Avalanche!

The Colorado high country is a wonderful destination for anyone who wants to enjoy skiing, snowboarding, sledding, hiking, cross-country skiing or winter camping under a beautiful blue sky. While the weather may be gorgeous, the sun is shining and all you can think about is having a great day, you want to have fun and stay safe in the Colorado snow, so there are a few essential things to think about. The snowpack you are surrounded by may not be as stable as you think, and many avalanches large and small happen each year around the high country. Did you know an average-sized dry avalanche travels around 80 mph, so if you think you can outrun it or have time to get out of the way… that’s nearly impossible. The sad fact is that according to the State of Colorado public information bureau “Colorado leads the nation in deaths from avalanches, with an average of six to eight persons lost each season. Almost all avalanche fatalities occur in the “backcountry” areas outside ski area boundaries where no avalanche control is done.” Even if you’re not around ski areas, people who are enjoying the mountains cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or winter camping are at risk of triggering an avalanche.

The really amazing thing is that most avalanches involving people may be preventable. “Nearly all avalanches that involve people are triggered by the victims themselves or a member of their party. This amounts to about 95%. This also means if we know how to recognize avalanche danger, we can avoid it.” When new or windblown snow collects on top of weak layers of snow, there will be signs of instability and an avalanche can spontaneously occur. That’s known as a Natural Avalanche. A smart person who is in the backcountry will always use caution in steeper terrain. If you knowingly travel into avalanche terrain, it requires careful evaluation of the snowpack and avalanche conditions to remain safe. How do you judge snow stability… Look for obvious clues: The terrain that has evidence of avalanches is at high risk for more avalanches. You can’t get much more obvious than that. But it’s surprising how often people miss this clue. Here’s a short and helpful list of things you should know.

Terrain: the slope must be steep enough to avalanche -Avalanches can only occur on slopes steeper than about 25 degrees and they most often occur on slopes between about 35 and 45 degrees.
Snowpack: the snow must be unstable enough to avalanche.
- Collapsing snow: When you hear the snowpack collapse catastrophically with a giant “whoomph”, it’s extremely unstable. Stay off of steep slopes and stay out from underneath steep slopes.
- Cracking snow: Recent wind loading, especially, creates cracking snow. The longer the visible crack, the more dangerous. Stay off of steep slopes.
Weather is another important variable. Changing weather can quickly increase instability. Avalanche weather includes RAPID changes. Recent rapid loading of new or windblown snow, recent rapid warming, recent rapid melting, or rain on new snow.

Avalanche Danger is Real

Over the last 10 winters in the United States an average of 25 people died in avalanches every year. In just one week in Colorado, from February 11 to 18 there were 14 people and 1 dog caught in human triggered avalanches. Of those, one person was killed, three others injured. The locations of these slides were documented and more data was collected. Every fatal accident is investigated and reported, so those numbers can be reported with some certainty. Sadly, non-fatal avalanche incidents are increasingly under reported. All accidents should be documented and reported to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The timely reporting will assist professionals with further research and responses to avalanche danger.

Bruce Tremper, Director of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center System makes a very important observation: “Skiing and snowboarding are fun on slopes in the 30-40 degree range, thus we have our dilemma. We like to go where the slab avalanches most often occur. And you don’t even have to be skiing or boarding on a slope for it to avalanche. This is a very important concept. All of the snow is connected. You can be traveling on a flat slope or snow covered road and if the snowpack is stable enough, even though you are not on a steep slope, you can trigger a slide on a steeper slope above you. Remember, all of the snow is connected. It is critical to know what is above you as you travel.” Whether you are planning a ski trip or a cross-country, snowshoe or winter camping adventure where you feel safer on level ground, the warning to “know what is above you” is very real. Since all the snowpack is interconnected, you want to keep an eye on all surrounding terrain as you go.

Backcountry Safety Information from the National Ski Patrol

“With the growing free skiing/riding movement, more and more skiers and snowboarders head out of ski area boundaries every winter in search of untracked powder and adventure. But in the backcountry, pristine slopes, solitude, and unparalleled natural beauty are inexorably linked with inherent risks. This terrain is neither patrolled nor controlled, creating its paradoxical allure. Out there, the snow conditions are vastly different from those found within the more predictable confines of a ski area; out there, avalanches accommodate no one.

A humbling reminder of nature’s power, avalanches can easily obliterate anything unfortunate enough to be in their path: people, trees, cars, and even buildings. While the techniques for predicting and avoiding avalanches are generally reliable, anyone who ventures into the snowy backcountry will never be completely safe from the threat of an avalanche. That’s why it is so important to be well-versed in avalanche safety and search and rescue techniques.

The goal of all avalanche safety instruction is to help skiers and snowboarders make smart decisions in the backcountry so they can minimize their chances of having to deal with an avalanche and know what to do in the event one occurs. Armed with avalanche knowledge and safety awareness, skiers, and snowboarders are better prepared to balance an acceptable level of risk with the chance to experience the euphoric beauty of the backcountry. Here are some essential safety principles to keep in mind.”

Before you Go into Back Country Areas:

Take an avalanche safety course or clinic.
Read up on avalanches to increase your knowledge of what to do and look for.
Learn to recognize avalanche terrain, understand the significance of various terrain features.
Practice searching for your companions’ avalanche transceivers and ability to locate each beacon as quickly as possible.
Do your homework. Research your route and snow conditions in the exact location(s) you plan to be. Call your local avalanche warning center and check the current and forecasted weather.
Anticipate the “Human Factor,” that people may exhibit undesirable behavior in stressful situations. Make sure you travel with people who have similar goals and attitudes.

Once You’re There Ready to Enjoy the Snow:

Always carry avalanche equipment, including avalanche transceivers, probes, and shovels (in addition to basic camping gear, extra clothing, high-energy food, and plenty of water). Every member of the group needs to carry all three of these avalanche rescue items, and know how to use them.
Be aware of your surroundings. Stay alert, watching the environment that indicates the potential for a slide.
Analyze the snowpack stability. Use tests that reveal the layers of a snow field and can help assess risks involved with unstable snow.
Never travel in the backcountry on the day after a big storm. Allow the snowpack to settle for at least 24 hours.
Cross potential avalanche slopes one person at a time. Each person should be at least 100 yards from the next person.
Have the courage to know when you shouldn’t go. Trying to power-through unsafe conditions could cost a life.