Intro: This is the second
installment in our series on getting around in the backcountry. In this
discussion I am going to go over some basics. In the accompanying animation
you will find 'Five Red Flags in the Backcountry'. These are five conditions
or warning indicators that point to avalanche instability or hazard. If
you remember these five simple conditions and act accordingly you will
significantly reduce your exposure to avalanche.
I think it's safe
to say that in most instances of human triggered avalanche, one or more
of these conditions have been present. I have been in the backcountry
for over 25 years and I still rely on these Red flags as indicators of
risk, especially when more than one is observed. In this discussion we
are not trying to scare anyone away from the mountains. On the contrary,
we want to get the people who are into it started on learning solid backcountry
skills. With these skills, you'll know when you can go off, and be an asset
to your partners out there should something go wrong.
Discussion: To make this
information useful, you have to be honest with yourself and know your abilities
to forecast avalanche hazard, pick safe routes, and otherwise limit your
exposure in the mountains. In general, if you have years of experience
evaluating snowpack you'll know how to assess the hazard. You may even
be able to avoid the hazards some of these conditions indicate. If you
don't have extensive experience, and you observe any of these Red Flags,
it would be wise to go to the resort and let things settle. If you chose
to retreat to low angle slopes, like a backcountry jib hit, make sure they
are not exposed to hazard from avalanche slopes above. It is possible to
trigger slides above you from low angle, seeming safe slopes below.
Besides watching
out for these Red Flags, experienced backcountry users use a combination
of forecasting, snow-pits, and ski cutting to evaluate the snow-pack. We
will be discussing these in detail in later installments. We will also
delve more deeply into route selection and how to minimize your exposure.
In general when you are out there, especially after new snowfall, don't
jump right into big terrain. Evaluate the snowpack on small manageable
indicator slopes. Work up to bigger slopes only if conditions permit. Avoid
exposing yourself on big open faces unless you know conditions are stable.
Avoid skiing over convex, or blind rollovers, as it is a likely spot to
start avalanching. Don't ski above steep gullies or terrain traps where
avalanching snow could pile in deep, with you in it. And most importantly,
ski with at least one partner, one at a time.
A key skill in
using these warnings is to be observant. Always be looking around, especially
after fresh snowfall. Look at the hills on the drive up. Do you see natural
activity? Are there wind plumes coming off the peaks? Do you see wind sign
on the snow surface? Is it starting to get warm? Besides your own observations,
your most useful source of information is your local Avalanche Forecast
Center. They will give you accurate observations and forecasts to
base your day's activities on.
Once you have
gathered information and observed the conditions, the most important thing
is to act on this according to your abilities. The mountains aren't going
anywhere; don't let the desire for face shots, rad lines, or other agendas
get you into a deadly situation.
This discussion
is a major simplification of a complex topic. We still strongly urge anyone
who intends to use the backcountry to take an avalanche course. To learn
more about courses and your local avalanche forecast center, go to www.avalanche.org.
Real
Life:
Doug Coombs
and I wanted to have a go at skiing the North East Face of Mt. Owens in
Teton National Park. This is a classic, 4000 vertical feet, big mountain
test piece. It was early June and we hiked in the night before having a
brief camp before our 2:00AM departure at the base. After a sketchy traverse
over a raging creek on a fallen tree (in the dark), we settled into our
hike making pretty good time.
We reached
the base of the main upper face around sunrise. It had barely gotten below
freezing the night before so we were keeping an eye on how fast the temperatures
came up. We started hiking up a couloir at the base of the main face
and got about 400 vertical feet up.
Doug and I
have been on a few ski adventures together and trust each other's decision
making in the backcountry. With out really think much about it, I casually
mentioned that it was starting to warm too quickly and that the "prudent"
thing to do would be to turn around. Doug who was just about to say the
same thing, agreed. There was no long discussion, we simply put our boards
on and turned around. Not two minutes after Doug and I exited the outlet
couloir, the first wet slide of the day came pouring down the face and
over our tracks. Had we been on the face it would have been ugly.
This face continued to cycle wet slides the rest of the day.
This is an
example of observing the conditions and making decisions based on them.
In this case we had a rapid rise in temperature. The Red Flag was obvious
and Doug and I had the sense heed the warning and get out. I will admit
that it was our years of experience and trust in each other that allowed
us to so easily come to this decision. Turning around on a big project
is never easy. The slope avalanching after we retreated confirmed we made
the right choice.
This is an
example of a trip where the right decision was made. I'd like to say all
my trips were like that, but if you're out there a lot you're going to
make good and bad choices. A year or so later another backcountry rider
was on the same face in similar conditions and was caught in a slide. He
was severely injured, and toughed out a night outside all busted up. He
was rescued the next day.
