Backcountry Avalanche Safety - Rules of the Road

General Rules Of The Road.....(additional common sense tips)

1. Don't overlook clues. Evidence of potential avalanche hazards will be there, so pay attention. If you educate yourself and communicate with your companions, you should have the tools needed to make smart decisions in the backcountry.

2. Try to avoid traveling in the backcountry alone. Also, never leave the group. Otherwise, if you run into trouble, you'll be on your own.

3. Don't assume avalanches occur only in obvious large paths. While most slides travel on broad, steep, and smooth slopes, they can also wind down gullies or through forested areas. Remember, if you can ski or snowboard through it, an avalanche can slide through it.

4. Never travel in the backcountry on the day after a big storm. Allow the snowpack to settle for at least 24 hours.

5. Don't assume a slope is safe because there are tracks going across it. Wind, sun, and temperature changes are constantly altering snowpack stability. What was safe yesterday (or this morning) could slide this afternoon. Further, when you cross a slope, you apply stress to the snowpack, which can cause it to slide.

6. Don't assume you're safe just because you're wearing a transceiver. Assumptions like these can get you killed in the backcountry.

7. Don't allow your judgment to be clouded by the desire to ride the steepest pitch or get the freshest snow. Staying alive is much more important.

8. Don't hesitate to voice concerns or fears. As Chuck Tolton said, "No one is going to criticize you for wanting to be safe in the backcountry."

9. Don't consider yourself an avalanche expert just because you've taken a lot of courses and traveled extensively in the backcountry. "What you don't know can and will kill you," Tolton says. "If you work or play in the backcountry, you have to gain an understanding and knowledge of the ever-changing and dangerous environment."
Avalanche expert Knox Williams agrees, adding that although he's been studying avalanches for 27 years he still learns something new every winter. "Learning about avalanches is a lifelong endeavor," he says. "A 'know-it-all' arrogance can kill you."

       
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