How to Survive an Avalanche, and what to do. Avalanches can be highly dangerous. When traveling through an avalanche-prone area, you must understand how to avoid producing an avalanche, becoming trapped in an avalanche, and how to survive an avalanche. More importantly, know your terrain before venturing out. Learn everything you can about avalanches. Check the local avalanche prediction to see if an avalanche is expected. When traveling in avalanche-prone locations, you must be aware of terrain recognition, avoid avalanche areas, and plan your routes.
It is also advantageous to be knowledgeable about search and rescue tactics. Always have shovels, avalanche transceivers, and probe poles on hand. If you are unfamiliar with these terms, you should avoid going in avalanche-prone terrain.
What Exactly Is An Avalanche?
Avalanches are one of the most dangerous natural disasters in mountainous areas. They are unpredictable, and there is no way of knowing what might set them off or what they will do once they begin. This blog post will teach you everything you need to know about avalanches so that if you ever find yourself in this position, you’ll be better prepared!
Avalanche danger is greatest in regions where snow has piled heavily over the winter. This happens near ski resorts and mountain passes. Avalanche risk is also higher along rivers and lakes due to excessive rainfall and rapid moving water.
Types of Avalanche
Avalanches are classified into three categories. They can be caused by natural factors such as earthquakes or landslides, as well as man-made events such as rock slides or other human activities such as mining.
Loose Snow Avalanches.
Begin at a single location and expand out, adding and collecting more and more loose snow. They are caused by the weight of newly fallen snow succumbing to the pull of gravity. Usually occurs after cycles of heavy snow (approximately 10 inches or more of accumulation, or snow dropping an inch or more every hour), and is most common when heaped atop a smooth snow surface that has melted, thawed, and frozen. This surface offers a smooth, slick slope for new snow to run off of.
Slab Avalanches.
Are caused when densely packed snow pieces are not properly attached to the slope. The slope is likely to avalanche if there is a weak layer of snow on the bottom of a compact layer. The slab can be set off by forces such as the sun, wind, or a human.
Avalanche Sites.
Slopes range from 25 to 40 degrees. Specifically, slopes that face the direction of the wind. These receive heavier snow loads.
How to Survive an Avalanche?
Avalanches are every backcountry skier’s worst nightmare, but with a little luck and the right technique, you can survive to tell the tale.
Be Prepared
Before you even set foot on a mountain, you can take a giant step toward survival. Purchase and wear an avalanche beacon, which is a small radio that transmits your location to rescue crews.
Stay on Higher Ground
Swimming to the top of the avalanche is sound advice for avoiding becoming stuck under debris. You do not, however, need to be as graceful as an Olympic freestyle champion. If “swimming” is too difficult, “thrashing around violently so you don’t sink” would suffice. Simply do everything necessary to stay atop the cascading cascade.
Keep Your Hands Up
Keeping one arm over your head as the avalanche tosses you around may be easier said than done. The benefit of this approach is twofold: it will be easier for rescuers to notice you if your hand is poking out of the snow, and with luck, you’ll know which direction is up, which will be quite helpful as you try to dig yourself out.
Spit Out
Spitting is normally considered impolite. Spitting, on the other hand, can save your life if you’re caught under an avalanche. As soon as you come to a complete halt, work swiftly to create a space in front of your face. This pocket will not only allow you to breathe freely, but it will also allow you to spit. Take note of where gravity is pulling your spit, then dig in the other direction.
Keep your Cool.
Anyone buried by an avalanche will naturally become scared, but if you can keep your cool, you can survive. In most situations, patients have a 15-minute window to chisel out spaces to breathe beneath the snow. Panicking will make your breath faster and your window shorter, so work quietly on digging your way out. If you’ve worn your beacon, rescuers will hopefully arrive soon and pull you out of the muck.
How Should You Prepare for an Avalanche?
There are several ways to prepare for an avalanche; the more prepared you are, the better.
Take an Avalanche Training Course.
Taking an avalanche course will provide you with the necessary training to recognize dangerous situations and avalanche-prone areas. During the session, you will learn how to properly use safety equipment while on the mountain. Furthermore, first aid training can help you diagnose and treat hypothermia, traumatic injuries, asphyxia, and shock.
Have the Right Avalanche Gear.
A snow shovel, an avalanche airbag, a GPS for communicating coordinates, waterproof walkie-talkies, an avalanche probe, and a first-aid package are all required. You should also have an avalanche beacon, which will assist you in locating missing party members or assisting party members in rescuing you if you become buried in the snow. Not only do you need the right equipment, but you need also to start practicing with it before you go out. You don’t want to be trying to figure out what to do in a potentially life-threatening and stressful scenario. Having more contemporary equipment can help to reduce your risk of injury.
Before venturing out, check the daily avalanche risk.
Sign up to receive warnings from a nearby US Forest Service Avalanche Center. It’s possible that your neighborhood has a local warning system as well. Avalanche advisories are widespread, and snowfall, temperature changes, and wind can all modify stability within hours. In addition, keep an eye out for recent avalanche activity and other warnings to determine whether you should stay at home.
Avoid High-Risk Areas by Planning Your Route.
Even with the proper equipment and training, you should avoid high-risk locations. Avalanches are more common on slopes of 30 degrees or greater; consequently, you should plan to avoid these and other unstable places. Know the warning signals of heightened hazards so you can avoid them as well, such as shooting cracks across slopes and recent avalanches.
Have an Emergency Plan in Place.
You must have a backup plan in place. Wear an avalanche beacon to help rescuers find you. Always travel with a companion and have the necessary survival knowledge and training.
Conclusion
Although you can never anticipate when an avalanche will occur, knowing how to prepare for one, what causes one, and what to do if you are caught in one will boost your chances of survival. Avalanche preparation and safety should be practiced to maximize the likelihood that your winter adventure will be enjoyable and avalanche-free.
