A Guide to Avalanche Safety in Our Mountains
Play in the snow, and you must respect it. Utah weather can quickly dump large amounts of snow, and then go weeks before adding any more. When the next storm cycle swings through the state, it can deposit another couple feet of the white stuff, forging an uneasy bond with the old, crusty snow. The result is a highly unstable snowpack and high avalanche hazard.
For the uninitiated, avalanches can occur in the most unlikely areas. A wet, heavy snow last winter unleashed a deadly slide in a small canyon not much more than a mile from Park City’s Main Street, killing a visiting snowshoer. Although it’s pretty unusual, avalanches also occur within ski resort boundaries, but usually only when triggered by patrollers doing avalanche control work. More predictably, slides are frequent after storms high in the backcountry traveled by skiers and snowshoers.
How can you prepare yourself? If you plan to spend a lot of time in the backcountry, sign up for an avalanche course. White Pine Touring (435.649.8710, www.whitepinetouring.com) offers entry level courses throughout the winter months, while more advanced courses are offered once each winter. Check their Web site for details. The shop also offers transceiver courses for those who equip themselves with these devices, a MUST if you venture at all into the backcountry.
If you’re planning even the occasional jaunt into the backcountry, take the time to learn about avalanche danger and what to look for in the terrain around you. Stay on groomed trails and try to avoid slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. The most dangerous terrain, according to the U.S. Forest Service, is a slope with a pitch between 35 and 45 degrees. Recent strong winds or heavy snows can also increase avalanche danger.
If you’re in a party and have to cross a steep slope, do so one at a time so if an avalanche is triggered, those not caught in it can perform a rescue. Try to avoid passing through gullies or tight canyons, and don’t cross cornices. If you are caught in a slide, use swimming motions to try and stay on top of the snow and work your way to the side of the avalanche.
Finally, before you head out, don’t hesitate to call the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center Hotline (435.658.5512 in Park City, 801.364.1581 in Salt Lake City and 801.378.4333 in Provo) for the latest snow conditions.
Your comments may be edited for brevity and foul language.