Tag Archives | Avalanche Safety

avalanche safety video

Avalanche Safety Basics – Five Red Flags

New to backcountry skiing? Looking for basic avalanche safety tips? Short of identifying and avoiding avalanche terrain, staying safe while backcountry skiing begins with understanding hazard basics. Backcountry Access (BCA) has a series of no-frills avalanche safety tips geared toward backcountry skiers of all levels. BCA’s latest avalanche safety video offers five red flags to keep an eye out for… Read More

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ortovox diract voice beacon

Ortovox Diract Voice – Voice-Guided Avalanche Beacon

Ortovox Adds Voice Direction to the Beacon Search Equation The advent of digital signal processing was a game changer for avalanche beacon technology. Directional arrows and distance readouts are standard fare. There are a few more pieces to the puzzle — like multiple antennas — but the point is that technology has made using avalanche beacons faster, easier and more… Read More

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avalanche accident

Avalanche Accident – A Perfect Storm

A Perfect Storm – Reflecting on an Avalanche Accident Never have I fought so 
hard to suppress the 
overwhelming urge to panic. Before I realized what I was doing, I 
heard my own muffled screaming. I told 
myself to calm down. Again, I realized I was
 screaming. A few deep breaths later, I gained a small measure of composure. I… Read More

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terrain tips

Terrain Tips

Using Terrain to Your Advantage – Seven Terrain Tricks Safe backcountry skiing starts with a big picture perspective (plus reading and understanding the local avalanche conditions report). Experienced skiers often reference terrain as trumping hazard. In fact, “The snowpack is the problem, and the terrain is the solution,” is an old ski guide’s adage that informs a lot of backcountry decision-making…. Read More

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backcountry radio channels

Backcountry Radio Channels – Group-to-Group Communication

Designated Radio Channels for Popular Backcountry Zones It’s commonly understood that avalanche safety often hinges on human driven factors. Ideas like familiarity with terrain, the expert halo and group communication (or lack thereof) rise to the top of the list as contributors to avalanche accidents. Broadly speaking, group communication is at the root of many mistakes. Communication alone will not… Read More

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avalanche terrain

Avalanche Canada Webinar – Recognizing Avalanche Terrain

Recognizing Avalanche Terrain Avalanche Canada has a webinar series this season covering a variety of avalanche safety topics.  Recognizing Avalanche Terrain and Trip Preparedness provides a good introduction to or refresher on avalance hazards.  It includes info specific to Avalanche Canada’s website, but more it’s a solid overview for anyone looking to broaden their backcountry knowledge.  

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avalanche hazard rating

What’s The Problem? Understanding Avalanche Hazard

The classic backcountry ski checklist – shovel, probe, beacon, brain – has also come to include the avalanche forecast, and most of us make the effort to check the forecast before we head into the mountains. But an important question that’s often overlooked is; “Are really absorbing the most important information contained in the forecast?” Sure, the avalanche hazard rating… Read More

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communication

Avalanche Safety – Communication in the Backcountry

Avalanche Safety – Communication in the Backcountry With ski season comes avalanche season.  It’s time to review the practices, communication, behavior and interactions with your ski partners from last season – take an honest and critical look at how the memories measure up on the safety front – think about the days you pushed the comfort zone and the days… Read More

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weak layers - identifying avalanche culprits

Avy 101 – A Low-Tech Approach To Identifying Common Weak Layers

Weak Layers A low-tech approach to identifying common avalanche culprits – by Larry Goldie Believe it or not, regardless of what triggers an avalanche, every avalanche has one thing in common: they all fail on a weak layer of snow. Personally, I would much rather be out skiing than standing around in snowpits looking at snow crystals and analyzing weak layers…. Read More

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avalanche beacon reviews

Avalanche Beacon Reviews

Avalanche Beacon 101 If you’re in the market for an avalanche beacon (avalanche transceivers), today’s units are incredibly proficient search tools. Digital signal processing and directional guidance are all standard fare. We handed a collection of latest avalanche beacons to rank novices with no tips or directions beyond how to switch to search mode. Search results for a single buried… Read More

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avalanche safety systems

Avalanche Systems – Managing Your Human Factor

What’s Your System? Managing Your Human Factor – Joe Stock I’ve never been caught in avalanche. Maybe it’s because I’m good at mountain travel. Maybe it’s because I maintain a healthy margin for error. Maybe it’s luck. In any case, I work hard to avoid avalanches. I’m in the snowy mountains most of winter. The odds are against me. One of the… Read More

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Avalanche beacons search image

Avalanche Beacon Testing

We’ve been practicing with an assortment of current model avalanche beacons for an upcoming article in the print magazine. The bulk of our testing has focused on mid-level beacons aimed at solid recreational users like the BCA Tracker 3, Barryvox Element, Ortovox 3+ and Pieps DSP Sport. All of these avalanche beacons feature three-antenna technology and a signal marking function (suppression… Read More

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airbag packs

Avalanche Airbag Packs – What’s New

When avalanche airbag packs first began hitting the North American market, they were expensive, heavy and somewhat awkward in design compared to non-airbag packs. Airbag pack design, however, has evolved quickly the past couple of seasons and, though they are still spendy compared to a traditional ski pack, fit, design and pack options have come a long way. As evidenced… Read More

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avalanche essentials

Avalanche Essentials

There’s no shortage of books on avalanche safety, and Utah Avalanche Center Director, Bruce Tremper, is the author of one of the best, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain. One thing books like Staying Alive and others lack, however, is a readability and first person approach that appeals to readers with a less technical background or approach. This readable, first person… Read More

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