Imagine hiking through a beautiful, snowy meadow. The sun is shining, and there is an open slope above you. Suddenly, you hear a “whump,” and you’re moving down the slope. Snow is everywhere. You don’t know which way is up. You are being tumbled over and over. You’ve just been caught in an avalanche.
Every year avalanches kill more than 25 people, according to statistics compiled by the Northwest Avalanche Center, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center and the Westwide Avalanche Network. As the snow keeps coming down in the mountains and more people head into the backcountry to ski or snowshoe, there are a few basic principles that can help keep you safe.
While traveling in the backcountry, people should keep the avalanche triangle in mind, said Michael Strong, the Outdoor Pursuits Program director. Weather, terrain and snowpack make up the three sides of the triangle. Each of these elements affect the stability of the snowpack. Travelers should be aware of current weather conditions as well as the weather conditions prior to the trip. They must also take into account the steepness of the slope and its orientation to determine the effects of wind and sun. Finally, they should look at the snow itself to evaluate its stability.
Before traveling in hazardous terrain, it is helpful to take a class in avalanche safety. Each winter, the Outdoor Program offers an evening lecture on avalanche safety. The Outdoor Pursuits Program also offers an in-depth class and outing to develop avalanche preparedness skills. Students spend time in the classroom learning more about the avalanche triangle and how to evaluate slopes. On the outing, students spend three days learning to use an avalanche beacon, the basics of rescue, safe backcountry travel and how to evaluate a slope using snow stability tests.
“The reason we have been offering this course is because it’s chock full of critical safety information for people who travel in the backcountry,” Strong said. “Safety information for people who travel in the backcountry is important to have because so many of our students go into the backcountry to ski and climb.”
The Allard and Casey Memorial Safety Library at the Outdoor Program was created for the same reasons. In November of 1995 two University students, Frank Allard and Michael Casey, were killed in a blizzard while climbing in the Three Sisters mountain range. The ASUO and outdoor gear sponsors came up with the money and equipment to offer safety resources and equipment for University students free of charge.
“If they had had a cell phone it’s possible they may been able to make a call out,” said Dan Geiger, the director of the Outdoor Program.
The library offers cell phones, avalanche beacons, avalanche probes, snow shovels, GPS units and two-way radios for University students. Students should call in advance to reserve the equipment and check on availability. It is common for students to check out equipment over breaks, said Suzanne Hanlon, the assistant director of the Outdoor Program.
However, an avalanche beacon isn’t a replacement for good safety skills, Strong said. Learn the basics about backcountry principles and always be aware the terrain around you. Don’t depend on technology.
“Simple things like that really make a difference,” Strong said.
Withstanding Mother Nature’s wintry wrath
Daily Emerald
January 24, 2006
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