Avalanche Safety
If you are going into mountainous areas in winter, being prepared
for the possibility of an avalanche is mandatory. For your safety and others, enroll in an avalanche safety course. You can contact any of the Avalanche Centers for information.
Avalanche Safety Basics
Avalanches don't happen by accident, and most human involvement is a matter of choice, not chance. Most avalanche accidents are caused by slab avalanches which are triggered by the victim or a member of the victim's party. However, any avalanche may cause injury or death and even small slides may be dangerous. Hence, always practice safe route finding skills, be aware of changing conditions, and carry avalanche rescue gear. Learn and apply avalanche terrain analysis and snow stability evaluation techniques to help minimize your risk. Remember that avalanche danger rating levels are only general guidelines. Distinctions between geographic areas, elevations, slope aspects and slope angles are approximate and transition zones between dangers exist. No matter what the current avalanche danger there are avalanche-safe areas in the mountains.
US Danger Scale
United States Avalanche Danger Descriptors
|
| Danger Level (&
Color) |
Avalanche Probability
and Avalanche Trigger |
Degree and Distribution
of Avalanche Danger |
Recommended Action in
the Backcountry |
...WHAT... |
...WHY...
|
...WHERE... |
...WHAT
TO DO... |
| LOW
(green) |
Natural
avalanches very unlikely. Human triggered avalanches unlikely. |
Generally
stable snow. Isolated areas of instability. |
Travel
is generally safe. Normal caution is advised. |
| MODERATE
(yellow) |
Natural
avalanches unlikely. Human triggered avalanches possible. |
Unstable
slabs possible on steep terrain. |
Use
caution in steeper terrain on certain aspects (defined in accompanying statement). |
| Considerable
(orange) |
Natural
avalanches possible. Human triggered avalanches probable. |
Unstable
slabs probable on steep terrain. |
Be
increasingly cautious in steeper terrain. |
| HIGH
(red) |
Natural
and human triggered avalanches likely. |
Unstable
slabs likely on a variety of aspects and slope angles. |
Travel
in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Safest travel on windward ridges of lower angle
slopes without steeper terrain above. |
| EXTREME
(black)
|
Widespread
natural or human triggered avalanches certain. |
Extremely
unstable slabs certain on most aspects and slope angles. Large, destructive avalanches
possible. |
Travel in
avalanche terrain should be avoided and travel confined to low angle terrain well away
from avalanche path run-outs. |
There are several videos on our Avalanche Videos page that will help educate you to the dangers of avalanches. These are not a substitute for taking an Avalanche Safety Course.
"The most important of all the statistics is that once a victim is completely buried, there is only a 1 out of 3 chance of survival..."
The best way to survive an avalanche is to avoid them all together.
Knowledge and Preparation are the Keys to Avalanche Safety
- Learn to recognize avalanche terrain and heed avalanche warnings. Avoid these areas.
- Check all transceivers each morning prior to your journey to ensure proper transmit and receive functions.
- Prepare to travel in a group at all times. Every member needs proper Avalanche Gear including a transceiver, shovel and a probe.
- Plan your route prior to leaving. To ensure your safety, plan a route that remains close to dense timber.
- Choose escape routes before beginning to cross unstable slopes. Pay attention to where a slide may take you. Trees in the path are a common source of fatal trauma to avalanche victims.
- Cross slopes one at a time if there is any doubt about the stability of a suspect slope.
We will repeat this one more time... enroll in an avalanche safety course. It will help you recognize the danger signs.
This document is a work in progress and will be frequently updated.
|
Search
News Archives 
