Winter is here and with it came feet of snow! However exciting this may be, there are some adherent risks involved with the amount of snow this early in the season. In order to have a safe and fun time in the back-country we must take precautions. Whether you are an avalanche novice or expert, the Recreation.gov site suggests the following rules when in avalanche terrain:
- Never travel alone. Allow only one person at a time to cross avalanche terrain while others wait in a safe location.
- Make sure everyone carries avalanche rescue gear and knows how to use it.
- Finally, look for recent avalanches, which indicate the snow is unstable.
While these are some great things to remember, we could all benefit from the knowledge taught by professionals. Colorado Mountain College is offering courses next semester titled: Avalanche Awareness Level I and Avalanche Safety I. The goal of avalanche safety instruction is to help skiers and snowboarders make smart decisions in the back-country so they can minimize their chances of having to deal with an avalanche and know what to do in the event one occurs. For more information on this course and other outdoor courses offered by Colorado Mountain College please click here.
Let’s have a safe and fun winter!
Donnie Hagenbart
Program Coordinator
Jaywalker U
