Avalanche Safety Information

While enjoying an exciting afternoon of skiing with your friends, you stop on a snow slope for a moment to catch your breath. Suddenly, you feel the snow beneath your feet start to crumble. Every year avalanches claim the lives of well over a hundred people who are out on the snow slopes throughout the world. Here is a collection of information including the conditions that cause avalanches, the types of avalanches, and several avalanche safety tips for anyone who plans to make an expedition to the snow slopes.

An avalanche can be caused by the weight of a person standing on unstable snow or occur naturally at anytime. However, there are some conditions you can watch for that may foretell an avalanche. Travel to, Vital Information on Avalanches and you'll read about three elements that combine to make an avalanche. Those elements are known as the Avalanche Triangle. They are snowpack, terrain, and weather. Observation of the Avalanche Triangle can help you to determine whether it is safe to be on the snow slopes. For instance, what is the appearance of the snowpack on the slope? If there is cracking on its surface that's an indicator of instability. Is the terrain full of gullies or depressions? Those formations are earmarks of an avalanche prone area. Has there been a sudden change in the weather such as a rise in temperature or a lot of wind activity? Both can signal avalanche conditions. These are predictors of avalanches and should be monitored by everyone on the slopes. For further signs of avalanche conditions, visit this informative site, The Elements of an Avalanche.

There are three types of avalanches. Travel to, Types of Avalanches and you'll find that the first type is a powder avalanche. Its picturesque name is deceiving. The snow speeds down a slope at over 250 miles per hour producing a billowing cloud. Trees, rocks, and other debris in its path are flattened. The second type is called a wet snow avalanche. Whenever melting takes place, weakness can occur on the surface of the slopes. The snow becomes increasingly unstable and breaks free, making its way slowly down the mountain. When the incredible amount of snow finally stops, it quickly melds together. The third type is referred to as a slab avalanche. It occurs when there are unstable layers of snow beneath the top layer. The top slab of snow cracks, eventually sliding loose making for a very dangerous situation. For a revealing look at the injuries and deaths suffered from 2008 to 2009 as a result of avalanches in the United States and Canada go to, Avalanche Related Casualties.

The most important safety tip for anyone out on the snow slopes is to be vigilant of the conditions around you. Of course, there are many other safety tips that a person can put into practice. Visit, Snowmobiler Safety, and you'll find suggestions especially for snowmobilers. One valuable tip you'll find there is that snowmobilers should always travel in a group with a leader chosen ahead of time. You'll find suggestions of what to do if the worst scenario occurs while you're on the slopes at, Steps to Take During an Avalanche. Safety equipment is a must-have when you plan a snow excursion. You'll find some equipment ideas at, Safety Equipment on the Snow Slopes. Another excellent resource for learning about rescue equipment is, Gadgets That Keep You Safe on the Snow Slopes.

For some additional information about avalanches and avalanche safety, visit:

Snapshot of an Avalanche You'll find amazing photographs of avalanches on this site as well as descriptions.

Fatality Statistics as a Result of Avalanches This site features statistics of the fatalities resulting from avalanches in the United States since 2006. In addition, there are reports and news stories to read about the events surrounding each case.

Avalanche Myths Debunked Avalanche myths are debunked on this site. It also includes a harrowing personal account of an avalanche survivor.

Whether you pay an occasional visit to the slopes or you're a devoted snowboarder, the more you know about avalanches and avalanche safety the greater your chances of having a safe snow trip.




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