Avalanche Safety

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Avalanche Safety

• jae H. Roh
• jhroh_at_alum.mit.edu
• Winter School 2002

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staying alive

• avoid getting caught in an avalanche (recognize
  and avoid avalanche zones)
• if you get caught make it easy for others to find
  you (use a beacon)
• once you're found, get dug out (carry a shovel)

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How to die

• Physical trauma
• Suffocation by ice mask

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avalanche dynamics

• terrain
• Snowpack evolution
• precipitation/weather
• trigger - i.e. you!

5
equipment

• inclinometer
• Beacons practice using it!
• shovels
• probes - (body recovery)
• (avalung)

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Recognizing Avalanche terrain

• 30-45 degrees
• open slopes
• gullies
• open stands of trees

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White Mountains avalanche territory

• Mt. Washington Ravines, Huntington's, Tuckermans
• Gulf of Slides
• Other areas

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Getting Avalanche Forecasts

• USFS Avalanche reports
• http//www.mountwashington.org/avalanche/
• also posted at Pinkham Notch
• USFS Snow Ranger
• [phone]
• Today on Mount Washington
• Tuckermans Considerable
• Huntingtons Moderate

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Avalanche Hazard Ratings

• LOW
• MODERATE
• CONSIDERABLE
• HIGH
• EXTREME

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Obvious signs of avalanche danger are

• Cornices
• Fracture lines
• Audible "whump" or other settling sounds sound
• Feeling a settling or shifting of the slope
• Fresh avalanche activity
• Unstable layers in snowpack
• Dig snow pits, shovel test, ski test

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If you must cross an avalanche slope

• Cross one at a time and watch each other
  carefully
• Ski from one island of safety to the next
• Close up clothing and undo pack straps
• Remove pole wrist loops, safety straps, and
  loosen bindings

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If you get caught in an avalanche

• You must rescue yourselves!
• DO NOT just go for help it wont come in time.
• Buried victims have 20 minutes tops
• If your buddy is caught
• mark where you last saw them
• do quick visual search. anything poking out of
  the snow?
• Begin search down hill

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Learning More

• Books
• Snow Sense
• ABCs of Avalanche Safety
• Videos
• Courses
• Offered by SOLO, others