Snowsports Manufacturers/Avalanche education

[rideit]

So, I have been thinking hard about the recent overwhelming popularity of backcountry/sidecountry education, and the trend towards more and more avalanche deaths as a result.

I really, truly believe that the snowsports industries need to get out ahead of this issue in a large, LARGE way, before they are seen as not caring about this very real phenomenon.

I propose that ALL snowports manufactures should participate in an industry wide campaign to educate end users about avalanche risk and consequence.
This can be accomplished in a number of ways, some very simple, and some more complex.
The easiest would be for every product that is intended for BC use have a hanging tag, explaining a few rudimentary basics, along with links to online educational resources. Another wold be for manufacturers to have very comprehensive primers, with even more educational resources available.

Manufatureres also could get involved sponsoring local avalanche awareness clinics, and donate good raffle items for attendance. Possibly people who participate in online tests could be eligeable for discount codes for product.

I am simply brainstorming here, please contribute with other ideas.
I plan on contacting marketing dept's all accross the industry in order to see if there is interest in implementing some kind of standard.

When I say 'snowsports', I mean skiing, boarding, snowshoeing, mountaineering, ice climbing, etc.

Please feel free to cross post or cut'n' paste this to TTips, Epic, etc(and cross link responses here, please) ...this is one of the few issues that unites us all, and is very serious.


Thanks.

[huckster989]

I have been involved with the alpine safety awareness program (ASAP) http://www.alpinesafety.org for over 3 years now, this program is a direct result of avalanche accidents in the NW and the lack of education offered by ski areas and others in the industry. My involvement in the organization is traveling to elementary and middle schools and teaching interactive presentaion on ski area and BC safety in hope of getting younger riders to wise up and take a full avy 1 class.

If you are serious about getting involved please contact our executive director Michael Jackson on the contact page he can help you get started and if anything give you some advice on what you can do to help.

I agree that something needs to be done and the first step is education and raising awareness of the dangers of playing in the BC and thats what ASAP has ben working very hard to do.

[jwolter7]

I would also say magazines and film producers (like TGR) should also be involved because they are the ones showing the images that generate the new users to the environment.
When I started skiing in the backcountry in the early 80s no one would go with me because they all though they would die in an avalanche. After two decades of ski films/magazines showing everyone skiing in the BC, now people that are not even good skiers think it's ok to be in the BC.
I read many hard to find books in the 80s ("The Avalanche Handbook" from the National Forest Service, a book distributed by the late Paul Ramer, in German, and the best book on BC skiing, "Salute the skier, The best 100 Runs in the Alps" by Walter Pause) before I went into the BC and I eventually, in the 90s, I took my Level I and II avy certifications just as continuing education and to learn from the experience of Bruce Tremper and Knox Williams.
People now don't seam to want to learn anything, they just want to be seen as someone who takes a lot of risk, and don't care what happens to them. Maybe life has just too much stress for them...?
I have skied many moderately difficult and difficult runs over a long time safely.

[rideit]

Avalanches are just like AIDS...it simply doesn't matter how 'good' you are.
Thanks for the input.

[jwolter7]

By good skiers I mean ones that take the time to understand their sport and the dangers involved. Then go out and learn something before just diving in with the idea that if they get in trouble someone else with real skill will come and help them.

[Ermine]

So, I have been thinking hard about the recent overwhelming popularity of backcountry/sidecountry education, and the trend towards more and more avalanche deaths as a result.

What trend? Gotta link? You didn't mention snowmobilers, now that's a trend.

Honestly, IMO, I think more people going into the sidecountry helps stabilize the snowpack by more cornices being dropped, ski cutting and to some extent skier compaction.

[1wsguy]

This is a really good idea rideit. Any thing to help raise the awareness level. I would suggest right here to start. I think this would be an appropriate spot to see a sticky right here that links people to educational resorces, tutorials, videos, etc.

[Huckin eh?]

Maybe the ski manufacturers can include a coupon for 50% off the cost of an Avalanche skills training course
The ASTcourse is the first course in the CAA avalanche training system and it runs for 1 day (level 1) 3 day(Level 2).
Now if my recollection is right from when I did mine, in my town of Fernie, there are about 6 courses offered per year throughout the season. At 12 participants per course thats 70 people in Fernie educated per year.
My guess is there are a lot more people than that experimenting in the BC each year in Fernie.
2 things come to my attention.
There arent enough courses, and there are many snowriders who are on a skibum budget and cant afford a course no matter how innexpensive this deal sounds.

Somehow the message needs to get out louder and clearer.