February 5, 2008
Avalanche knowledge understated
Mike Gerrity’s article on avalanches could have been more thoroughly researched. The UM student’s account of being in an avalanche was interesting and it was unfortunate that two people were caught in the slide. It reinforced the often repeated backcountry mantra of “one at a time.” Never expose more than one person when crossing or riding steep slopes. It’s great to have first-hand accounts of avalanche accidents, not to point fingers, but to learn from mistakes.
As of today, there have been 30 avalanche fatalities in the US this season, 41 in North America. The article reported 22 in the west. One fatality did occur in Colorado after the article was published.
The article stated the research behind avalanche behavior is fuzzy. This is not so. Avalanches almost always have obvious signs. They happen at particular times and in particular places for particular reasons. Natural avalanches occur because new or windblown snow overloads weak-layers or because of rapid warming, but there’s almost always obvious signs of instability by the time avalanches come down on their own. There is very good data on where, when and how avalanches occur. They are not random events. Well over 90% percent of avalanches that involve people are triggered by the victim or someone in the victim’s party. Our sister institution in Bozeman offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in snow science.
The article said that the lack of scientific study on avalanches is attributed to folks not living through the experience. Those who find themselves close enough to an avalanche to understand the dynamics do not die all the time; there is a plethora of strong academic study on the nature of avalanches. It is true that most of the people who get completely buried in an avalanche die, but this is seldom the professional researcher. It is a myth that there are no avalanche experts because they all get killed. It’s just the opposite. Skilled avalanche professionals enjoy a very low avalanche fatality rate compared to other groups. Less than one percent of all avalanche fatalities involve avalanche professionals.
What all this means is that with education and experience we can enjoy the winter backcountry and choose to avoid avalanche hazard. There is good information on the web, start with avalanche.org.
Dudley Improta
Asst. Dir. Campus Recreation
Part-time Observer and Forecaster, West Central Montana Avalanche Foundation
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