Avalanche educators grapple with social media influence on decision making

[philly552]

This is a really good thread guys. I'm fairly new to the backcountry but luckily I was brought into it by a someone who is very experienced and always puts safety first. Though I may be a greenhorn, I see the need for avy education rather than "getting footy for da boyz"

[SkyIsland]

Really? Where do you ski? Go take a look at tracks after a good weekend storm cycle in east vail and your perspective might change.

There's also the issue of where on social media people hang out. There's a desire to take nice photos or footage. There's also where someone discusses snow safety issues and gets input from. There are places on the web where people still get told to stick to skiing trees because it's safer there. The good sources of info aren't that hard to find, though, so the people reading do have the responsibility to choose wisely.

[ma921d]

There was a great presentation at ISSW and again at WYSAW regarding teens and avalanche education. Social media is a huge part of teens lives so just something to look into.