Avalanches involving people just don’t happen randomly

Avalanches involving people just don’t happen randomly
Avalanches involving people just don’t happen randomly. In most avalanche incidents the victim or someone in their party triggers the slide. Our goal is to hone your observation skills and discuss riding techniques in relation to snow stability so you can go out there and have some FUN.

Let’s face it…. this is why we want to go out and ride
Let’s face it….this is why we want to go out and ride. We want the sunny skies, deep powder and steep slopes. However, in order to do this safely we have to make good decisions regarding the snowpack and terrain. Basically we need to have our eyes fully wide open, and attempt to minimize the inherent risks associated with snowmobiling in the mountains. If we don’t…..

…then our equipment can end up like this…

…and we can end up dead. We owe it to ourselves, and even more importantly our families, to learn more about avalanches so we can minimize these tragic events.

So…the choice is ours (we are our own worst enemy) There is a solution and that is to be mountain savvy & travel with avalanche antennae & avalanche eyeballs. Some people refer to it a s “Thinking like an avalanche” Just as you think like an elk or deer when you go out hunting.

Since 1950 Climbers & Hikers have led the nation in avalanche fatalities with snowmobilers second and back country skiers a close third. The first snowmobile avalanche fatality happened in 1968 in Colorado and this number has been rising ever since. Why? ...more users …many riders are very skilled and can get their machines onto slopes that were inaccessible 10 years ago ...better, more powerful machines able to climb these steep slopes …and most riders are uneducated in avalanche awareness

That’s not the full story though
That’s not the full story though. Unfortunately in the last 10 years snowmobilers have rocketed into the lead with 119 avalanche fatalities. This far surpasses any other user group during this period. Note: These stats are compiled from data supplied by the CAIC.

How does Idaho compare to other States in avalanche fatalities?
Note: These stats are compiled from data supplied by the CAIC.

It’s not hard to see the relevance between our high snow months and high avalanche fatality months.

Was there any question which “indestructible” group would lead the way?

The 21 – 30 group still have “market share” but it seems as though the 36 – 40 group is trying to regain some immortality. Note: These stats are compiled from data supplied by the CAIC.

Idaho Fatalities by Gender, 1950 – 2007
Hopefully you recreate with a female.

25-30% of avalanche victims die of trauma incurred during slide
92% of avalanche victims will survive if recovered within 15 minutes After looking at all the historical data what do we want you to walk away remembering?

First 15 min 92% survive 15 min 100 92% 80 60
This graph shows us the longer you’re buried in an avalanche the lower your chances are of surviving. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out!! The good news is that it also shows if you’re caught in a slide, are untraumatized and have your head buried 4 feet or less under the snow surface, you have a 90% chance of surviving IF you are dug out within 15 minutes. Let’s face it…If you’re caught and buried in an avalanche then you blew it. Now your only chance of surviving rests upon the shoulders of your companions. This is when you hope you chose your riding partners well. Probability of Survival (%) 40 20 40 80 120 160 Time Buried Under Debris (minutes)

Avoid avalanche terrain Learn about avalanches, minimize your risks
Roll the dice (or pull the lever!)… <click> With these three choices I’m going for number two! Making informed and educated decisions every step of the way will minimize my risk while still allowing me to play. Unfortunately we see a lot of riders living by choice number three. And lets face it, no one goes out and buys a 700cc to abide by number 1!! However, there are times when number 1 is the only logical, sane choice to make given the snow conditions. But more on that later.

So does this mean we have to be standing around digging holes in the snow looking at boring snow crystals? <click> NO!!

We want to be out riding! And lucky for us there’s a lot of information we can get by just being observant.

SOUND DOES NOT TRIGGER AVALANCHES

A SLOPE IS STEEP ENOUGH

SNOW CONDITIONS ARE UNSTABLE
Weak layers in the snowpack Weather has contributed

THERE IS A TRIGGER Human triggers (Animal Triggers) Weather triggers

Lets take a closer look at the “dragon” before we head into its lair
There are two types of avalanches: Sluffs or point releases. These are typically smaller, and less likely to catch people. We’re not as concerned with these. Instead we’re going to focus on… 2. Slab Avalanches.

Avalanche in motion. (click)

CROWN FACE BED SURFACE FLANKS DEBRIS
We’re going to concentrate mostly on SLAB avalanches since these are the most destructive and are the most difficult to predict. They also allow us to ride out onto them before they release! But first we need to identify and familiarize ourselves with some avalanche terminology associated with slabs. This is a photo of a slab avalanche. It shows the starting zone, track and runout. The avalanche is likely triggered in the starting zone, however in highly unstable conditions it’s possible to trigger it from as low down as the runout. The runout is also where an avalanche victim would likely be buried. It’s a good idea to identify the potential runout of a slide since this would not be the best place to park the machines.

Cohesive mass of snow Weak layer Steep slope Trigger
The recipe for a slab avalanche: …Cohesive mass of snow …Weak layer …Steep slope …Trigger

Another Weak Layer ? Slab Weak Layer
It’s important to note that the snowpack is layered. Every snowstorm creates a different layer in the pack with different snow crystals, densities and strengths. Once on the ground the snow can change shape and strength depending on variables such as temperature and depth. Slab Weak Layer

Conditions to create.. Thin Snowpack Cold Temperatures
Looks and Feels like.. “Loose Sugar” Examples of some weak layers are… Faceted Snow These sugary, unconsolidated grains also are a form of weak snow. Termed “facets” because of their angular appearance, this buried layer is a concern. Snow that has the consistency of sugar is most likely faceted grained snow. If you've ever stepped off your machine and sank to the ground, faceted snow is most likely the reason that happened.

Large “feathery” crystals
Conditions to create.. Cold, clear, calm nights Looks and feels like.. Large “feathery” crystals Surface Hoar This frozen dew forms on the snow surface during cold, clear nights. While not a concern at this stage it poses significant and persistent problems once buried. Surface hoar is strong in compression which means it can tend to hold a fair bit of weight, however it’s very weak in shear, so once it collapses it can propagate fractures over large areas. An analogy would be a stack of dominoes under the snow.

60 deg 45 deg Slope angle is the first building block in analyzing terrain. Generally slab avalanches can occur between 25 and 60 degrees, but most slab avalanches occur with starting zones between 30 and 45 degrees. Above 60 degrees and the snow sluffs, below 25 degrees and the stresses on the pack from gravity typically aren’t great enough to cause the snow to slide. When we talk about slope steepness we’re referring to the steepest part of the slope. Most slopes are not a uniform steepness and we can trigger a slope from more gentle areas. We’re always interested in the steepest part of the slope since this is the likely spot the avalanche will release from. 30 deg 15 deg 0 deg

Weather Snowpack YOU Terrain
In order to understand avalanche formation we need to look closely at these 4 factors. Weather Snowpack YOU Terrain

Terrain Terrain is the only constant out there!
With good route-finding its possible to travel safely in the backcountry even during times of high snowpack instability. If you can recognize avalanche terrain, then you can avoid it if necessary. Terrain

Factors to consider: Slope angle Slope size and consequences Slope shape Vegetation/trees Runout Aspect w/respect to wind Elevation

Steepness Lack of vegetation
Point out why this is avalanche terrain: steepness and lack of trees from steady avalanche activity. If trees are spaced apart to easily ride through, then they’re far enough apart for the slope to potentially avalanche.

It takes a lot of practice to eyeball a slope and guess its steepness…

…so I carry around an inclinometer to accurately measure slope angles
…so I carry around an inclinometer to accurately measure slope angles. This little piece of equipment is a valuable tool in trying to determine if you’re in avalanche terrain or not.

stress concentration point
convexity The convexities of a slope (also known as rollovers or breakovers) are areas where stresses are concentrated. Slabs often fail just below convexities. Concavities can provide some minimal stability from compressive support, but only for small slopes. In general, convexities are dangerous, double convexities are especially dangerous, and don’t rely on concavities to provide you with safety. The snowpack on the steepest part of the slope will be under the most stress. concavity stress concentration point

Golden rule

For scale, notice the ski tracks in the upper right crown
For scale, notice the ski tracks in the upper right crown. It’s a very small slide with no real consequences. But what if this path pushed you over a cliff or dumped you in a gully? Then this small, benign slope suddenly becomes deadly. This also shows the slide breaking on a convexity.

A small slide can have enormous consequences if it funnels you into a constricted area.
TERRAIN TRAP. A small slide can have enormous consequences if it funnels you into a constricted area.

This is the Daisy Pass near Cooke City, MT. Is this avalanche terrain
This is the Daisy Pass near Cooke City, MT. Is this avalanche terrain? (Everyone yells yes.) Even someone from New Jersey can figure this out. Big, steep slopes are obvious. Point out some smaller slopes. <click> What about this spot, is it avalanche terrain? Yes. This picture was taken here. This illustrates that even as we approach our favorite play areas we need to be thinking about avalanches. These small terrain features can be deadly since they are terrain traps. These are the less obvious hazards of traveling in the backcountry.

Let’s look at avalanche terrain and route finding choices.
<click> If you want to ride from one guy to the next which route would you take? We’re looking for the safest way because the avalanche danger is High this day. This one? No, because it cuts across some steep slopes, and the recent avalanche activity is not a good indicator of stable conditions. No, because it rides through the runout of some very large slopes. This goes right up the gully, but it still has some small steep slopes dumping into terrain traps that are risky. This is the best one because it avoids almost all avalanche terrain.

The next 6 slides are an example of how terrain contributed to a snowmobiler triggering an avalanche. The rider was caught, buried and lived.

38° 36° 40° Trigger Point Burial Point
A snowmobiler, riding in a large group, was highmarking a steep, narrow north facing chute when he became stuck. As he tried to free his snowmobile he triggered an avalanche about 200 feet above him. 40° Trigger Point Burial Point

500 FOOT FRACTURE 800 FOOT RUNNING DISTANCE TRIGGER POINT BURIAL
The avalanche was substantial and measured 500 feet wide, and 800 feet vertical. 800 FOOT RUNNING DISTANCE BURIAL

The crown line was 2-3 feet deep and at an angle of 36-38 degrees.

DEPTH IN INCHES RELATIVE HARDNESS 43 32 NEW SNOW 6 4 WIND SLAB
Although this occurred in February, conditions in November contributed to the weak, faceted snow near its base. About 1 foot of new snow fell the previous week and strong winds loaded the upper bowl and chute. NEW SNOW WIND SLAB NEAR-SURFACE FACETS CRUST RELATIVE HARDNESS

The victim had his back to the the avalanche and was unaware of it until it hit him. He was carried 600 vertical feet to the toe of the debris where he was buried 5-6 feet deep. The victim’s father and several others witnessed the slide and responded immediately. They located the victim’s general position with an avalanche transceiver and used a probe pole to pinpoint his exact location. He was dug up and found to be unconscious and not breathing. He was given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and resumed breathing on his own after a few breaths. He was buried for a total time of minutes. A Life-Flight helicopter was called via cell phone and the patient was flown to a nearby hospital. He was released with no major injuries!

This is quite a deep burial
This is quite a deep burial. Luckily for him he and the members of his party had rescue gear and knew how to use it. It’s always good to see a happy ending to a potentially deadly scenario. Rescue gear and a cool head should not be underestimated! It clearly saved his life.

Weather

The three most important factors are: Snow and Rain Wind Temperature
We’re going to discuss weather components and how they effect the snowpack. The three most important factors are:

More snow equals more fun but it also equals …

We want it to snow! And we want it to snow hard!
However… <click> More snow equals more avalanches. Most natural avalanches (those that happen without human interaction) occur during or immediately after storms. This is because the snowpack can’t adjust to the new weight that’s been added in a short period of time. The significance of precipitation is that it increases the stress exerted upon the snowpack by adding weight. This is an important concept to understand!! Example: If a strong weightlifter has a bar balanced on his shoulders and weight is evenly added in 20 lb increments he could possibly hold 400 lbs. But if we took a bar weighing 400 lbs and dropped it on his shoulders all at once, he’d crumble to the floor. Why? It’s all in how the weight was applied. When it’s applied slowly the weightlifter can adjust his stance and have his body become used to the load. When it’s applied quickly it’s very difficult to adapt. The same principle goes for the snowpack.

Avalanche danger will tend to INCREASE if:
Unfortunately, we receive a few rain events in winter too! Rain also adds weight or mass to the snowpack, which increases stress, but doesn’t add any strength. Avalanche danger will tend to INCREASE if: It is snowing 1” per hour or more for several hours 8-10” or more of snow has accumulated It is raining, especially on new snow

Wind redistributes snow by scouring windward slopes and depositing the snow onto leeward terrain creating cornices and pillows of snow. It can be a sunny day out, but if the wind is blowing and moving snow around then the slopes are being actively loaded. As far as the snowpack is concerned it’s snowing out!

This texturing of the snow is also an indication that the wind had previously blown. In this case a lot of snow was deposited into the gully. <click> Arrow show direction.

This photo illustrates how the wind deposited snow onto the slope until it avalanched. Notice the bare shoulder. Anytime you’re standing on rocks in the middle of winter ask yourself, “Where has all the snow gone?” In this case it went over the ridge onto the leeward side. Recent avalanche activity is Mother Nature’s biggest warning sign that things are unstable. So it might not be a good idea to go highmark or ski the virgin slope to the right of this avalanche even though it may look inviting. Heed the warnings. They’re freebies!

Changes in temperature, especially during a storm, can effect snow stability. A storm that starts out cold (depositing less dense snow) but then changes to warm (higher density snow) can add to instability vs a warm storm becoming colder. Also, prolonged storms above freezing can lead to wet slides.

Shady aspects: Cooler Softer snow More persistent instabilities? Sunny aspects: Warmer Crusts Shallower Stabilize faster?

Rapid temperature increases
Storms beginning cool and warming Prolonged temperatures above 32 degrees

This incident is an example of how WEATHER was a contributing factor in this avalanche.
A snowmobiler was highmarking a steep slope when he triggered an avalanche. Unfortunately he was caught, buried and killed. During the week prior to the avalanche several small storms deposited 8-12 inches of snow, all of them accompanied by wind. This incident is an example of how WEATHER was a contributing factor in this avalanche. During the week prior to the avalanche several small storms deposited 8-12 inches of snow, all of them accompanied by wind.

The victim’s snowmobile track is visible in the photo
The victim’s snowmobile track is visible in the photo. He turned just beneath the cornice and was headed downhill when the avalanche released. His partner saw him flip over the handlebars and become separated from his snowmobile.

The slide was about 200 feet wide, 6-8 feet deep and ran 800 feet slope distance. The slab near the cornice was a hard slab, while further down it had soft slab characteristics. The slope angle was close to 40 degrees. The victim triggered the slide from one of the many rock outcropping found on this slope. According to witnesses it’s probable that the snowmobiler triggered the slide on a section of the slope that had a thinner and weaker snowpack, which then propagated uphill to the thicker hard slab tearing out sections of cornice.

PATH 75 Feet Victim Snowmobile
His snowmachine was carried and partially buried 600 feet down the slope. The victim and his partners weren’t wearing beacons and carried no rescue gear. They eventually left the scene to get an organized rescue. 75 Feet Victim Snowmobile

The victim was found about 7 hours later, 75 feet upslope and diagonally from his machine.

…And he was buried under two feet of snow.
Clearly carrying beacons and having rescue gear may have saved this person’s life. In the Independence Pass avalanche the victim traveled much farther and was buried 3 times as deep, but survived because of the rescue gear and solid partners. There’s a valuable lesson here.

Snowpack THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION
This is a difficult question to answer even with practical experience and education. But there are some observations you can make and tests you can perform to help answer this intimidating question. First: Is the terrain capable of producing an avalanche? If the answer is NO, then its irrelevant how weak the snow is. Second: Is the weather contributing to the instability? Third: Do we have the recipe? (slab, weak layer, slope, trigger)

An avalanche occurs when the load, or stress, applied to the snow exceeds its strength.
Additional load can be in the form of us riding on the snow, new snow from a recent storm, or windblown snow deposited onto lee slopes. If the balance is close to stress being equal to strength, then adding just a little more load could produce an avalanche. An avalanche occurs when the load, or stress, applied to the snow exceeds its strength. Additional load can be in the form of us riding on the snow, new snow from a recent storm, or windblown snow deposited onto lee slopes. If the balance is precarious, then adding just a little more load could produce an avalanche.

Strength Stress YOU Strength Stress

The next 8 pictures depict an avalanche fatality involving a snowmobiler that resulted from an unstable snowpack. A group of four riders from Minnesota came out to Cooke City, MT where they rented sleds and immediately came to this popular play area. <click> They rode underneath this first avalanche And triggered an avalanche on the adjacent slope that caught and killed one of them. Unstable Snowpack

AVALANCHE SITE The snowmobilers rode right over the debris of this avalanche without thinking anything of it. Could the snow slide? Well it already did, yet they chose to ignore this obvious sign of instability. They went up the road and started playing on a slope of a similar aspect and similar elevation, and consequently a similar snowpack. <click> You can see the avalanche in the background.

This is the slope they started highmarking on
This is the slope they started highmarking on. The cornices on the ridge are signs of windloading, most likely from the new snow and wind event from a few days ago. The first snowmobiler rode up and got stuck in the middle of the slope. Having difficulty extricating his machine his buddy decided to go help him which is a common mistake. With one guy wrestling his machine loose (600+ lbs) and then another 600 lb load arriving, the slope had more load than strength and fractured. The rider who triggered the slope was able to gun his machine and narrowly escaped being caught, mainly because the slide path as so small. His buddy wasn’t so lucky. The avalanche was only 300’ wide, and 120’ vertical.

Recovery location Last seen point
The shovel represents the victim’s last seen point, and his body was dug up where the person in the red coat is standing. Take notice of the large, hard slabs indicative of wind loading. No rides were wearing avalanche transceivers, had shovels or any avalanche education. The rider who triggered the slide decided to get help, so he rode to town to call a rescue. Town was 20 minutes away and the rescue team arrived in an hour and a half. Knowing the last seen point they probed uphill from the exposed snowmachine toward the last seen point and within 15 minutes struck the body. The only real chance of survival for a buried person lies with his partners. If you’re buried less than 4 feet, and are untraumatized, you have a 90% chance of survival if your partner can dig you out in 15 minutes. Your chances diminish to about 40% at a half an hour and drastically drop off after that. YOU ARE THE RESCUE TEAM AND YOU NEED TO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND EQUIPMENT TO RESCUE YOUR PARTNER!

This is NOT the person, but it shows the position he was lying in
This is NOT the person, but it shows the position he was lying in. He died of suffocation.

This is the crown line. The wind loading that took place is fairly obvious. It’s always interesting to inspect the crown face to see what exactly happened. It can sometimes yield clues to why the slope failed. Many people wonder about the safety of standing on the bed surface with snow that didn’t slide above you. This is a tricky question that requires some judgment. In this photo there really isn’t that much snow above the crown. If it slid, no more than a few big chunks would roll down. If, however, the slope your on has significant portions that did not slide, then you need to think twice about getting out into the middle of the path since subsequent slides could have consequences for rescuers.

The slope failed on a surface hoar layer that was buried 6 weeks prior
The slope failed on a surface hoar layer that was buried 6 weeks prior! The recent large snowstorm and wind loading added enough stress to the snowpack that all it took was 2 snowmobilers to shift the balance and cause and avalanche.

The surface hoar is plainly visible here. The pencil is for scale.

Are you willing to make an objective assessment of the avalanche danger?
This question is harder to answer than you may think. Its easy to get sidetracked and single minded when it comes to getting outside and playing. Maybe it just snowed a foot and you’ve got your brand new snowmobile that you’re just itching to test drive. Will you pay attention to all the signs, or just selectively choose those that will allow you to ride, ignoring those that may put a damper on the fun? Ignorance is not bliss and as some of these stories have shown, death can come swiftly to those who see only what they want to see.

Avalanche in motion. (click)

We are all human & some situations are inevitable
Anyone here who has never locked their keys in their car? I think we’ve all come across this situation…..

In order to made objective assessments you need some information about the snow. The conditions in the backcountry can change daily, even hourly, and avalanche centers provide you with recent snowpack stability information. You’ll still need to make your own assessment for any given slope, but avalanche centers can provide you with information about previous snow and wind events, buried weak layers and general concerns that you can focus on.

These include collapsing, cracking or
“whumphing” of the snow, and… <click> Shooting cracks in the snow, or “whumping” as you travel are HUGE signs that unstable snow exists. A “whump” means that you just collapsed a weak layer. This photo was taken in a flat field. Had the skier been on a steep slope he most likely would’ve triggered a slide. Snowmobilers should get off their sleds and walk around occasionally.

Recent avalanches are a huge sign of instability. Can the snow slide
Recent avalanches are a huge sign of instability. Can the snow slide? Yes, in fact it already did!! <click> Do you think it would be a good idea to snowmobile on the untracked snow in between these two avalanches? NO! Pay attention to the Mother Nature since she’s always giving signs about the snow stability if you know how to read them. Recent avalanche activity is one of natures most obvious warning that the snow is unstable and can slide!! This simple observation is missed more than you can imagine. Have your eyeballs open out there! Many times as you’re driving to the trailhead you’ll have opportunities to look at the surrounding terrain and search for recent avalanches. Start formulating your own assessment of the snow stability before you get on your machine.

Look for instability NOT stability
Take your pulse… Know before you go. Communicate & Listen Accept that we are only human: Understand yourself and group dynamics… Use a system – checklists, procedures and rituals This slide documents riders not heeding obvious signs of instability. This avalanche specialist is investigating a slide from the previous day. The adjacent slope had not slid, yet a group of snowmobilers were highmarking it.

Everyone is facing uphill, engines off, with nowhere to run.
Notice that the entire group is facing uphill with engines off in the runout zone. Facing downhill with the engines running gives everyone a fighting chance in the event the slope slides. Yesterday’s Slide Path

Besides looking for the obvious signs of instability, it’s a good idea to ride around and test smaller slopes before you get on the big ones. Road cuts or small slopes with minimal consequences are good spots to cut across. Notice any collapsing, or cracking? Did the rear track start to auger in prematurely indicating weaker, possibly faceted snow underneath? Is your track not sinking in indicating wind slabs? These and many more questions can be answered by testing small slopes. As we ride into our favorite play areas we pass many of these small slopes. Usually we take advantage of them and do a little playing around as we head in. You don’t really need to anything different except open your eyes and know what to look for. You’ve been testing the snow all along, you just didn’t know it!

If your goal is to highmark then gather as much information as possible on your initial passes. Ride low and fast minimizing your exposure to the center of the slope. Ideally you can do your first pass low and facing away from the center. This way if it slides you’re headed in a good direction. This rider is low and fast, but he’s exposing himself to the entire slope above. If it avalanches while he’s riding he has no escape route. A better way would be this… <click> Once you’ve gathered enough information about the slope and feel that it’s safe enough for you, then go for it. The whole point here is to gather as much info as possible before you make that “green light/go for it” decision. BAD!

63% of snowmobile avalanche accidents occur while highmarking
This graph looks at snowmobile accidents and what caused them. <click> 63% occur while highmarking. While this is a fun and popular activity, don’t be fooled into thinking that riding out of the avalanche is an acceptable margin of safety. Gather information on the snowpack and make an informed decision instead of rolling the dice. Only expose one at a time. Graph and statistics are courtesy of Ian McCammon. 63% of snowmobile avalanche accidents occur while highmarking Bottom Line: if you’re going to highmark don’t expose more than one rider at a time on the slope

Another option is to descend the slope from the top instead of the bottom. While this is not always possible, be on the lookout for slopes where it is. This allows you the added margin of safety of facing the right way if the slope cuts loose. Beware of not center punching the slope on the first pass! This would raise your chances of getting caught since you’re so far away from the probable flanks.

Once you’ve determined its safe to highmark it’s a very good idea to go one at a time. Think about the stresses that a rider and snowmobile put on a slope. If it’s close to the breaking point then with more riders you’re increasing the probability that it will avalanche. Plus it begs the question…Who’s going to dig you out in the event you’re all caught. Riding one at a time is a way to stack the deck in your favor. We all make mistakes and sometimes have poor judgment. Riding one at a time acknowledges this and allows a margin of error.

ADDED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES
It is very common in avalanche accidents with snowmobiles to hear that one person was stuck and his buddy rode up to help him but ended up triggering the slide instead. What sometimes happens is that the helper escapes since he’s on a moving machine, but ends up killing his friend since he’s just stuck on the slope. If snowmobilers would only expose one person at a time to a slope we’d see avalanche fatalities plummet! 3 MACHINES + 3 RIDERS = 2000 lb ADDED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES

T Safe Travel Techniques
What is your insurance policy? T Carry Rescue Gear T Safe Travel Techniques T Fast Rescue Ability

Shovel Carrying rescue gear is a no brainer. Yes it’s pricey, but not compared to dying. If you're completely buried people need to find you a beacon is the only way. Remember, you’ve got 15 minutes to be found, and then you’ve got to be dug out. Avalanche debris sets up like concrete. There are countless stories of people trying to dig out their partner with their windshield, hands, or whatever they can find. This is unacceptable. Carry a real shovel, and better yet, carry it on you. A probe is an awesome tool to help pinpoint the buried person to minimize your time digging. It also is an essential tool if you’re looking for someone who failed to wear a beacon because it allows you to spot probe around. Once again, this is a way to stack the deck in our favor in the event we’ve made a mistake in assessing avalanche danger. Beacon Probe Or better yet…make sure your PARTNER has rescue gear.. AND knows how to use it!

Signal strength depends upon distance
receiving unit Most manufacturers publish a signal acquisition at 60meters (198 feet) for analog and 40meters (132 feet) for digital. Of course this depends on the orientation of the victim and beacon beneath the snow. sending unit Signal strength depends upon distance

maximum Signal strength depends upon orientation
A beacon that is positioned parallel with the ground is going to have a stronger signal when the receiving beacon is also parallel with the ground. maximum

minimum Signal strength depends upon orientation
When a beacon is positioned perpendicular with the ground and the receiving beacons are crossing the flux lines the ability to acquire a signal is at it’s weakest. minimum

Objective: Detect strong signal
Primary Search >40m Objective: Detect strong signal Phase one – acquiring a signal, starting at the last seen point, cover the avalanche bed surface until a signal is found. Phase two – follow the signal until you are within 3 meters (10 feet) Phase three – focused narrow search until you are within 1 meter (3.3 feet). This is now your probe area until you have a probe strike. Objective: Get close to buried Transmitter (approx. 3 meters) Secondary Search 40-3m Objective: Locate strongest signal, Minimize probe/dig area Pinpoint Search <3m

Secondary search begins
Primary search Signal picked up here, Secondary search begins Pinpoint search 110.

After 35 minutes 27% survive
100 1/4 die of blunt trauma Fully buried 28% survive First 15 min 92% survive After 35 minutes 27% survive 80 60 This graph shows us the longer you’re buried in an avalanche the lower your chances are of surviving. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out!! Probability of Survival (%) 40 20 20 40 80 120 160 Time Buried Under Debris (minutes)

Try to get off of the moving slab
Hang onto sled unless a violent tumble Swim hard and fight, grab trees Make an airspace around your mouth Push one hand towards the surface Relax- your partners have practiced a lot, they were in a safe place & you checked all your beacons at the trailhead

Yell! Watch that person Make a mental effort to stay calm Re-group and make a plan with a leader Do not go for help Is it safe to search - Auxiliary slides possible? Last Point Seen! All Beacons to receive, Probes Identify most likely areas of burial Visual Clues are critical & time saving, mark them in place Probe & scuff search Search- evenly spread, don’t cluster, communicate Evacuation Plan & First Aid

Using a beacon, probe and shovel 
11 MINUTES Using a beacon and shovel  25 MINUTES Using only a beacon  1 – 2 HOURS

Ride the slope one at a time
Ride the slope one at a time. Don’t ride up to help dig out your stuck partner. Recent avalanches are an obvious sign of instability, so don’t play on adjacent slopes blindly. Test lots of small slopes on your way in and get off the packed trail as much as you can. Get off your machine and walk around occasionally. Riding a slope from the top down is a safer option than from the bottom up, because you are facing a better direction if anything goes wrong. Let’s recap the important points here. If you get anything out of this program, try and remember these potentially life saving tips.

If the goal is to highmark then gather as much information as possible on initial passes by riding low and fast and not getting stuck. Turn away from the center of the slope. If you’re at the bottom waiting your turn and can’t avoid sitting in a big runout zone, keep your machines running and pointed away from the slope for a fast escape. Carry rescue gear on you and know how to use it.

Snow stability? Rescue Gear? Partners in a safe place? Good line? What will you do if it slides???

Recognize that patterns exist based on elevation, aspect and slope angle!
Similar aspects and elevations have a similar snowpack. <click> Higher elevations typically have less vegetation and more wind. These two slopes are very similar and consequently they have small slides on them. This slope is more protected than the others and would represent snow conditions found on adjacent slopes.

Slope angle, aspect with respect to sun and wind, consequences, slope shape, trees, runout, elevation, patterns of avalanche activity… There’s a lot to be thinking about as you go out riding! <click> If the weather isn’t contributing to instability and you’ve given a honest, objective assessment that the snow can’t slide, then get out there…

1 Let someone know where you are going and when check-in and check-out stations are provided, use them; be sure to give a return time. 2 Stay on the right hand side of the trail. Always carry basic emergency and survival equipment - Be prepared for the unexpected 4 Be familiar with your snowmobile; try short trips and practice in open fields to become thoroughly familiar with its controls and operation before going on extended trips.

5 Always were adequate winter clothing and protective glasses or goggles. Watch out for sunburn and use Sun block cream or lotion. 6 Check ice thickness before crossing or traveling across frozen lakes or streams; Beware of soft spots or open water. 7 Always carry a tool kit, spare parts, and extra gas. 8 Watch the weather, winter storms can set in very rapidly, resulting in white ours, which make finding your way our very difficult. 9 Keep yourself physically fit.

10 Keep your snowmobile in good operating condition; be familiar with its mechanics so you can make emergency repairs. Don’t travel alone- Two snowmobiles traveling together are much safer than one. DISTRESS SIGNALS Three smokes, three blasts of a whistle, three shouts, three flashes of light, three of anything that will attract attention.

1. I will be a good sportsman and safe snowmobiler
1 I will be a good sportsman and safe snowmobiler. I recognize that people judge all snowmobile owners by my actions. I will use my influence with other snowmobile owners to promote safe snowmobile conduct. 2 I will not litter trails or camping areas. I will not pollute streams or lakes. 3 I will not damage living trees, shrubs, or other natural features. 4 I will respect other peoples property and rights. I will lend a helping hand when I see someone in distress.

6 I will make myself and my vehicle available to assist search and rescue parties.
7 I will not interfere with or harass hikers, skiers, snowshoers, ice fishermen or other winter sportsmen. I will respect their rights to enjoy our recreation facilities. I will know and obey all federal, state, and local rules regulating the operation of snowmobiles in areas where I plan to ride. I will not harass wildlife. I will avoid areas posted for the protection of wildlife. 10 I will not ride under the influence of alcohol.

The field session will be held on ________________.
9:00 AM will begin the first exercise at the _______________ parking lot. 9:45 AM Depart ____________ parking lot for the training site. Pack a lunch or bring a snack and water.

…and have a great time!! Be safe…. Have fun… THANK YOU!!

Avalanches involving people just don’t happen randomly

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Avalanches involving people just don’t happen randomly

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