AVALANCHE DESTRUCTIVE SIZE

Largest snow avalanche known. Could destroy a village or a forest area of 100 acres (40 hectares).

Could destroy a railway car, large truck, several buildings or a forest area of approximately 10 acres or (4 hectares)

Could bury and destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood-frame house or break a few trees.

Could bury, injure or kill a person.

Relatively harmless to people. Can knock a person over.

Avalanche destructive scale size can also be recorded in half steps. Ref. SWAG Snow Weather Avalanche: Observation guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States.

Use these for discussion and building mental margins.

SNOWPACK: The Backcountry is always telling us a story. Are you listening?

• What is our greatest concern with the Snowpack today and are those problems Specific, Widespread or Isolated?

• How will the snowpack be influenced by today’s Weather forecast and will we see any Red Flags?

• What Risk Management Strategy is our current Snowpack allowing; Avoidance, Mitigation or Acceptance?

• Where, when and why would we dig in the snow today? What are we ground truthing?

• What snowpack observations would cause us to alter our plan, avoid more terrain, or turn around completely?

WEATHER: Nothing that happens quickly in the mountains is ever good!

• How will today’s Weather impact our Terrain choices and our Tour Plan?

• How will today’s Weather impact our Group Communication and Decision Making? Will it cause us to make poor decisions, take shortcuts or act impulsively?

• What if the Nowcast is better or worse than the Forecast?

• Do we anticipate today’s Weather causing us to observe and check any Red Flag boxes?

• What is our Field Weather Observations plan? Where, when and how often will we observe?

TERRAIN: When Stability and Safety is the question, Terrain is the Answer!

• Are we able to Reduce or Eliminate our Exposure today by utilizing Terrain to our advantage?

• Will we encounter slope angles between 30 and 45 degrees, Terrain Traps, Objective Hazards, Trigger Points, unavoidable crossings or obstacles, and how will we manage that?

• What Safe Travel Techniques and Avalanche Terrain Exposure Margins will our group employ today? How will the Terrain influence those on the way Up and Down?

• How will the Terrain impact our Group Communication and Decision Making?

• In the field, “What’s my Elevation? What’s my Aspect? Am I in or near Avalanche Terrain?”

HUMAN: In uncontrollable environments, control what you can control: Yourself!

• What are our individual and group goals for today? Do they align?

• What is an acceptable level of risk for you and your group today? Do they align?

• How will we make Group Decisions today? It takes “All to go, and one to NO!” How will we give every voice the space to be present and heard?

• What are you and your group’s non-negotiables and/or deal breakers?

• What are WE missing and/or assuming? What is YOUR gut saying? How does the plan make YOU feel?

TOUR PLAN: By failing to plan, you are planning to fail!

• When and Where are we meeting and how are we getting to the trailhead if it’s not there?

• Estimated time for all legs of our Tour Plan for the way Up and Down. Don’t forget to incorporate ample time for breaks, Group Communication and Decision Making!

• Decide a realistic Departure and Return time that all group members can agree on.

• Determine a No Later Than Turnaround Time for your group so you can return to the trailhead as agreed. Always allow ample time for things to go wrong in the descent!

• In the field: Ask yourself these three questions when you are facing uncertainty, “What can happen? How bad can it be? What do we do now?”

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN: There’s never an always, and always a never!

• Does our whole team have Avalanche Rescue Gear including a Beacon, Shovel and Probe? Does everyone know how to use that gear?

• Who in the team has medical training(CPR, WFR, WFA, etc.) and who will be carrying medical resources(medical and/or trauma kit, medications, etc.)?

• Do we have means to call for Outside Help(cell, radio, sat phone, InReach, SPOT, etc.)?

• If we do not have means to call for Outside Help can we survive an incident with the gear we are carrying? Do we have enough food, repair items, means to transport a victim, the ability to make water, fire and shelter if needed?

• Do we have Ingress and Egress points for all locations in the tour plan in case of emergency? Who knows our plan and our return time?