Avalanche Dangers

So, I've only really started exploring and skiing backcountry this season. Avalanches are something very unpredictable which even experts can fail to spot. It's something you can't risk your life with. After having 3 avalanches already here in BC, I figured it's probably best I learn something about avalanches before heading out and risking my life for my addiction to snow.

So, what are some precautions to take? I always take a transceiver, shovel, and 240cm probe. Am I missing anything?

What are some basic dangers on the slopes that I should look out for/avoid?

Perhaps this is in the wrong forum... if so, mods feel free to move it.

take an avy course

and go read over here: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/

don't post the question or you'll get jonged, but there are a bunch of thread (and a whole forum, slide zone) devoted to avy issues.

+1,000.

Search the TGR forums for BC/avy beginner threads. Lots of great reads to get you started. Ski with someone else (someone knowledgeable that you can learn from) -- there's little point in wearing a beacon if there's no one else to pick up your signal.

Check out the "avaluator"



http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=492

oh yeah--here's a pretty intense film on avy issues (link from Mtn Man at TGR):

http://revver.com/video/310519/a-dozen-more-turns/

Me too. Take an Avy 1 course, or whatever it's called in BC.

Also:
http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=2

Less JONG potential.

Get a mentor - you can rent these, they're called guides.

Yeah, I watched that here:


Part 1- http://www.lifeonterra.com/episode.php?id=77
Part 2- http://www.lifeonterra.com/episode.php?id=78
Part 3- http://www.lifeonterra.com/episode.php?id=79

The big omission in your list is a partner. An experienced partner can be the biggest source of education outside of your Avy certification class. Also, during downtime, I'd recommend you look into reading "Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain" by Bruce Tremper. Its a good resource for learning about snow safety and tactics, and is often part of a course.

(moving to backcountry forum)

Calling or pulling up on the web your local avalanche center's daily forecast daily is a good idea. Doing it daily, gets you into see the weather and snowpack trends of the season. Start doing this. By reading the daily forecast you'll also learn a lot too....

Get hooked up with the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC). Here is a link to the Vancouver Section. http://www.alpineclubofcanada.ca/sec...vancouver.html

The ACC often has avalanche courses. Perhaps as important for a new person to BC skiing is that the ACC also has trips that usually have rather experienced people. Frankly, it takes a long time to really learn how to safely travel in the backcountry, how to read terrain, how to understand snow stability, the effect of weather (e.g., wind, temperature, sun, and snow) on stability, the effect of slope and aspect, and on and on. Travelling with experienced people goes a long way for learning this stuff.

Check out the Outdoor Programs at UBC or SFU for avalanche courses and trips.

Also, read Avalanche Safety for Skiers and Climbers by Tony Daffern. You can probably pick it up at MEC. This is a good introduction to avalanche safety that will help you understand some of the many issues of BC skiing and safety.

I’ve had the good fortune to BC ski with friends who are Park Wardens, Mountain Guides, Avalanche Predictors from Roger’s Pass, and a guy who does avalanche prediction/consultation as his business. I learn every time I go out with these people and I’ve gained a healthy respect for avalanches and for the complexity of avalanche prediction.