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Avalanche Awareness
The best way to avoid an avalanche is to be aware of
current avalanche conditions and take precautions to avoid them. Avalanches
occur when loose snow or a slab of snow starts moving down a slope.
Avalanches are triggered by a variety of slope, snow and weather conditions
but can also be triggered by human impact. Avoid steep slopes or
smooth, open slopes.
Avoid mountainous terrain after heavy snowfall or
prolonged periods of high wind. Do not cross steep side hills or narrow
canyons. The safest routes are on ridge tops and on the windward side. Stay
away from cornices. The next safest route is out in the valley, far from the
bottom of a slope. Slopes at angles of 28 degrees or greater are in great
danger of sliding.
Cross one person at a time. Never stop in the middle or
the bottom of a slope. Never travel above your partners!
Prepare for the worst. Have a rescue plan. Have each
member of the group carry avalanche gear. An avalanche beacon for each
member of your party can save lives. Carry a shovel and probe and know
how to use them! A cell phone is important to have, though it would take too
long for rescue members to arrive to rescue an avalanche victim. Your party
is the best source of saving a life.
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A reminder to anyone traveling backcountry
areas whether skiing, snowmobiling or hiking:
Remember the time of year, exercising all
back country cautions.
Take necessary equipment and survival
gear when venturing into the back country.
If you have a GPS and cell phone, be sure
to take them with you, but do not rely on them entirely for a safe rescue
if you find yourself in trouble or stranded.
Cell phones
should be kept close to your body & turned off to keep the battery full,
so it's not searching for a signal & running the battery down.
Avalanche
Transceivers and equipment, knowing what the avalanche conditions are, and
knowing skills to save lives are a must for everyone entering back country
riding or traveling.
Plan ahead. Make sure you know the area you are
heading into before heading into it. If you find yourself in trouble,
stop, take a look around you, and do not go any farther. The farther you
go the more complicated and dangerous it is to get yourself to safety,
also making rescue efforts more difficult and dangerous.
Make mental notes
in relation to any physical features or landmarks that would assist in
your rescue.
Make a plan, stick to your plan, narrow the riding area,
&
most of all...
let someone know
WHERE
you are planning to go!
To check avalanche
conditions,
here are some sites to look
at.
www.islandparksnow.net
www.mtavalanche.com/current
www.jhavalanche.org
North American Avalanche Centers Web Site
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Avalanche Survival
- Call out so other members of your party can track
your location.
- Discard all equipment and get away from your
snowmobile.
- Make swimming motions and try to stay on top; work
your way to the side of the avalanche.
- As you feel the avalanche slow, try to thrust your
hand or any other part of your body above the surface so you might be
seen.
- Before the snow settles, slip your arm in front of
your face to clear an air space.
- Try not to panic; you need to preserve oxygen.
If you are a survivor, you are a victim's best hope of
survival:
- Mark the place where you last saw the victim and
keep your eyes fixed on the moving mass of snow in which they are trapped.
- Search for the victim directly down
the slope from the
last sighted area when the snow stops moving. Use a ski pole or stick to
probe the snow.
- Stay with the victim unless help is only a few
minutes away; after 30 minutes, the victim has only a 50 percent chance of
survival.
- If the victim is found, treat for hypothermia,
suffocation and shock.
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Did You Know?
Avalanches travel at speeds up to 100 MPH
Most avalanches occur during or just after
big storms when the snow is too heavy to stick.
The deadliest "Slab Avalanches", are mostly
caused by snowmobilers or skiers being outside marked trails.
Ski Patrols use explosives to cause
snowslides, reducing risk of major avalanches.
Most avalanche victims die in half an hour,
many within five minutes.
In the US, there are about 20 deaths per
year due to avalanches.

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