With winter now well and truly here, the Mountain Safety Council's Avalanche and Alpine programme manager, Andrew Hobman, discusses some avalanche awareness issues for back-country snow explorers.
We often hear the term "avalanche strike" used in popular media. Lightning, snakes and earthquakes unexpectedly strike, but avalanches generally do not. In more than 90% of all avalanche accidents, the avalanche is triggered by the victim or someone in the victim's party.
Natural avalanches do regularly happen, but there are always obvious signs leading into an avalanche cycle, like new or windblown snow, a rain event or intense sun.
Any slope with snow on it that is steeper that 25deg, has the potential to avalanche.
On a skifield, the Ski Patrol goes to great lengths to control the avalanche hazard by setting off explosives or closing terrain, but as soon as you step across the ski area boundary you are on your own. The good news is that it is possible to spend a lifetime of recreation safely in avalanche terrain, but it requires the knowledge to recognise this terrain and how to travel in it.
This knowledge can only come from some formal education about avalanches, getting current snowpack and weather information from people who know, and getting out and spending time in our beautiful mountain environments.
There are some basic rules that will greatly increase your safety and enjoyment if you are intending to travel in uncontrolled avalanche terrain. -
• Discuss your intentions with someone.
• Check the current weather and avalanche conditions.
• Know how to recognise dangerous avalanche terrain.
• Carry rescue equipment including a transceiver, shovel and probe.
• Know how to use this equipment.
So, before you go skiing off the back of a skifield, or hiking over a high pass, take an avalanche awareness or back-country avalanche course with the Mountain Safety Council and visit the website at www.avalanche.net.nz.
