Backcountry Avalanche Safety - Before You Go

Before You Go...

1. Take an avalanche safety course or clinic . These educational opportunities provide invaluable hands-on experience in personal safety and rescue techniques. (The National Ski Patrol offers excellent Basic Avalanche and Advanced Avalanche Courses for a minimal fee.)

2. Read up on avalanches . Supplement what you’ve learned in the courses by devouring as much additional information as you can. It’s important to maintain a healthy respect for these deadly forces of nature, no matter how experienced you are at backcountry skiing or snowboarding.

3. Learn to recognize avalanche terrain . Most avalanches travel in paths, on smooth exposed slopes of between 25 and 60 degrees, but there are many exceptions. To make an informed assessment of avalanche danger, it’s essential to understand the significance of various terrain features, including slope angles, rocks, cornices and other wind-snow formations, ledges, and vegetation. This takes experience, preferably in the company of a guide or instructor.

4. Test your equipment under controlled conditions prior to actual use. Do not put yourself in a position in which you discover that your equipment is inadequate while in the backcountry. If, for example, you plan to use a three-season sleeping bag in conditions of extreme cold, test the sleeping bag in a safe place, such as your own back yard, in similar weather conditions. This way, if the sleeping bag does not perform as expected, a warm bed offers a safe alternative. Practice searching for your companions' avalanche transceivers . Rehearse this until everyone you’ll be traveling with feels confident about his or her ability to locate each beacon as quickly as possible. It takes only one incident to realize the importance of this level of preparation.

5. Do your homework. Research your route and snow conditions in the exact location(s) you plan to ski. Call your local avalanche warning center and check the current and forecasted weather before heading into the backcountry. Be prepared to adjust plans and/or routes accordingly.

6. Let Others Know. One important rule too often forgotten is to let others know exactly where you are going, with whom and when you can be expected back. By letting someone know EXACTLY where you intend to go, when you expect to return and where your vehicle will be parked, you can eliminate the possibility of searchers having no idea of where to look. Should your plans change in route to your destination, stop and notify that person of your new itinerary.

7. Plan Your Route. Before Sir Edmund Hillary became the first man to stand atop Mt. Everest in 1953 (at 29,035 ft., the highest mountain in the world), many climbers had tried using various routes. A few of these mountaineers died trying. To this day, the South Col route on Mt. Everest remains the prominent Everest route. Careful planning based on earlier attempts combined with detailed study of the risks of various routes led the 1953 British Everest Expedition to choose the now famous South Col route. It is not by accident that this route is so popular. Repeatedly, it has been proven to be the safest and easiest route. Likewise, popular routes to the summits of mountains in the United States are based on similar exhausting study by early mountaineers. Detailed in mountaineering books, as well as on many topographical and trail maps, these trails should be closely followed. Any deviation by inexperienced mountaineers can lead to disaster. In addition, backcountry users should stay on maintained trails as part of the Leave No Trace ethic of mountaineering.

8. Remember and anticipate the "Human Factor," that is, the fact that people may exhibit undesirable behavior in stressful situations. Your attitude and those of your companions can often mean the difference between a safe trip and catastrophe. Make sure you travel with people who have similar goals and attitudes.

       
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