Talk to me about Avalanche Safety and Gear

[Geoff]

If you are hoping for a real avy shovel to be used in the bc, flat back is preferable so you can dig a snow pit.

For 95% of people who dig snow pits, they'd get more information from drawing a pentagram, putting lit candles at the points, and uttering a pagan chant. A pit doesn't tell you anything about the wind loading 200 yards away that's going to kill you.

 

[snowmonster]

^ Agreed. However, let's assume that TB learns enough about snow science that he'll actually benefit from digging a pit.

 

[Geoff]

^ Agreed. However, let's assume that TB learns enough about snow science that he'll actually benefit from digging a pit.

The shovel is for finding the body of your moron ski buddy who went on terrain steep enough to slide. Even the guys who do it every day get it wrong occasionally.

 

[emmaurice2]

This is so far out of my realm of experience. How does something like this happen?

Recent avalanche accidents have prompted me to look at gear and safety posts for future reference. So much to learn...

 

[kingslug]

I took the Avi level 1 course at Alta. It was 3 days, first day was at REI, next 2 where on the mountain and classroom in the library at the base. They don't use the lifts, you need AT gear, bindings, boots, all the avi gear. You can rent skins which is what I did. Be prepared to skin all the way up, twice. It damn near killed me. I bought all Black Diamond equipment. It came as a set. Shovel and probe. I have a BCA tracker probe, it is the most popular and easiest to use. Also a compass. I have an avilung pack which was sent to me by mistake, but what the hell. I can't really rate it..as I've been lucky enough not to have used it. You have to have the mouthpiece either in your mouth or pretty close when traveling back there. I can't have it in as its hard enough to breath up there. So I would imagine that you would have to be pretty quick to get it in once a slide occurs and you realize you are in it. It will provide you with some extra time while buried, for how long..who knows. The real trick to avoiding avi's is to know the terrain and signs of a possible avalanche..you will learn these but only time back there will really get you prepared for it.

 

[kingslug]

This is so far out of my realm of experience. How does something like this happen?

Recent avalanche accidents have prompted me to look at gear and safety posts for future reference. So much to learn...

My wife at the time walked near a tree..and dissapeared right in front of me...I ran over to her but kept my distance, enough that I could see that she was all right and was digging herself out. Had she went in inverted I would have had to devise a way to get her out without falling in myself.

 

[kingslug]

For 95% of people who dig snow pits, they'd get more information from drawing a pentagram, putting lit candles at the points, and uttering a pagan chant. A pit doesn't tell you anything about the wind loading 200 yards away that's going to kill you.

Hell it doesn't telll you whats 10 feet away as we discovered..digging pits...

 

[emmaurice2]

I took the Avi level 1 course at Alta. It was 3 days, first day was at REI, next 2 where on the mountain and classroom in the library at the base. They don't use the lifts, you need AT gear, bindings, boots, all the avi gear. You can rent skins which is what I did. Be prepared to skin all the way up, twice. It damn near killed me. I bought all Black Diamond equipment. It came as a set. Shovel and probe. I have a BCA tracker probe, it is the most popular and easiest to use. Also a compass. I have an avilung pack which was sent to me by mistake, but what the hell. I can't really rate it..as I've been lucky enough not to have used it. You have to have the mouthpiece either in your mouth or pretty close when traveling back there. I can't have it in as its hard enough to breath up there. So I would imagine that you would have to be pretty quick to get it in once a slide occurs and you realize you are in it. It will provide you with some extra time while buried, for how long..who knows. The real trick to avoiding avi's is to know the terrain and signs of a possible avalanche..you will learn these but only time back there will really get you prepared for it.

I would definitely want a class and probably a guided tour for my first time out. I've never even skied out west, so this will probably not be in my near future. However, my plan is to be at Sundance next year, but will most likely stay in-bounds skiing.

My wife at the time walked near a tree..and dissapeared right in front of me...I ran over to her but kept my distance, enough that I could see that she was all right and was digging herself out. Had she went in inverted I would have had to devise a way to get her out without falling in myself.

Glad she was okay!

I know that there are avalanches on the east coast, but the tree well situation seems like it would be a more common danger.

 

[kingslug]

On the lift line I met a guy from Long Island (where I'm from) took him around but ended up waiting for him for about 15 minutes..he fell into a rock well, same as a tree well..holy crap..I told him about tree wells but never though he would ski close enough to a rock that it could happen..scared the crap out of me that he might have drowned in it..It was his first time at Alta..blew his mind!

 

[thetrailboss]

Got the Avi transceiver (BCA Tracker). Got a good shovel. And just got the Black Diamond Quick Draw 300 probe. Now all I need is to do the basic training and maybe get an Avalung.

 

[kingslug]

http://www.utahmountainadventures.com/avalanche_courses_level_one.shtml

here ya go

 

[Cheese]

The shovel is for finding the body of your moron ski buddy who went on terrain steep enough to slide.

I doubt you did it purposely, but this statement almost sends the wrong message. The steep stuff slides during the storms. It's the snow on the less steep slopes that sticks until skiers, riders and hikers break it lose.

 

[kingslug]

30 to 45 degrees..prime avi terrain..you know..the stuff most people ski on..any steeper and its self clearing...but not all the time..its pretty complex...Like Warren said..Avalanches have one job..to kill you...

 

[darent]

solitude has a avy training coarse where you can practice with your tranceiver. I have skied with several people at snowbird and alta who wear their transceiver inbounds

 

[gladerider]

latest copy of backcountry magazine has an article on jamie pierre (the world record holding cliff hucker) who passed away earlier this year at gad valley in snowbird before the season started.
good thing you are preparing yourself. one thing i remember from my first snowbird trip is the cannon firing every day to control the avys. it's real. b safe out there.

 

[Method9455]

Once you get out there, get the gear, take a couple of classes, and meet people who know what they are doing to learn from.

Never ever ski alone.

In the mean time, I find watching the forecasts helps familarize you with what is 'normal' and what is 'too high'. There will always be risks - thats what the gear and training is for. But going out when the forecast for avalanche is 'high', or even considerable with pockets of 'high' is just crazy in my opinion. I pretty much draw the line at 'moderate', but I'm relatively new to it all. Understand how the compass rose forecast works, but I wouldn't trust it blindly because a lot of stuff doesn't fall neatly into one direction or another.

http://utahavalanchecenter.org/



I'd also check out some of the accident reports: http://avalanche.state.co.us/acc/acc_us.php

Some of them are people with no training or gear, but a lot of them are also people with training and gear that get too bold. Reading those helps me stay grounded.

And the one from the Trestle Trees @ Winter Park just scares the shit out of me. I have skied those woods many times and it has felt a little un stable at times but I never worried about it becuase it was 'inbounds'. That was clearly a miscalculation on my part.

 

[kingslug]

Just read the history of Alta..the whole place is pretty much prime avi territory. Hundreds where killed in the early mining days as well as skiers. As far as I'm concerned, when out west or back country here..there is always the possibility of a slide..