaults
Backcountry skier (recreational). Note: “ordinary” here refers to skier(s) without years of backcountry ski experience.
Confirm the day before (not the morning of) that your rentals will be ready for you.
Always ski below 30° when the bulletin rating is above low. For the first many days of the season stay on simple terrain that is free from terrain traps below you and does not have exposed or unstable looking cornices above you. Travel one-at-a-time on any slope that could slide. Never ski above a partner. Skip the day and go find something else to do if the avalanche forecast is rated as considerable or higher. This is an easy decision to make when you are trying to err on the side of caution to ensure your own safety.
The summary
Avalanche risk is real but can be managed by people with the proper training and a healthy dose of conservatism to develop experience. The cost of the course is the greatest. Your equipment is the basic kit. Your partners are the most important component. Your conservative defaults will keep you alive.
If you cannot or will not do any of these things then do not ski in avalanche terrain. There are plenty of other places and ways to enjoy winter adventure outdoors.
Practical Considerations
Traveling for adventure is best prepared for. There are many elements that can make or break a trip and most of these elements the traveler underestimates when planning his or her trip. Extra gear, reserve days, and communication with family and friends back home are key elements to a successful adventure travel trip.
The Insurance Question
Additionally, many standard travel insurance policies do not cover certain adventure activities such as trekking at high altitudes, scuba diving, rental of motorcycles, and other adventure sports and activities. Reviewing a travel policy carefully before purchasing and ensuring that there are “adventure riders” included in the policy cost to cover these additional risks will likely save money in the long run in case of an unexpected event.
The Local Operator Factor
Experienced local guides and operators who run their same trips year in and year out can handle a lot worse conditions than an inexperienced operator. Research the operator via travel websites but also speak with previous clients to get a better idea of what they can really provide than just reading great reviews on a travel website.
The Takeaway
A really great adventure trip has several things going for it: good physical preparation by all team members; a good local guide/ local operator for the portion of the trip that involves “getting there” or the main activity; good insurance for the trip; and flexibility to deal with days when bad weather etc. forces changes to a rigidly planned itinerary. And, the trips that really go wrong are often those where there is a lot of rigid planning of every detail of every day (a true “ packages tour” with no flexibility whatever). And, where there is not a lot of “ slack” built into the schedule to deal with the inevitable unexpected event.
