Articles

Put your shovel in the snow!

This simple act could save your life. Pausing to assemble your shovel and dig a few scoops can sometimes reveal a hidden but, once exposed, obvious weak layer. Taking a few more minutes to perform an Extended Column Test (ECT) may give you strong evidence of unstable slopes. When conditions seem good most people have already made their decision to ski or not by the time they reach the top of a slope, but an ECT might change your mind and save your life. Conversely, if you decide to not ski because of dangerous conditions there is no need to dig. Regardless of experience, if we play in avalanche terrain we should hunt for instability.

There are no stoplights in the backcountry. The decision to ride into uncontrolled-avalanche terrain is a personal one with risks and rewards. Done correctly, pinning the throttle through a field of untracked powder or climbing a steep mountain face can produce unmatched excitement, but riding in avalanche terrain can produce severe and sometimes deadly consequences. A great way to increase the margin of safety in the backcountry is to reduce uncertainty about snowpack stability by gathering meaningful information that is relevant to the day’s riding plan.

By Karl W. Birkeland1, Edward Bair and Doug Chabot.

Conducting stability tests in avalanche terrain is inherently dangerous since it exposes the observer to the potential of being caught in an avalanche. Recent work shows that such exposure may be unnecessary since the results of extended column tests (ECTs) and propagation saw tests (PSTs) are largely independent of slope angle, allowing for data collection in safer locations.

What a year! Mother Nature was kind and gave us plenty of snow, about 140% of average. Snows came early and continued throughout. Skiing and snowmobiling were the best in years and the avalanche danger was the worst.

Winter is in the rearview mirror and spring is gaining momentum but we cannot forget about avalanches. As the seasons change so do the types of avalanches. There are two ways to trigger avalanches: stress the snowpack or weaken it. Dry slab avalanches are common in winter and occur when too much weight (stress) is added to the snowpack. Under a heavy load of new snow, windblown snow or skiers, layers collapse and avalanche from this added stress. In spring the snowpack loses strength and weakens when melting water breaks down snow crystals and provides lubrication between layers.

In a career of 15 years I have investigated a lot of avalanches. The most interesting ones are unintentionally triggered and are intriguing because they usually involve a series of decision-making failures only obvious in hindsight. This winter has been rich in such experiences. Folks have triggered many avalanches and a few have been caught and one died. Over President’s weekend three skiers were in an avalanche they triggered while skinning up Beehive Basin to the north of Big Sky. Small mistakes stacked up to create a potentially deadly situation.

I'm dreaming of fresh and stable powder when the alarm cuts through the early morning silence like a buzz saw. I quickly roll over and check my phone.

It's 3:15 a.m.

There is no hitting snooze for fear that I'll fall back into the grip of sleep. I will myself out of bed to start my day.

I envision that should I ever be buried in an avalanche my partner will locate me quickly, put together his shovel and dig like a maniac. He will be anaerobic, spittle drooling from his mouth, sweat burning his eyes and he’ll be puffing like a locomotive. His heart rate will be in maxxed, his face red and ears ringing. I know this because I carefully chose my backcountry partners. They will give 110% of themselves to save me if I’m buried. They are mentally, emotionally and physically tough.

From the time snow crystals fall from the sky to time they melt in the spring, the shape and structure of each crystal never stops changing. This is known as snow metamorphism. 

Snow metamorphism determines if individual snow crystals are rounding (becoming stronger) or faceting (becoming weaker). The relationship between snow crystals ultimately dictates what kind of layer, strong or weak, is formed. The interaction between individual layers determines snowpack stability.

For many resort skiers, the word “sidecountry” has become a standard definition of backcountry terrain adjacent to a ski area. Usually the acreage on the other side of the boundary is administered by the US Forest Service and the ski area becomes a convenient jumping off point to access public lands. In the last few years skiers have overwhelmingly embraced this access as the in-bound crowds ski up new snow at a ferocious pace. Untracked powder is a dwindling resource, an addictive drug, and access gates are the needle in a vein to a quick fix.