Avalanche Awareness...does anybody have any?

pow fever and web spragging is everywhere. unlike 2 decades ago. more info is available, but so is pow for the masses with the fat boards, spoonfed beta, and the bag.

fatalities may only increase......

rog

It's been a long time since I've done any backcountry skiing--decades--but when I was learning the trade I was told that high angle BC skiing was something you did in the spring, after the resort season was over. In the winter you stuck to the trails in the forest. I think beacons existed but I didn't know anyone who had one.

not sure if this will reach the audience I'm hoping for, but I'm wondering if anybody has seen relevant weather events and numbers r/t Kicking Horse fatality
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http://avalanche.state.co.us/caic/ac...=541&accfm=inv

Holy percolation and wet slides. Might be best to boot the closed resorts for a few weekends.

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Originally Posted by itsnowjoke

Avalanche Awareness...Does Anybody Have Any? Gee, what a loaded question.

The short answer is no, no one has any.

As much as we try to apply science, knowledge, experience, etc., traveling in the backcountry during winter is like playing russian roulette.

Sadly, we have a long list of professional avalanche forecasters and controllers who die every year in slides. If they can't stay out of harm's way, who can?

Then we have the crazy show of the clueless who at my local hill -Canyons- hike through the gate on high probability avalanche days and huck cornices, ski sketchy lines, and do everything we were taught NOT to do, and they walk away unscathed. No beacon, probe, shovel, or educated partner to boot. They are just plain dumb lucky.


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......surely true ;i have seen experienced riders take big risks ,when near their resort especially...Giving a Virgin slope ,a 'Test ' Jump to see if it will slide
Canyons gate is great example;alot of skiers from Mtns w no avalanche dangers, Visit there.Same w Park city,Hikin the BCC mellower lines on a danger day,you always see postholers from PC up there on the opposite and much more avalanche prone side.