Live to Tell - YouTube
You may have already seen this clip. It has certainly gone viral on the internet. There were 30,000 views last night and this afternoon I see that that it is up to 73,000. Wow!! Can’t imagine what it is up to by now…while you are reading this.
CLICK ON THE PICTURE to view the clip on YouTube.
Some of the comments last night were poking blame at the companions for not having shovel and gear right away. In my opinion the companions acted exactly right. Zero in on the most likely burial area and get the head exposed pronto. Couldn’t have happened any faster. Riders had visual on the person caught. Soft slab avalanche that didn’t set up, easy to clear away an air space. Luckily the rider that triggered the slope had great reactions and good visual contact…maybe even physical contact?! Ouch! Can’t tell if he rides over the fellas legs or not?!
Of course shovels will probably be needed to get the rider completely out of the snow, but as long as there are no serious injuries, the group and the rider can settle. Hard to tell in the video, but it is likely that there isn’t enough snow left for the hill to naturally release and catch the group in a second slide. At this point, calming down might be the best thing for everyone involved.
Not much of a hill, nor much of a snowpack. Trouble is on years with a shallow snowpack we can get surprised with unusual releases on unusual slopes.
Chances are there is more snow where you are riding than in this video clip, but this clip reminds us that it is important to keep our guard up and practice habits like ‘one at a time on the hill’...at all times.
Glad to see that everyone was ok! And thanks to those that capture and post their stories, photos and videos. We all learn faster through each other’s experiences. It would take many lifetimes (literally) to fill our avalanche safety toolboxes if each of us learned everything through trial and error! It certainly costs less, hurts less, and takes less time to learn from the experiences of others!
Parks Canada Smart Phone App - more icons!
CLICK HERE to be redirected to view the Global TV Clip
Officials hope new smartphone bulletins will curb avalanche deaths
By Jamie Komarnicki, Calgary Herald November 9, 2011CALGARY — Avalanche forecasters hope new smartphone-friendly bulletins — featuring less text and more graphics — will help young, tech-savvy backcountry adventurers make smarter decisions before hitting the slopes.
Parks Canada and the Canadian Avalanche Centre will begin using the new avalanche bulletin format this month.
“While moving away from a text-based report to a visual one is a bold step, the research tells us that it’s the right thing to do,” said Calgary Centre-North MP Michelle Rempel, who unveiled the redesigned bulletins in Calgary Wednesday on behalf of Environment Minister Peter Kent. “Today’s tech-heavy world demands that brief and succinct information be available at the click of a mouse, via smartphone, 24 hours a day.”
To read more CLICK HERE
Troubles with the link above? CLICK HERE for a .pdf version
The avalanche centre, based in Revelstoke, B.C., meanwhile, is breaking down its forecast regions into 13 areas. In the past, forecasters were responsible for seven “vast” regions, including one area the size of Switzerland, said executive director Ian Tomm.
“These smaller forecast regions will allow us to be even more accurate with our information and more….
To read the full article CLICK HERE
Read more:
Troubles with the link above? CLICK HERE for a .pdf version
Free Online Training Series
5 Things Every Snowmobiler Must Do
Before Heading into Avalanche Country
We hope you enjoy the series! Be sure to post your comments below!!
Comment [3]
010106McGregorRiver
Click on this link to activate the audio recording reviewing the avalanche accident in the area of McGregor River, BC in the Canadian Rocky Mountains on January 6, 2001.
This accident review is one of more than 100 case studies included in the latest edition of
Avalanche Accidents in Canada Volume 5 – 1996-2007
During this period a total of 155 individuals lost their lives in 105 different accidents.
We can learn from tragedy, but it is up to us to invest the time to look back and seek answers to a few questions such as:
- what was the recipe in the snowpack?
- were there warning signs?
- what role did the current weather play?
- what observations were made by the group? How many were missed?
- what actions or skills might have helped the people avoid or minimize the negative consequences the accident?
- what patterns are evident in the fatalities of the past years? How can we use this knowledge to our advantage?
Are you interested in reviewing more of these case studies?
Click on the format that interests you.
....AUDIO…............................... PURCHASE
RECORDINGS…............................THE BOOK
Links not yet set up…thank you for your patience!
February 18, 2011 - Update
CLICK HERE to read Zac’s Tracs latest newsletter
BE SURE TO COMMENT on this article as well! CLICK HERE to submit!
To offer a bit of background: a danger rating of ‘HIGH’ means that ‘the chances of NATURALLY triggered avalanches is LIKELY’. Right now the avalanche ratings for most areas are posted as ‘CONSIDERABLE’or‘MODERATE’. Please read this to mean that while the chance of an avalanche ‘triggering NATURALLY has dropped to POSSIBLE, HUMAN triggering is still LIKELY or POSSIBLE’ if we choose to travel in the weaker snowpack zones.
But we spend much of the year with Considerable and Moderate ratings and what is so special about now?
Right now the hard to predict instability is in the bottom of the snowpack. This means the potential for LARGE, high consequence avalanches. This is in contrast to other times in the season when avalanches may be more easily triggered in layers closer to the surface of the snowpack, often leading to smaller, less destructive avalanches.
CLICK ON THIS LINK to read the full CAC report as posted in a thread on the www.snowandmud.com online forum This report was posted by the CAC Forecast Manager, Karl Klassen. Be sure to follow the links within the report to learn more about the current state of our snowpack and to benefit from the recommendations offered by the CAC team of Forecasters. They have decades worth of experience.
Read each line…one at a time and let it sink in.
Remember that their passion is the snow, big lines and enjoying the backcountry just like us. The goal of an avalanche forecaster is to analyze and communicate actual observations and forecasted conditions in order to guide our choices. The point is to empower us to play SAFELY in the snow. The point is to minimize our exposure to obvious risk. Scaring us away from the backcountry is not their goal.
When the CAC issues special reports…take notice!
Avalanches are just like any serial killer. They usually follow a pattern. Become an avalanche ‘Crime Scene Investigator’ or CSI and learn more in order to better ‘profile’ these natural killers.
(Yeah, yeah….I watch the prime time crime shows whenever I get the chance!! I enjoy solving the puzzles.)
Never stop learning! You never know which tip or skill may make all the difference some day…..*
Understanding avalanche phenomena is a puzzle as well. Guess that’s why I find it so intriguing. Every year the blueprint is different. Every year we have different issues lurking in the snowpack. As the recipe in the snow changes so must our travel habits and terrain choices vary to accommodate any current instabilities.By reading and actually taking the time to comprehend bulletins and reports, you will continue to upgrade and hone your avalanche interpretation skills.
CLICK HERE to download the Canadian Avalanche Centre’s update on the BC Avalanche Conditions
Did you hear that there was a Size 5 avalanche in the North Columbia region last week? Size 5…crazy!!
How big is a size 5? CLICK HERE to find out
Forecasters described the event in the Feb 16, 2011 CAC avalanche Bulletin as:
A large size 5 avalanche was reported yesterday in the North Columbia region. The fracture line being 600-700m long and approximately 8m deep. It was a storm triggered soft slab, which stepped down to ground on the November basal facet layer. It ran approximately 3000m in distance and destroyed 20 hectares of forest. The start zone is in a high, wind loaded alpine feature at 2600m on a south aspect.
(btw I asked around for photos of this massive slide….but no luck…if I ever get any I will be sure to post them here. Maybe it is like the Ogopogo.. ;-) This means that the entire snowpack is sliding. Obviously there is a poor bond between the snowpack and the ground. This is a picture of the type of sugary crystals responsible for the full snowpack avalanches. These are crystals from our backyard here in Alberta. The depth hoar crystals were formed early season, while the snowpack was shallow and the temperatures were cold. This process is called faceting. These crystals grew and grew over time and added layer upon layer to their structures. Notice the striations in each of the crystals. Once formed, these dense, 3 dimensional crystals are quite resistant to change and often will persist for the remainder of the winter. Eight metre deep fracture line. Ran ~3km?!
Crazy, this doesn’t seem possible to rip a fracture line through that much snow….and it was a natural release! “Storm triggered soft slab which stepped down…”
So now what?! How do we make responsible choices in a time period like this?
Go ahead…! Go check out the snow in your backyard. Dig deep and see if you find these sugary crystals.
Click a picture and send it in. Let’s compare! Who has the most dangerous yard!
Even terrain with anchors (trees and rocks breaking up the slope) do not necessarily add enough structure to hold some of these persistent weak layers on the hill.
If following the ‘trail over the hill to get to the next riding area’, your odds are better to stay on the highly traveled areas rather than sidehill and play along the way. Stick to the fat spots and avoid the shallow areas where you can tickle any weak layers that might be close to the surface.
When conditions are the problem, terrain is the solution.
Sounds good, but what does that really mean?Being avalanche savvy really comes down to choices and timing.
Klassen’s report recommends avoiding:
- Shallow or variable depth snowpacks:
places where the terrain looks rough; where rocks, brush, or small trees are showing; or where there are obvious….CLICK HERE to read the report - Windloaded areas where windslabs (firmer, harder snow overlying softer, weaker layers) are likely to exist.
- Slopes with cornices above.
- Unsupported slopes, for example those with….CLICK HERE to read the report
Can you tell that I really want you to download the report!! Get ‘er done!
Thanks for reading. I hope that you found value in the material. Please add in your comments and questions. As well as your comments, consider forwarding photos that you may have as examples of avalanches, snowpacks, terrain or travel habits…good or bad!
Want to learn more?!
Gather up your riding group and arrange an AST1 or 2 class. Or even better, register for the 7 day Canadian Avalanche Associations ITP Level 1 (Industry Training Programs) Snowmobile Operations Course. The 2011 class was full and had a waiting list!
Be sure to sign up early! This professional level program is usually offered in late December or early January.
Glossary
These glossary terms originated on the CAC’s website: www.avalanche.ca CLICK HERE to view the full glossary
I couldn’t figure out how to link to the specific words on the CAC website…so I just reprinted them.
Size 5 Avalanches
Size 5 avalanches are the largest snow avalanches known. They could destroy a village or a forest area up to 40 hectares (~100 acres). They typically have:
* a mass of 100,000 tonnes * a path length of 3000 metres * an impact pressure of 100 kiloPascalsText and diagram from “Advanced Avalanche Safety Course Manual” Copyright © 1998 Canadian Avalanche Association.
Stepped Down
A slab avalanche is said to step down if the motion of the initial slab causes lower layers to slide, resulting in a second bed surface deeper in the snowpack. A step in the bed surface is usually visible.
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Comment [3]
Snowmobile Triggered Avalanches in the Renshaw area near McBride, BC
Following are pictures posted to the CAC Discussion Forum. They are from two snowmobile triggered avalanches in the Renshaw area near McBride, BC.
The CAC has a Discussion Forum to make it easy for professionals and recreationalists to post photos and comments related to each of the Bulletin regions in Canada.
THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT FREE RESOURCE FOR SLEDDERS TO USE BEFORE EACH TRIP!
CLICK HERE to enter the CAC Discussion Forum for the North Columbia
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CLICK HERE to view photos – Renshaw Incident #1
Comments posted along with this second incident “While traveling to a different riding area we traveled a much traveled path at the bottom of a valley between 2 mountains when the avalanche broke right near….” CLICK HERE to continue reading
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CLICK HERE to view photos – Renshaw Incident #2
Comments posted along with this first incident “We were playing on a west facing slope when one snowmobiler triggered slide above him. He had time to ….” CLICK HERE to continue reading
Notice the similarities in the avalanches and the slopes in these two separate events that were reported on Jan 29, 2011.
Both avalanches have areas that have released to the rocks uncovering jagged rock bands. These slopes tend to be easier to trigger for two reasons. One: the snowpack is often thinner where the rocks are sticking up in through the snowpack, two: the change in slope angle leaves the snow above relatively unsupported.
What is an unsupported slope and what does it matter?
Consider a concave slope, a hill where the slope angle gradually gets less steep until it reaches the valley. Basically, the snow on the lower angle terrain is quite comfortable right where it is (gravity is not stressing it) and it tends to help support the snow above it. Slopes without that concave area of compression or support are missing an important factor for stability. Slopes with no support are relying on the tensile strength of the snow (hoping that the snow layers do not rip to allow a fracture to propagate across the slope) and they also rely on the bond or shear strength BETWEEN the layers in the snowpack and the ground.
Avoiding thin, rocky patches is highly recommended in almost any snowpack, but in this one it is a must!
We would like to recommend that you take a moment to read the report that the Canadian Avalanche Centre released February 18, 2011. It speaks to this problem of unstable basal layers (unstable layers of snow at the base of the snowpack next to the ground).
CLICK HERE to be redirected
The report includes a description of what is going on and some recommended ways to travel during this time period to reduce our chances of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Zacs takes part in the Sledhead Think Tank with Teck Coal!
This event was a huge success!
Evenings sessions were held in Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford and the Crowsnest Pass.
Each evening featured great presentations on a variety of backcountry topics by Ilya Storm from the Canadian Avalanche Center, Tammy from Zacs, Jeremy Hanke, Greg Goodison from Ascent Helicopters and others representing local businesses and services.
Jeremy shared an emotional story of his close call, one of four people fully buried. Three survived and one man did not. Jeremy’s experience hit home with sledders in the audience. We all think that it won’t happen to us. In the blink of an eye we can be proven wrong….
A short intermission with food and drinks gave participants the chance to meet the speakers and other riders.
The program finished off with a group discussion where it was unanimously decided by the crowd the events were well worth the time and effort invested.
Participants left with a new awareness for key avalanche issues and an appreciation of the value and necessity of avalanche knowledge and backcountry safety gear. SUCCESS!
Avalung recall - 2010 models
CLICK HERE to view an article from the Calgary Sun
Calgary Sun – By QMI Agency
Health Canada has recalled a special backpack that allows avalanche victims to breathe while buried in snow because it can fail in cold temperatures.
The Black Diamond brand “AvaLung” packs were sold throughout 2010, but tubing on the device’s intake mechanism can crack in cold temperatures, causing the entire machine to fail.
Health Canada has only received one report of a failed AvaLung pack, and no injuries have been reported.
People who have purchased the AvaLung pack are urged not to use it and to contact Black Diamond for further instruction. The company has set up a recall website for further information at www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/about-us/company/recalls#avalung.
Ski Cutting at KHMR - Dec 1, 2010 - near Golden, BC
CLICK HERE to view a video posting from the KHMR ski patrol.
Check out the ‘Skier Controlled Size 2’ avalanche.
What Were They Thinking?
Jump directly to the Jan 28 update – F.A.C.E.T.S.
Jump directly to the Jan 28 update – Methods to Manage.
The following article was re-printed with permission from Ian McCammon. Ian has a background in mechanical engineering, and has worked in the fields of robotics, Microsystems, and aerospace. He has also worked as a field instructor for several wilderness and avalanche programs and is the founder of SnowPit Technologies. His current research is focused on risk communication and decision making.
Randy & Lori shared stories with Ian at the 2010 ISSW in Lake Tahoe, CA this October. We are pleased to run Ian’s paper on F.A.C.E.T.S. as a series in our Newsletters this season!
In hindsight, in the comfort of a classroom or bar, it’s usually easy to see why an avalanche accident occurred. Perhaps the party chose to ski or ride a dangerously wind-loaded slope, enter a terrain trap during high avalanche danger, or continue climbing despite signs of recent avalanching. Working backward from a tragic outcome, the danger seems obvious to us and we wonder why anyone would take chances in such conditions. The easy answer is that the party must have been incompetent, arrogant, or just plain foolish. These answers help us feel better about ourselves since, after all, we wouldn’t act like that. But they don’t lead us to a better understanding of how we might be fooled into making the same mistakes.
To really understand human factors, we need to go back in the accident timeline. We need to imagine ourselves standing at the top of the slope, trying to decide if it is safe to ski or ride. Perhaps we’ve seen the signs of danger, but we also know that we have skied the slope many times before without incident. Or perhaps we know that another party is powering up behind us intent on skiing the same slope. Or perhaps we’ve waited all year for this vacation so we could highmark slopes just like this one.
Such knowledge tends to blur our judgment and tempt us into believing that it’s OK to take a chance on this slope today. These influences operate in the shadowy edges of our subconscious, and we are often oblivious to their effects on our behaviour.
Fortunately, there are predictable patterns in how these unconscious influences affect our decisions. It turns out that these same patterns appear whenever we face physical hazards such as driving, unsafe sex, taking drugs and, yes, dealing with avalanches. These patterns are well known in areas such as advertising and health psychology, but their lessons apply to decision making in avalanche terrain as well.
What Are Common Human Factors?
In a recent analysis of avalanche accidents in the United States, consistent patterns emerged in the decision making of avalanche victims. Here are six of the most common: F.A.C.E.T.S.*F*amiliarity
Parties traveling in familiar terrain made significantly riskier decisions than parties traveling in unfamiliar terrain. This effect was especially pronounced for parties with substantial experience and training.*A*cceptance
Accident parties that included females made riskier decisions than parties of all males. The effect was most pronounced in parties with little avalanche training. It is notable that these were precisely the parties in which women were least likely to participate.Most avalanche accidents occured in popular areas on slopes that were familiar to the victims.
*C*onsistency
Parties that were highly committed to a goal – a summit, ski slope or an objective in deteriorating weather – made riskier decisions than parties just out for a day of skiing, climbing or sledding. This effect was most pronounced in parties of four or more.
*E*xperts
Accident parties often contained a de facto leader – someone who was more experienced, older, or who had better skills. Remarkably, when this leader had poor avalanche skills, novice groups were more likely to follow their leader into dangerous situations than when novice groups made decisions by consensus.
Check back in a couple weeks to learn what T. and S. stand for!
Oh…the suspense!!
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What Can We Do About Human Factors?
Human factors are part of being human. They are essential to efficiently navigating the complexities of everyday life. Try as we might, we can’t simply talk ourselves out of relying on them, but we may be able to recognize when we are most prone to their negative influences and stop a bad decision in its tracks.1. Travel with partners you can talk to
In a common accident scenario, a party gets spread out in avalanche terrain, with no specific plan to re-group and re-assess conditions. The person out front makes their own route finding decisions and the group follows, often with increasing alarm about what they see around them. When the avalanche releases, the victims are often well aware of the risks they were taking.To avoid this situation, travel in parties that communicate about avalanche conditions. You don’t need a running commentary, just a friendly discussion at key points in the tour about what folks are seeing and experiencing. It helps to agree beforehand on where the key decision points are, and have a common language for discussing avalanche conditions and risk tolerance.
Good communication within your party is essential to recognizing changing avalanche conditions.
Need help figuring out how much risk you are actually taking? Werner Munter’s Reduction Method, the SnowCard, NivoTest or ALP TRUTh method can provide some quantitative insights. The AVALUATOR, developed by the Canadian Avalanche Centre, is another decision making tool that is handy for recreational travellers. CLICK HERE for more information on the AVALUATOR.
Check back next month for another suggestion to control our ‘irrational’ impulses.
Oh…the suspense!!
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What are your suggestions to counter the effects of CONSISTENCY/COMMITMENT and EXPERTS?
Share a story of a close call that was aggravated by these two Human Factors.
Enter your comments below. The first person and the 10th person to comment on this article will receive a free DVD from Brent Viedeman’s Boost collection!
Comment [9]
