The Avalanche Journal: Volume 102 by The Avalanche Journal

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Teaching Human Factors 42 Glide Slab Avalanches 63

102 // W 2012-13

THE VOICE OF CANADA’S AVALANCHE COMMUNITY

Canadian Pacific has a long history of operating in the mountains and we have learned some important lessons about avalanche safety along the way. Safe operations through the mountains requires constant observation, collaboration and communications between our employees and the Canadian Avalanche Centre. Together we are making the backcountry a safer place to work and play. Learn more about avalanche safety at www.avalanche.ca.

ATHLETE TESTED FROM INCEPTION TO SHRED. The best innovations are born from experience. The North Face athletes are constantly pushing limits on the world’s most challenging terrain—areas often at the highest risk for avalanches. By working with Sage Cattabriga-Alosa and other team members, we built our most technically advanced backcountry pack ever. We started with our best—the Patrol 24. Trusted by athletes, guides and ski patrol, this proven design was seamlessly integrated with the ABS Avalanche Airbag System. The result is the revolutionary Patrol 24 ABS. More than our most innovate, capable backcountry pack—it’s a symbol of our dedication to never stop exploring.™

® PATROL 24 ABS AIRBAG SYSTEM ABS AIR CANISTER POCKET REINfORCEd hIGh-ABRASION zONES ON PACK fACE LARGE AvY TOOL ORGANIzATIONAL SLEEvES LIGhTwEIGhT BOMBASTICTM fABRIC hINChTM SKI/BOARd CARRYING SYSTEM

Follow the path of this revolutionary new pack at thenorthface.com/abs

British Columbia, Canada Adam Clark Photo

CONTENTS WINTER2012-13

Thank you to Kootenay Mountain Culture and Coast Mountain Culture for SUPPORTING OUR CAC MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

cover brad white // contents graham helfrick

in this issue first tracks

caa front lines 14 asps and professional practice 16 what dacums mean to itp 18 icar 2012 update 20 new kootenay pass gaz-ex 22 itp curriculum project final report 24 snow avalanche mapping goes digital 26 exploring membership benefits 28 polar peak 30 plas demystified 31 to be or not to be a caa reference 32 rope access for avalanche workers

cac know more 37 new additions to the cac board 38 brp avalanche awareness seminars 39 yamaha dealer avalanche awareness seminars 40 new sponsors bring sledder billboards 42 bringing human factors to ast courses 45 backcountry workshops a resounding success 46 caf news

avalanche community 51 rory fawcett awarded NSS award of excellence 52 avalanche accounts 55 new hgac partnership 56 new and improved swiss avalanche bulletin

research and education 60 cooling off - the relationship between cooling and avalanches 63 creeping on: glide cracks and glice slab avalanches 72 transceiver performance - when searching for multiple burials

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CAA Executive Director Joe Obad Acting CAC Executive Director Karl Klassen CAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CAC BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CAF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Robb Anderson Vice-President Aaron Beardmore Secretary/Treasurer Rob Elliott Membership Committee Chair Richard Miller Director for Professional Members Amber Wood Director for Active Members Scott Hicks Director for Affiliate Members Dave Dornian Director for Associate Members Debbie Ritchie

President Ross Cloutier Vice-President Dan Markham Secretary/Treasurer Kevin Seel Directors Robb Elliott Scott Hicks John Irvine Jim McAllister Curtis Pawliuk Sandra Riches Christina Tutsch Lawrence White Kevin Williams

President Gordon Ritchie Vice-President Jack Bennetto Secretary/Treasurer Ken Little Directors Keenan Cannady Kory Fawcett John Hetherington Morgan Hincks Colin Johnston Robert Kennedy Samantha Stuart David Thompson John Tweedy Kevin Williams

COMMITTEES CAA Audit Committee Steve Blake (Chair) Bruce Allen Jack Bennetto Phil Hein John Hetherington Bruce Jamieson Bill Mark Peter Schaerer Chris Stethem Niko Weis CAA Conduct Review Committee John Hetherington (Chair) Peter Amann George Field Brian Gould Ilya Storm Rupert Wedgwood

Dave Iles Joe Lammers Steve Morrison Bernie Protsch Craig Sheppard CAA Technical Committee Cam Campbell (Chair) James Floyer Bruce Jamieson Dave McClung Bob Sayer Rob Whelan Doug Wilson

CAA Membership Committee Richard Miller (Chair) Mark Austin Rod Gee CAA Education Committee Mike Koppang Steve Conger (Chair) Yvonne Thornton John Buffery Cam Campbell CAA Professional Sylvia Forest Practices Janice Johnson Committee Bob Sayer Aaron Beardmore (Chair) Iain Stewart-Patterson Doug Wilson (Co-Chair) Steve Conger CAA Explosives Committee Rod Gibbons Scott Aitken (Chair) Bruce Jamieson Jim Bay Greg Johnson Todd Guyn Alan Jones Kyle Hale Mark Klassen

Tony Sittlinger Mark Vesely Rupert Wedgwood InfoEx Advisory Group Brad Harrison (Chair) Jim Bay Todd Guyn Rowan Harper Anton Horvath Karl Klassen Niki LePage Tanya McKinney Joshua Milligan Brian Webster CAC Training Committee Terry Palechuk (Chair) Ross Cloutier Jesse de Montigny Craig Hollinger Ken Lukawy Mitch Sulkers CAC Snowmobile Committee Jason Smith (Chair) Chris Brookes Colin Burke Jeremy Hanke Erin Hart Al Hodgson Ray Mason Curtis Pawliuk Deb Paynton

Carole Savage Joel Wasnidge CAC Youth Committee Sandra Riches (Chair) Bridget Daughney Ken Gibson Karilyn Kempton Graeme Marshall Curtis Pawliuk Christina Tutsch Chloe Williams CAC Membership Committee Jim McAllister John Irvine Kevin Williams Lawrence White CAC Governance Committee Dan Markham Jim McAllister Lawrence White Ross Cloutier CAC Finance & Audit Committee Kevin Seel (Chair) Mike McMynn Brendan Vu CAC Marketing & Business Development Committee Dan Markham (Chair) Jennifer Grant Julia Lovecchio

Interim CAA Operations Manager Stuart Smith Communications Director Mary Clayton Comptroller Janis Borden Bookkeeper Debbie Garneau Information Technology Director Kristina Welch ITP Manager Emily Grady ITP Student Services Audrey Defant ITP Logistics Kathy Bellis Marketing & Special Events Jennifer George Managing Editor Karilyn Kempton CAC Program Services Nancy Geismar Publications & Properties Brent Strand Public Avalanche Warning Service Manager Karl Klassen Public Avalanche Forecast Coordinator Ilya Storm Public Avalanche Forecaster & Special Projects Cam Campbell Public Avalanche Forecasters Mark Bender, James Floyer, Penny Goddard, Grant Helgeson, Joe Lammers, StĂŠphanie Lemieux, Peter Marshall, Matt Peter, Tom Riley, Shannon Werner Field Technicians Justin Abbiss, Jen Coulter, Gord Ohm, Eirik Sharp, Scott Stewart, Dave Tracz Reception Dee Dee Eresman Software Developer Ben Shaw CAC Youth Program Coordinator Bridget Daughney

Only the combination of an R.A.S. backpack, PULSE or ELEMENT Barryvox® transceiver, avalanche probe and shovel allow users to quickly locate and rescue an avalanche victim in an emergency.

Removable Airbag System R.A.S. Don’t Get Buried! Whether for freeriding, backcountry skiing or snowboarding – with the R.A.S. Snowpulse Airbag technology – Mammut is offering a removable avalanche airbag system for all R.A.S. compatible Mammut backpacks, allowing you to switch one airbag between multiple packs or use it without the airbag as conditions dictate. In the event of an avalanche, the airbag significantly increases your chances of staying near the surface of the snow, greatly reducing the burial time and increasing your chance of survival. Choose a model from 18l to 45L for your next backcountry adventure. Compact. Lightweight. Versatile. www.mammut.ch/airbags available at: Coast Mountain Sports – Whitehorse / Escape Route – Whistler, Squamish / Excess Backcountry – Whistler / Gear Hub – Fernie / Guide’s Hut – Fernie / High Country Sports – Cranbrook / Rivers, Oceans and Mountains – Nelson / Selkirk Sports – Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Golden / ROAM – Nelson / True Outdoors – Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon, & Penticton / Valhalla Pure Outfitters – Courtenay, Nanaimo, Nelson, Revelstoke, Smithers, Squamish, Vancouver, Victoria/Landford /

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Working Together

Karilyn Kempton Managing Editor

This issue, we’d like to thank Larry Stanier for putting together a feature on glide cracks and glide slab avalanches. We would like to hear from you on this topic, and on his next two features—cornice avalanches and serac avalanches. If you have a case study, story, technique or picture regarding cornice or serac avalanches, and/or control and forecasting, please email me at editor@ avalanche.ca or Larry at laristan@telus.net. What features would you like to see in upcoming issues of The Avalanche Journal? Did you see something at ISSW that struck a chord? Let us know. This journal runs on contributions from you, the members of the avalanche community—whether you’re in Canada or elsewhere in the world. Are you doing something innovative in your line of work? Are you finding new ways to reach people? Do you have ideas for where avalanche control, forecasting, education, outreach or any other topics can go? Please share. Many of you reading this are Canadian Avalanche Centre members by virtue of

Letter to the Editor

I wanted to include a comment to the Memoriam of Cora Shea. Cora was obviously a bright and gifted young woman who certainly had a positive affect on the current and future perspective that our industry has of the mountain snowpack and its active processes. Cora will be greatly missed. Condolences go out to her family, friends and professional peers.

being a CAA member. The CAC has started a membership drive and we would love your support in recruiting new Friends. We currently have about a thousand CAC members, and we know there is a potential for huge growth given the tremendous rise of backcountry popularity. Encourage friends, family members and co-workers who use any of the free CAC public programs to consider putting down $20 for a CAC Friends membership. It’s for anyone who feels like they have a stake in public avalanche safety in Canada. All new CAC members who join before December 31, 2012 will be entered into a draw to win a great four-season MEC Thor Windstopper sleeping bag, so get on it quickly. Membership funding supports public avalanche bulletins, outreach, education and new developments. Thank you for your ongoing support.

From the Fernie Alpine Resort avalanche safety program.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses, change of address and subscription orders to: Canadian Avalanche Association PO Box 2759, Revelstoke BC V0E2S0 Email: publish@avalanche.ca Publications Mail Agreement No. 40830518 Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index ISSN 1929-1043

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Contributors

J端rg Schweizer After graduating in environmental physics and completing a Ph.D in Glaciology, J端rg Schweizer joined the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF in Davos. He still has fond memories of his one-year stay in Canada in 1995-96. He has made numerous research contributions in snow mechanics, avalanche formation and forecasting, was responsible for the education of avalanche professionals and has been an expert witness in many court cases. He is presently the head of SLF. 68 glide avalanches Revisited 72 transceiver performance

Keith robine Keith Robine works part time as a Mental Health Clinician for youth and families, and part time as an outdoor instructor/ski guide. A CAA Professional Member, Keith has been teaching avalanche education in Colorado and BC for 21 seasons. In an average winter, Keith teaches 8 or 9 AST courses, guides for Big Red Cats, and leaves time to ski with family and friends. He lives in Rossland, BC with his wife and two daughters. 42 bringing human factors to ast courses

mark vesely Mark Vesely is a CAA Professional Member and has been active within the industry for 14 years. He hangs his hat in Fernie, BC, where he currently works as the Avalanche Safety Program Director for Fernie Alpine Resort. Outside of work he can be found enjoying the outdoors whatever the season with his family and friends. 28 polar peak

penny goddard Penny Goddard is an avalanche forecaster at the CAC with a forecasting background from highways, ski areas and heli-skiing. She dabbles in guiding, instructing and expedition climbing, and recently got to enjoy her first summer in many years, chilling on Vancouver Island and getting to know her new baby daughter. 60 cooling off

emily grady Emily Grady is the Industry Training Program Manager for the Canadian Avalanche Association. When not in the Revelstoke office during the winter months, Emily can be found ski guiding, ski instructing, cross-county skiing, ski touring, or anticipating skiing with her little son Micah. What more to a Revelstoke winter is there? 24 digital mapping 16 What Dacum means 30 plas demystified

christoph mitterer Christoph Mitterer graduated from the University of Innsbruck with a degree in physical geography. He then moved from the heart of the European Alps and avalanche science and completed a Ph.D on the formation of wet-snow avalanches under the supervision of J端rg Schweizer at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF. He is presently a postdoctoral fellow at SLF. 68 glide avalanches Revisited

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front lines 18 icar 2012 update John Buffery reports back from Poland

26 polar peak What Fernie's new lift means to the resort

in this section 10 president and executive director reports 14 asps and professional practice 16 what dacums mean to itp 20 new kootenay pass gaz-ex 22 itp curriculum project final report 24 snow avalanche mapping goes digital 26 exploring membership benefits 30 plas demystified 31 to be or not to be a caa reference 32 rope access for avalanche workers

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silas patterson

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CAA President’s Message The importance and value of mentorship can’t be overstated. The ITP training structure provides students with very strong skill sets and industry standards, but an avalanche professional requires mentorship by peers to really excel and achieve a high level of mastery in our diverse and challenging industry.

Robb Anderson CAA President

Mentoring is a personal development process based on relationships and communication. However, true mentoring is more than just answering occasional questions or providing ad hoc help. It is about an ongoing relationship of learning, dialogue, and challenge. Over the last 31 years, a core of avalanche professionals has helped to shape the CAA and avalanche community. Many of those senior avalanche professionals have already retired or are in the twilight of their careers. A demographic shift is taking place, where the younger generation is starting to fill some of these senior positions. Senior CAA members should make a concerted effort to mentor younger up and comers, though those less experienced members must also seek mentorship. If you can provide real mentorship and create a positive learning environment, not only will your staff excel, your job will become easier. In my experience, true mentorship opportunities come from leaders who have enough trust in their staff to put them in the “hot seat”—trusting their decision making, and making positive suggestions when appropriate. It is critical to have experience in real, complex situations that have challenged you. Everyone makes mistakes and that is okay—the key is to make sure those same mistakes are not repeated. If they are, is it the student or the teacher? I had the opportunity to work for a true leader and mentor to whom I owe, in large part, my personal success. Confidence in myself and trust in my decisions were the most important mentorship values he awarded me. That confidence and trust needed to be earned, but I was provided the opportunity to earn that trust. I strive to provide my staff with similar trust and opportunity. I am still fairly new in my position managing the avalanche program at Kootenay Pass. I try to find a balance between giving my staff responsibility and micromanaging their decision making. Of course it all depends on his or her personal level of comfort and experience—everyone is different. However, I need to remember that at the end of the day I am ultimately responsible if something goes sideways.

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Mentorship often comes up in job interviews. Those lucky enough to have had a supervisor who provided meaningful mentorship opportunities generally do far better. Providing someone with opportunity not only builds your confidence in their abilities, more importantly it builds their confidence in their own abilities. They realize “I can do this; I’ve seen this before.” The real benefit for me is that I can sleep all night without getting up to check the Pass (at least not every hour). My staff have proven they can deal with complex situations and their hazard forecasting is right on. My growing confidence makes my job easier and greatly reduces my stress level. I have found that if people are given the opportunity, they will rise to the challenge and exceed expectations. Our industry is going through some change. There are also some new and exiting opportunities in the resource sector. As the avalanche industry continues to evolve, avalanche professionals must actively take a role in the mentoring process. This can take many forms, formal or informal. Just sending a professional and positive message to students and colleagues can inspire others to achieve more. Leadership is not a position, a title, or personal accomplishment. Leadership is presence, commitment, and a capacity to encourage, support and guide other people’s strengths. Regardless of our position or role in life, from time to time we are called upon to reach deep down and make a commitment to helping others grow. This is the heart of authentic leadership. At the end of the day we are looking after the future of our industry. All of us have an interest in ensuring that outstanding reputation and position as world leaders in avalanche education and safety continues to grow. Enjoy the winter. Hope your turns are deep and many.

. . Robb Anderson, CAA President

for the love of snow pour l’amour d’la neige

facebook.com/alpineclubofcanada twitter.com/alpineclubcan www.alpineclubofcanada.ca info@alpineclubofcanada.ca | 403 678 3200

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CAA Executive Director's Report Opportunity through Excellence

Joe Obad CAA Executive Director

This fall I attended two key conferences on behalf of the CAA: the International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) in Anchorage, Alaska, and the International Commission for Alpine Rescue (ICAR) in Kryinca, Poland. Much of the international community continues to view the CAA as setting the bar. At both conferences, representatives from several countries were highly appreciative of Canada’s collaborative approach to InfoEx and the Industry Training Program. ITP manager Emily Grady and I continue to discuss ways to invite more nations to license ITP curriculum. A consistent theme was that CAA has set the standard that many—perhaps most—countries aspire towards. It speaks volumes to the quality of the CAA’s members, board members, instructors and staff. Excellence creates opportunities, but it also creates new obligations. Initiatives that were leading edge several years ago may be merely adequate today, and out-dated tomorrow. The CAA’s tradition of striving for excellence must continue. This places burdens on all of us in different ways. Some of these burdens are self-imposed: we strive for excellence because we believe in it. Other burdens result from external pressures like regulators, clients or insurance companies. While it can be frustrating to continually pursue new standards and initiatives, recognize that today we stand on the shoulders of previous work. To maintain the CAA’s standards of excellence requires leadership from today’s members, board and staff to create opportunities for future members. In this light, it is worth noting some of CAA’s goals for this year. Membership Membership is the core function of the CAA. As members seek to demonstrate their skills and experience to employers, client and regulators, CAA membership indicates capabilities. Member audits ensure that CAA members can demonstrate the demands that excellence require. Audits by the membership committee compel individual members to demonstrate their activities, currency and continuing

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professional development. This is important to all members. We thank the membership committee for working through this year’s audits, and the audited members. In the long term, audits will change to respond to the work done by the Professional Practices committee. The ProCom is tasked with articulating the standards and the scope of the profession, and helping members define their individual scope of practice. This work may place new or different responsibilities on members, and is essential to define a clear role for avalanche practitioners in Canada. Membership chair Rocket Miller has a detailed piece on member benefits in this issue (page 26), complemented by a ProCom update (page 14). Industry Training Program The curriculum development project brought considerable change to ITP. This $150,000 investment from the CAA’s intellectual property development fund responded to student, instructor and industry feedback to review, standardize, reorganize, and update courses over and above yearly updates, and ensure greater continuity between courses. The executive report is available in this issue (page 22) and on the Members Only website. This project ensures that ITP courses will continue to be held up as standard, creating opportunities for students nationally and globally. InfoEx and the TecTerra Project Through a partnership between the CAA, CAC and Tecterra, we have secured at least one million dollars to upgrade InfoEx and add geospatial features members have asked for. A subscription to InfoEx demonstrates a commitment by operators in avalanche terrain to using the best available data to assess the risk facing clients, co-workers, recreationists and others. The CAA's current InfoEx database has reflected the art of the possible with funds available over the years and subscriber input through the InfoEx Advisory Group. Through subscriber consultation, this project will develop interfaces appropriate to scales of operations; consolidate InfoEx’s

subcomponents into a single, robust platform requiring less maintenance, with fewer outages; and provide a geospatial layer to allow subscribers to visualize info spread across various text fields. We call InfoEx the “industry standard for and extraordinary industry.” A robust, stable InfoEx will alllow subscribers in turn to meet the needs of their clients and stakeholders with greater confidence. This brief survey of our work shows a continuation of the CAA’s tradition of excellence. With the combined efforts of members, committees, the board and staff, we look forward to meeting these challenges and others.

Joe Obad, CAA Executive Director

OUTDOOR RESEARCH® PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE CANADIAN AVALANCHE ASSOCIATION. Photo // Grant Gunderson / OR Zack Giffin

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safety in place before work occurs in avalanche terrain. In the guideline to the regulation, WorkSafeBC is clear that employers are required to have plans in place for controlling hazards and that qualified persons should produce these plans. CAA members are encouraged to review the guideline; it can be found on the WorkSafeBC web site. Despite the suspension of 4.1.1, when a workplace is in avalanche terrain the employer is still required by the Workers Compensation Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation to ensure that workers receive the necessary information, instruction, training and supervision to safely work in that terrain. Outside of Section 4.1.1, the regulation does not specify the need for an “Avalanche Safety Plan.” However, CAA members and employers have embraced the concept of Avalanche Safety Plans as the means of meeting the requirement to have plans in place. Having an Avalanche Safety Plan is now an established practice, and the Avalanche Safety Plan has become the key document employers use to show a diligent approach to safe work in avalanche terrain.

bill mark

ASPs and Professional Practice The Professional Practices Committee The CAA Board of Directors Understanding WorkSafeBC as it applies to our practice today (plus a glimpse toward the future). As CAA members are aware, the Section of WorkSafeBC’s regulation that specifically deals with the protection of workers in avalanche terrain was put on hold on September 1, 2011. Through a WorkSafeBC Vice President’s Directive, Section 4.1.1 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation will not be enforced until a regulatory review has been completed. That regulatory review is intended to address stakeholder concerns and will result in changes to what is now Section 4.1.1. Are Safety Plans Still Required? The WorkSafeBC Vice President’s Directive does not mean that employers are no longer required to have plans for avalanche

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Who Can Review or Approve Safety Plans While the WorkSafeBC regulatory review process is underway, the very specific qualifications for those who review or approve Avalanche Safety Plans will not be enforced. During the period of regulatory review, the definition of “qualified” from Part 1 of the WorkSafeBC regulation is still in effect and should be carefully considered by CAA members. Please read the definitions for more information. With Section 4.1.1 in abeyance and undergoing changes, employers and practitioners both need to know who is qualified to review or approve an Avalanche Safety Plan. Working from the definition of “qualified” in Part 1 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, it is reasonable to believe that it is up to the individual CAA member to determine if he or she is “knowledgeable of the work, the hazards involved and the means to control the hazards, by reason of education, training, experience or a combination thereof.” When CAA members decide to undertake any specific assignment, they should carefully consider how they would demonstrate that they have the appropriate training and experience. For instance, eligibility for entry into each CAA membership category is based on training and experience. Each member, through their association membership category, is able to demonstrate they meet the minimum training and experience required to enter his or her particular membership category. Member efforts to increase knowledge and experience are also demonstrated by ITP course completion and Continuing Professional Development activities. The CAA continues to support the longstanding practice of self-assessment of capabilities supported by the CAA bylaws

and Code of Ethics. All CAA members will remember the admonitions of their ITP instructors from the very beginning of their CAA avalanche training: “Don’t take on responsibilities that you are not prepared for by both training and experience.” Obtaining experience takes time. The CAA Code of Ethics is also very clear in this area and explicitly directs members to ensure they are capable and have both the knowledge and practical experience needed before they take on a specific piece of work. Continuing to support self-assessment of competency is also supported by the work currently underway through the CAA Professional Practices Committee (ProCom). Progress of the Professional Practice Committee At the 2012 CAA AGM, the ProCom presented an overview of the work they have begun that is intended to support and empower CAA members in their career development. This includes enabling members to take a judicious approach to identifying an individual scope of practice based on the principles mentioned earlier. Part of the ProCom's work is to develop and promote an expanded understanding of those principles. Work in this direction takes time, but the timeline for accomplishing specific parts of the work is intended to align with the WorkSafeBC regulatory review process and prepare the CAA for participation in that review and the regulatory change process. It is commonplace for professional associations to have professional standards to guide members. Currently, the ProCom is producing a set of CAA professional standards that will assist members with decision making related to their proficiency to undertake specific work. Furthermore, this guidance will help members make decisions similar to those voiced earlier in this update.

Professional standards can be defined as a set of performance expectations that reflect the values of the profession as well as the expectations that the profession and society have of the members. Along with developing professional standards, the ProCom will develop a guideline that will enable members to interpret and apply the professional standards. A clear understanding of the

Employers and practitioners both need to know who is qualified to review or approve an Avlanche Safety Plan. professional standards is required by CAA members as part of the framework that will support the scope of practice guidance that the ProCom plans to develop. As reported at the AGM, there are two aspects to scope of practice: scope of the professional and individual. First, the overall scope of practice of the profession is the full spectrum of roles, functions, responsibilities, activities and decision-making for which individuals within that profession are educated and competent to perform. Some standards, limits and conditions of practice may also be identified in scope documents. The second aspect to scope is the individual scope of practice, sometimes called the scope of work. The ProCom

intends to build and implement processes that will support the individual member’s need to define the aspects of the overall scope of the profession he or she is trained and competent to undertake as his or her individual scope. The process will empower members to diligently chart the course of their careers; as their experience and training grows, they will be able to appropriately expand their individual scope. Summary This update has provided guidance to members on questions that stem from WorkSafeBC halting enforcement of Section 4.1.1 while the regulation is undergoing revisions. It also reaffirms the responsibility of CAA members to know the legislation under which they work, and the Code of Ethics that they are bound to uphold. When reflecting on the competence required in undertaking a particular assignment CAA members are asked to consider how they would demonstrate that they have gained the appropriate level of knowledge and experience. The initial goals of the ProCom discussed above will require help from the board, the CAA staff and from other committees, and ultimately the membership as a whole. The ProCom is actively engaging these key connections. Watch the member newsletters for further updates as the work progresses. Links: www2.worksafebc.com/ publications/OHSRegulation/Part4. asp#SectionNumber:4.1.1 www2.worksafebc.com/Publications/ OHSRegulation/GuidelinePart4. asp#SectionNumber:G4.1.1

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What DACUMs mean to ITP Emily Grady what is a DACUM and why is it important?

The word DACUM is derived from ‘Developing A CUrriculuM,’ and is a foundation upon which Industry Training Program (ITP) courses are built. A DACUM is a course profile that outlines the course goals and accompanying learning objectives. For each course goal, there are a number of learning objectives geared toward accomplishing that goal. Breaking it down further, a goal is a general description of what students will learn. A learning objective is a specific description of what the learner will be able to do with new competencies, knowledge and attitudes following instruction. Each ITP course has a DACUM. Here is an example from the CAA Avalanche Operations Level 1. A course goal is that by the end of the course/ lesson, learners will be able to collect and record snowpack data. In order to collect and record snowpack data, students must be able to meet the following learning objectives: observe and record snowpack layer boundaries; observe, classify and record layer properties; observe and record snowpack temperatures; demonstrate and record snowpack tests; plot snow profiles; and identify significant profile properties.

Fig.1: example of verbs used to describe different levels of learning based on the learning domain

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Learning objectives are usually listed in sequence; they may be listed from simple to complex, general to specific, or chronologically. The words used to describe goals and learning objectives are essential for indicating the depth of knowledge, skill or attitude expected. For instance, having to “observe and record” (Operations Level 1) is far simpler than having to “observe and evaluate” (Operations Level 2). Fig. 1 is an example of verbs used to describe different levels of learning based on three learning domains. A simplistic way of looking at these domains is to consider cognitive=thinking, psychomotor=doing and affective=feeling. Good learning objectives consist of observable behaviour (i.e. what the learner does in order to demonstrate what has been learned), are clearly defined (i.e. describing the performance expected of the learner at the completion of instruction), and are appropriate to the scope and scale of the course (i.e. expectations are reasonable given the course duration). From learning objectives come lesson plans, teaching activities, course schedules, and assessment methods, so you can see that they are truly the foundation for course curriculum and delivery. Industry representatives reviewed each and every course DACUM last winter during the curriculum development project. These were then sent to the CAA’s Education Committee for approval, so we now have current DACUMs that reflect industry needs. Be sure to look at your course DACUMs more closely the next time you are attending a CAA course. They provide a good outline of what level you are expected to reach by the end of the course, and show a clear progression of training from the CAA Avalanche Operations Level 1 to 3 courses.

ATTENTION: Avalanche blasting may require a Transport Canada approved Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) If you are avalanche blasting, you may be required to have a Transport Canada approved Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) to transport explosives, even if off-road, by snowmobile, snowcat or any other powered vehicle. An ERAP requires: •

emergency response advice first by telephone, then by an expert visiting on site;

•

specialized equipment; and/or

•

a response team to reduce the effect of the dangerous goods at the accident site.

When you transport or import dangerous goods, it is your responsibility to find out if an ERAP is required. To learn which explosives and quantities require an ERAP, please contact Transport Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorate by: •

telephone: 604-666-2955; or

•

email: pacific-pacifique@tc.gc.ca.

To learn more or to view sample ERAPs, visit our website at www.tc.gc.ca/tdg and click on Emergency Response Assistance Plans. ---------------------------------------------------

AVERTISSEMENT : Le déclenchement préventif d’avalanches peut nécessiter un plan d’intervention d’urgence (PIU) approuvé par Transports Canada Si vous effectuez le déclenchement préventif d’avalanches, vous pouvez être tenu d’avoir un plan d’intervention d’urgence (PIU) approuvé par Transports Canada pour transporter des explosifs, même hors route, au moyen d’une motoneige, d’une dameuse à neige ou de tout autre véhicule motorisé. Un PIU comprend : •

des conseils sur l’intervention d’urgence donnés tout d’abord par téléphone, puis par une personne experte présente sur les lieux;

•

le matériel spécialisé;

•

une équipe d’intervention capable d’atténuer sur place les effets des marchandises dangereuses.

Lorsque vous transportez ou importez des marchandises dangereuses, il vous incombe de vérifier si un PIU est requis. Afin de savoir quels types et quelles quantités d’explosifs nécessitent un PIU, veuillez communiquer avec la Direction générale du transport des marchandises dangereuses de Transports Canada : •

par téléphone : 604-666-2955;

•

par courriel : pacific-pacifique@tc.gc.ca.

Pour en savoir plus au sujet des PIU ou pour en voir des exemples, visitez notre site Web au www.tc.gc.ca/tmd et cliquez sur plans d’intervention d’urgence.

caa front lines

ICAR 2012 Update John Buffery

I was honoured to represent the Canadian Avalanche Association on the Avalanche Commission as a part of a strong Canadian delegation to the 64th International Commission of Alpine Rescue (ICAR) conference in Krynica, Poland from October 2 – 7, 2012. ICAR is a conglomerate of 65 delegate organizations from 32 countries. There are four commissions within ICAR: Air Rescue, Terrestrial Rescue, Avalanche Rescue, and Alpine Medicine. Each commission has a body of highly experienced rescue practitioners that focus on current issues in their respective fields of expertise. Additionally, each ICAR membership is comprised of four delegates, one representing each commission. In recent years, Parks Canada has organized a four-person Canadian delegation. Clair Israelson and then Ian Tomm both sat on the Avalanche Commission at these gatherings for the CAA, setting the stage for sharing knowledge with the world’s leading alpine rescue specialists. The CAA is well represented by Professional Members. Parks Canada’s Mark Ledwidge is Vice President of the Air Rescue Commission. Mark has been working at these meetings since 2002. Dr. Jeff Boyd is Parks Canada’s delegate to the Medical Commission. In recognition of his skills, Kirk Mauthner was elected Vice President of the Terrestrial Commission. The day before formal ICAR meetings began, we spent a full day at a craggy cleft observing high end, intense demonstrations on a wide variety of rescue practices. The Air Rescue Commission from the Polish Mountain Rescue (GOPR) brought in two types of rescue helicopters, one of which is Polish-made but being phased out by the purchase of five smartly dressed EC 135s. There were even demonstrations of avalanche rescue techniques on this rainy day, one of them from long-time friend to the CAA Manuel Genswein. His prototype device can hone-in on a cell phone buried in an avalanche or similar debris. The technology that Genswein has developed appears solid. If search and rescue organizations could work with regulators

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and network providers, it may be possible to bring the device to bear on situations where subjects are buried but still have cell phones. Roughly speaking, the technology turns the cell phone into a beacon, and it may even be possible to modulate the phone’s power output to save it during the rescue. The range is roughly 25km and the search precision is approximately 30cm, so there could be a wide range of search and rescue applications. This is promising technology. On October 4, the commission kicked off in earnest. ICAR feels a bit like being at the United Nations; to exchange information between several hundred delegates in various languages, we all were equipped with headsets channeled to four separate translators delivering the presentation to the language of your choice. Canadians gave strong presentation in this forum. Vancouver-based Dr. Doug Brown presented the hypothermia research of doctors from around the globe, including Jeff Boyd. Their very practical findings will be published this autumn in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. Their paper "Accidental Hypothermia" defines the first algorithm (set of procedures) for hypothermia victims ever accepted by a major medical journal. Jeff has graciously offered to share context for these and other findings in forthcoming editions of The Avalanche Journal. In additions to the various commissions, a newly formed Accident Prevention working group gave their findings from their meeting in Austria. This group had strong support from Ian Tomm who worked extensively to help to convince ICAR that the Prevention group has deliverables worth integrating into all the rescue commissions. One key challenge identified was the notion of accident imports and exports. Canada imports victims—foreign nationals tend to get injured at a higher rate than Canadians. Countries like Sweden are exporters; that is, Swedes are injured in more accidents abroad than in Sweden, for instance. The commission canvased delegates about potential ideas for future direction to solve this and other challenges. The best received idea came from CAA

john buffery holding the directional antenna of the cell phone search system, while Manuel Genswein holds the control unit // joe obad

Executive Director Joe Obad, who offered the working group a concept for collecting and posting first responder information, Emergency Rescue Organizations, avalanche bulletins and weather information from all ICAR countries to address the import-export challenge. The idea will be evaluated over the coming year. On the first morning of meetings, the Avalanche Commission allocated each organization seven minutes to summarize the past year’s overview of avalanche fatalities. I presented in context with the average avalanche character of the winter. I shared graphs and charts showing all the users groups annually and over an average of 15 seasons, prepared by Ian Tomm. I also shared the past five year averages between backcountry self-propelled and snowmobiler fatalities. The other presentations varied from statistical approaches to in-depth reviews of specific incidents. Avalanche Commission Chair Dominique Letang of France concluded that next year presentations should arrive a month earlier— this way the chairman can allocate the appropriate time for all presentations, and allow for more substantive discussion. All of the commissions vary in their dedication to rescue practitioner issues and those affecting public policy issues and education. Currently, the Avalanche Commission is addressing public warning and education issues. I would like to work with

the commission to ensure each year addresses a balance of these needs. There were many interesting current event rescue presentations that had occurred quite recently, such as the Siachen Glacier avalanche that buried approx 140 Pakistani soldiers in April. We heard about the avalanche on Mont Blanc that involved 23 alpinists resulting in nine deaths this past July. Another presentation was provided to the commissionaires on September’s large avalanche on Mount Manaslu. We also heard a very touching story from the South Caucasus where glacial movement exposed the remains of several climbers missing since 1974—rescuers made several attempts to find them over the years and plan another rescue mission next year to locate a final body. It demonstrated the rescue community’s commitment to completing the job. This was my first ICAR meeting standing alongside several hundred seasoned rescue experts collectively exploring the improvements to create a safer rescue environment for all of us dedicated responders. The fascinating breadth of what has been done throughout the rescue world and where we can develop techniques maximize effectiveness is expanding. Our participation and affiliation with ICAR as a resource for what has been done and where we can grow is exciting, inspiring and available for the learning.

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Kootenay Pass Summer GAZ-EX Install

Jim Bay, Mike Boissonneault, Greg Johnson, Dean Muto, John Babineau, Cody Taylor, Robb Andersen, Wendell Maki, Rudy Huser, John Buffery and Phil Hein // Kootenay Valley Helicopter

Final stage of placing the new Gaz-ex cannon in Kootenay Pass // Mike Boissonneault

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Rudy Huser and Dean Muto working to secure the Imposing Mt. Mackenzie // bill eaton Gaz-ex cannon in place // Mike Boissonneault

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ITP Curriculum Project Final Report In 2011, Canadian Avalanche Association Industry Training Program Manager Emily Grady identified the need to undertake a wholesale curriculum review of the CAA ITP courses. Yearly updates had been conducted on the courses, but industry surveys and feedback from instructors and students indicated that it was time for the CAA to review, standardize, reorganize, and update the courses.

Janet Lemieux is the ITP Curriculum Development Project Manager and a Curriculum Specialist for the project

The courses were reviewed from their foundations up—from the course goals and learning objectives or DACUMs (Developing A CUrriculuM, see page 16). The CAA Board was able to set aside some resources for this large undertaking. Grady started by creating a Steering Committee of industry representatives to provide input on the type of curriculum changes they felt were necessary to update and improve the quality of the ITP courses. In July 2011, the Steering Committee met to review each of the nine course DACUMs and provide the CAA with insights and expertise. The course DACUMs reviewed were Avalanche Operations Level 1, 2, 3, Introduction to and Advanced Weather, Resource Transportation and Management (RTAM), Avalanche Control Blasting, Introduction to Snow Avalanche Mapping and Avalanche Search and Rescue Response (AvSAR). All major course changes and new course prerequisites are a reflection of discussion with the Steering Committee, students, instructors, and the Education Committee (note: the RTAM Field course was added to the list of courses during the winter of 2012). In the summer of 2011, the broad goals of the project were then established as follows: • Review and revise the course goals and learning objectives (DACUMs) and get approval from the CAA’s Education Committee. • Ensure all course resources clearly link to these revised learning objectives and goals. Course resources include: lesson plans; PowerPoint presentations; student readings; course manuals; and evaluation tools

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• Create consistent formatting and standardized organization of files and folders. • Improve the organization of instructor resources in Box.net. • Have curriculum specialists work with subject matter experts to help ensure learning goals and objectives are reflected in lesson plans, course manuals, PowerPoints and exams. Four subject matter experts (James Blench, James Floyer, Peter Marshall and Mark Bender) and two curriculum specialists (Mark Bender and Janet Lemieux) were selected from a posted job competition. With the project terms and goals defined, the project was handed off to avalanche neophyte Janet Lemieux during Grady’s maternity leave. Due to winter avalanche work, most of the project team members had small windows of time to complete their work—mainly September and October 2011 and May to July 2012. The project team members stepped up to the plate and, I believe, this spring and summer managed to exceed many of the target goals of the project. The project has been an interesting process—once course materials are examined with a critical eye, it becomes a little like Pandora’s box. A long, chaotic wish list appears, and activities that can be achieved within the project’s time and financial constraints must be selected and prioritized. The team has done its best to choose those tasks they felt were most feasible given the project constraints. The following is a quick overview of the chief project accomplishments. • All course DACUMs have been reviewed and approved by the Education Committee.

• All courses now have evaluation tools or exams. Pre-existing evaluation tools have been reviewed and updated. Detailed evaluation schemes and rubrics have been developed for Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and RTAM. We think these evaluation tools should provide much more guidance and consistency across courses and instructors. • The project team worked extensively on the weather courses. With the cooperation of Uwe Gramann and the hard work of Peter Marshall and James Floyer, the weather curriculum was integrated into set lesson plans and a brand new 140-page manual for both courses was created. This revised curriculum includes more class time for case studies and projects, and application exercises for homework. We believe the time, energy, and emphasis that the project team placed on the weather course reflects the integral role weather plays in understanding and predicting avalanches, a point underlined by the fact that the Introduction to Weather course will become a course prerequisite to Level 2 students in the 2013-14 season. • The project also focused on the Level 1 course as it sets the foundation for all of the Avalanche Operations and is the mostly highly subscribed course. Led by James Blench and assisted by Mark Bender, James Floyer and Janet Lemieux, all of the lesson plans were reviewed, sections of the course manual were re-written, and several lessons have been created to match the newly approved DACUM learning goals and objectives. Each lesson has a new look on the front page which we hope will help students to complete precourse readings and questions and elicit students’ previous knowledge. Instructors should notice that the new lesson plans and readings include hazard and risk nomenclature, link and build skills towards the Level 2 Module 1 course work, and reflect recent developments in snow science. • RTAM has been re-evaluated and updated in light of the Level 1 changes, and revised RTAM Field course testing has been integrated. The field module brings RTAM students up to the Level 1 standard of training. • A sound framework for course delivery has been established for the RTAM field course and its delivery approved by the CAA Education Committee. • Computer-based lessons in the mapping course have been developed with a corresponding establishment of a proper field site in the Nelson area. • A new Blaster’s logbook has been created. We hope students and professionals alike will appreciate the new design. • The Blasting manual has been updated to include the new WorkSafe regulations and procedures. • The Avalanche Search and Rescue Response (AvSAR) course, for this year, has been shortened to two days with the medical aspect removed. In response to industry’s request for a more professional and comprehensive rescue training, the AvSAR course will undergo further development this

year to become a prerequisite course for Level 2 Module 2 students in 2013-14. • Not a lot of time was spent updating the PowerPoints (PPTs) for courses for two reasons. First, we had limited time and many courses to review. Secondly, in our 2011 instructor survey, most instructors stated that they use the PPTs as a template or point of departure to customize their own lectures. Consequently, we felt that it would not be a wise use of project time to fine tune PPTs. Instead, energy was placed on reviewing the lesson plans to ensure they reflect changes in snow science and the newly approved DACUMs. • All website information has been standardized and updated to reflect the new DACUMs and course changes. • All Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) materials were standardized, reviewed, and updated to reflect course and dacum changes. Some additional recommendations were also passed on to the Education Committee. I personally would like to thank the main project team members for their extremely hard work and dedication and would also like to recognize the support and assistance of many others. This project’s success would not have been possible without them: Dave Smith, Amber Woods, Keyes Lessard, Marc Deschênes, Uwe Gramann, Matt McDonald, Randy Stevens, the CAA Education Committee, the CAA Board, and the CAA staff (special mentions to Joe Obad, Kristin Anthony-Malone, Stuart Smith, Brent Strand, Bridget Daughney, Amanda Austin and Emily Grady).

New Blaster’s Logbook Another outcome of the Industry Training Program’s curriculum development project is a new and improved Blaster’s Logbook. This was produced with input from the CAA Explosives Committee, Daryl Melquist (WorkSafeBC), and several end-users. The book includes enough entry pages for 35 missions and up to 315 shots, with three notes pages at the end. Price is $20 plus taxes. To order please call the CAA office at 250-837-2435.

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An avalanche path outlined in Google Earth and an internet mapping site.

Snow Avalanche Mapping Goes Digital Emily Grady This fall, the Industry Training Program incorporated present day technologies into a new digital mapping day into our Introduction to Snow Avalanche Mapping course. “It wasn’t long ago that one needed a GIS specialist and expensive software to perform simple mapping tasks,” notes instructor Keyes Lessard. “These days, mapping resources are much more accessible and it is becoming expected avalanche professionals know how to use them.” With this in mind, we developed the computer-based mapping day. The digital mapping day occurs mid-way through the mapping course so that students have already learned how to identify terrain using air photos as well as in the field. Students are then introduced to appropriate roles for computer-assisted technology in computer mapping. By the end of digital mapping day, students should be able to: • Collect and transfer Global Positioning System (GPS) data (waypoints, tracks, and polygons) to be used for mapping purposes.

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• Download and upload GPS data using Google Earth and DNRGPS (an open source software used to transfer data between Garmin GPS devices and Geographic Information System (GIS) software). • Discuss the benefits of Google Earth and other software for avalanche mapping. • Produce field maps using iMapBC (a free map viewing tool that can be used to put together map layers of interest, upload map data, and produce maps. • Explain the limitations of computer-based mapping technology. Thanks to the Selkirk College Castlegar campus, School of Environment and Geomatics for providing us with the computer lab and GPS units; the efforts of James Floyer, the subject matter expert who helped to get the idea off the ground; Marc Deschênes, for assisting with the field site location and lesson plan; and Keyes Lessard, for creating the digital mapping day lesson and teaching our unruly bunch. There is a great deal of potential for continued development in this area and we hope to see the digital mapping day offered as a Career Professional Development (CDP) opportunity. Until then, consider signing up for the Introduction to Snow Avalanche Mapping course.

So what did our guinea pigs for this new component have to say? The testimonials were overwhelmingly positive: “The digital mapping day was excellent. Some formal instruction on Google Earth, coupled with GPS line work and polygons, formalized techniques I have been playing with for a while. Definitely a good day.” Jeff Honig, ACMG/ IFMGA Operations Manager, Selkirk Tangiers Helicopter Skiing “As both an Avalanche and GIS Professional, it is my opinion that students taking this course benefit highly from exposure to digital mapping techniques. This experience will allow students to gain a more in depth visualization and understanding of the terrain while planning field sessions, be more efficient in their collection and sharing of data, and produce cartographic maps with better accuracy using cost-effective media. By continuing to teach these techniques, students are able to stay current with industry mapping standards used around the world this day and age.” Adam Naisbitt, AAA Professional Member, Alta, UT “It is great to see how the curriculum is evolving to include some of the newer tools that are available for this type of work. I think your team of instructors were fantastic and that Keyes and the facility at Selkirk College were great additions.” Kevin Maloney Avalanche Technician, BCMoT Avalanche and Weather Programs, Kootenay Region

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Exploring Membership Benefits Richard "Rocket" Miller Ask not what you can do for the CAA, but what the CAA can do for you (apologies to JFK). I just renewed my subscription to Sports Illustrated magazine. They throw in a garment as a benefit—this year I chose a Washington Redskins windbreaker because I like the looks of their rookie quarterback. But unlike a free windbreaker I could take or leave, CAA membership has benefits and responsibilities that are essential to a strong career. As I have become increasingly involved with the Membership Committee, I can speak confidently about the benefits of membership. For me, it started with CAATS, the predecessor to Industry Training Program (ITP). The people I met made a lasting impression and clarified my career path. ITP has produced avalanche professionals of the past, present and future. OGRS, The Observation Guidelines and Recording Standards is the Siamese twin of ITP, and the CAA created these foundational elements. Through ITP courses and experience, one becomes eligible for membership and its benefits. These membership categories represent standards set by us collectively in the CAA –they allow us to demonstrate our professional capabilities, and are recognizable anywhere in the world. CAA committees help ensure your career in the avalanche world is sound—they include the Education Committee, Membership Committee, Professional Practises Committee and Technical Committee. These volunteers represent all CAA members and act in our best interests because they believe passionately in the CAA: holding up the rigor of our training; compelling members to demonstrate their currency and development; and working to find a strong place for CAA professionals in a web of regulators and other professions. Read the ProCom article in this volume about their work regarding standards in professional practise. For anyone working in avalanche terrain, ProCom’s work defining the future of the profession may be reason alone to sign up for or renew CAA membership. The MemCom spends time with membership applications and audits. Audits ensure our present membership remains true to our word. Audits affect more than the member audited—each audit signals our integrity to ourselves and

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society. New applications are measured carefully to ensure those applying have the experience it takes to represent us well. Most applicants succeed but not all, and the MemCom tries to provide ideas to improve a candidate’s chances when they reapply. We count on present members to provide mentorship and references for these aspirants; please do so when asked or when the opportunity arises. The rewards are there. Bookmark the website avalanche.ca/caa. A passwordprotected ‘Members Only’ site exists for valuable, confidential member information like the Information Exchange ‘InfoEx.’ InfoEx is another resource born unto CAA membership—it is a gospel in our industry and yet another good reason for CAA membership. If in doubt, call the staff in Revelstoke who will be happy to direct you to the right resource. Members also receive monthly e-newsletters, and we publish a wellrespected magazine three times per year where you can find the latest in avalanche news, research, products and personalities covered by contributors from far and wide. CAA members also receive pro deals specific to the avalanche industry, and discounts also apply to several CAA supported CPD opportunities. The most important benefit is advocacy. The CAA Board of Directors, committees and staff are there to hear and be your voices. We work with Executive Director Joe Obad on issues of policy, regulations or stakeholder relations, and we bring information to you to acknowledge and respond. We provide a voice to speak volumes on behalf of each member. We are an industry with unique risk in a fast-paced world, demanding balance between professionalism, fun and social licence. We are recognized as arguably the most tightly organized avalanche association in the world, and others are interested in emulating the CAA. We hear it often: we have built a lot with and for our members and are still creating for the future ahead. When you mention that you are in the avalanche industry, people take notice. It is serious but cool—dare I say sexy? So is membership. There are benefits in membership; you are making good use of them now if you are reading this. I may be preaching to the converted but we could use your help. What can you do? Encourage membership. Talk about us. We wish to continue growing steadily, thoughtfully and positively. On behalf of the MemCom, we thank you for being a member. Have a great 2012-13 winter season. At the time of writing, the Redskins are 3-6 and 1-4 in their last five and just lost to the Panthers 21-13, but the jacket is in the mail and I’ll wear it proudly.

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The fruits of labour. A group samples the goods from Polar Peak's summit // FAR Ski Patrol

Polar Peak Mark Vesely History and reflection on Polar Peak, Fernie Alpine Resort’s new lift access area

It’s cold, windy, dark and icy at 2,000m on a south east ridgeline, 30m below the crest of the Lizard Range. Ben and I fight to balance our ski boots on a frozen, wind-blasted shale slope as the wind tries to stop us from standing up and moving forward. The main study plot— located 400m below us within the north east shadow of the range—recorded 40cm overnight, with a current temperature of -21°C. We are testing our operational capability to get to Polar Peak at Fernie Alpine Resort. Our program has committed to daily peak access over the season as we strive to learn about the changes that our new lift installation to this summit will have on our resort’s operations. Polar Peak is indeed a fitting name for the pyramidal summit that dominates the central area of the ridgeline hanging over Fernie Alpine Resort. This feature stands 2,134m above sea level and is positioned within the central region of the Lizard Range, characterized by its rocky headwall that runs the expanse of the range’s length. The peak is an interesting land form; it allows for reasonable access to the Lizard Range’s crest from its southerly aspects, and provides steep, aesthetic, skiable lines down its flanks. From its apex, one can view the Lizard Range, the Great Divide, and the

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western edge of the Rockies before they fall off into the Columbia Valley. This summit has stood over the development of Fernie Snow Valley ski area since its establishment in 1962. This lift-access ski hill originally positioned itself on the lowest slopes that led down from the Lizard Bowl, the primary drainage area on the north side of Polar Peak. Through the development of ski touring and the ski area’s operations, Polar Peak has been a destination for many recreationists and ski patrollers over the past 50 years—perhaps longer. In 1998, the ski area changed owners and expanded to the south. The peak became a hiking-accessible area, primarily available in later-season months when sunshine and warmer temperatures made a trip to the summit more reasonable. In the summer of 2011, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies committed investment to the installation of a chairlift to Polar Peak’s summit to commemorate 50 years of lift access skiing at the current location. The lift was also a strategy to help the avalanche safety program get consistent access to Fernie’s upper level avalanche starting zones. Avalanche start zone access has always been a unique challenge facing those entrusted with avalanche hazard monitoring. Throughout its development and expansion, the resort has had to manage large scale avalanche starting zones positioned above the ski area. Polar Peak contains start zones from three of the resort’s 62 avalanche paths. The Big Hummer and Dancer start zones both possess size 4 avalanche potential within their land areas, and when conditions allow may display snow mass displacement through 800 vertical metres along slope runs of over 2,000m. These start zones, along with 22 others, loom over the ski area boundary and expose the resort’s operation to avalanche hazard on a daily basis. Within the plan of managing this hazard, the resort has developed a process where the snow’s structural properties can be observed, tracked, analyzed, tested and prompted to stabilize in an effort to

reduce hazard and deliver a safe and exceptional skiing experience and work place. This process has had to account for uncertainty and rely on expert judgement as avalanche activity—be it natural or controlled—was not always clearly visible to the area’s analysis teams. The lift brings the potential to have consistent, high-frequency snowpack activity observation within the resort’s highest elevation areas. This could be a transformational development in how the avalanche safety program manages for the uncertainty linked to avalanche hazard analysis relative to its large scale paths. Another very exciting development is the potential to have skiers aid the program with the deformation and compaction of the snowpack’s structure within the Big Hummer avalanche starting zone. Typically, lift access ski area avalanche safety programs rely heavily on skier snow compaction that happens on a daily basis as skiers travel the mountain’s terrain. If conditions allow, ski area users can assist an avalanche safety program by keeping the snowpack in a state of being compacted, solid and predictable, where—ideally—near surface instabilities and associated smallerscale avalanches become the program’s main issues. We see high freezing level events that exit under polar cold front entrances, so the probability that skier compaction may actually cease any future size 4 avalanche potential within the Big Hummer path is, in all likelihood, low. However, we will certainly strive for this achievement with the aid of its users and our new lift development. The new and potential operational capacity expectations come with unknowns. The control and observational routes outlined within the area’s plan have been drafted from historical experience, and under calculation and caution as the terrain’s character is notably unique from other areas managed by the resort. Polar Peak

is a complex alpine area with large scale terrain features that are much less sheltered from prevailing weather patterns. Technicians now work within this upper elevation area, adjusting their exposure from the historical practice of remote management— utilizing avalauncher guns, helicopters and, on occasion, skier control routes. Work procedures, safe areas, travel routes and staff safety systems have all required finding options that have high reliability for use, and clear parameters for identifying limitations on times when working in select areas may present unreasonable risk. In its first season of the Polar Peak lift, the above average snowfall in the Lizard Range presented major challenges to the lift installation crews and the resort’s operation of the chair. Environmental challenges included high winds, severe cold, low visibility in a featureless landscape, rim icing and highly variable surface conditions. There were many days where it was not possible to ski the peak. However, on the days where conditions allowed access and the resort’s users were able to stand on the crest of the Lizard Range and take in their position on the globe, feedback was that the experience was unique and exceptional.

Getting back to struggling in the dark, Ben and I step onto the peak in waist deep snow. Excerpts about gaining a summit from Rene Daumal’s Mount Analogue come to mind: “Why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above.” He continues, “There is an art of finding one’s direction in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up, When one can no longer see, one can at least know.” This is what motivates our program. We can observe and get to know Fernie Alpine Resort’s terrain and climate in order to operate our resort to its greatest potential. For the area’s users, I’m certain a visit to the summit brings a new perspective and appreciation of this region’s uniqueness. I am sure the memories created by skiing the peak will always lure and steer people back to this place.

Mark Vesely is the Avalanche Safety Director at Fernie Alpine Resort.

building and operating this new area could not have been done without a solid team effort // dylan siggers

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PLAs Demystified Emily Grady Examining Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) for exemption vs. equivalency People often wonder, “I have experience working in the avalanche industry and would like to take a CAA course but do not have the exact prerequisites. How can I proceed?” This is where the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process comes in, but what is the difference between PLA for the waiving of a prerequisite and PLA for equivalency? The CAA is seeing a growing number of Prior Learning Assessment applications due to an increasing number of CAA courses, course prerequisites, Qualified Avalanche Planner applications and international students. There is a lot of confusion as to which PLA application to use. This comes as no surprise because it took some time for us to figure it out as well. In fact, at the time of writing this, the CAA’s Education Committee is re-vamping the application forms to provide greater clarity and direction for applicants. In the meantime, this article is meant to shed some light on the PLA process. Prior Learning Assessment for Waiving a Prerequisite Waiving a prerequisite is used when a candidate has developed significant learning to the point that, within a progression of courses, it is justifiable to skip a course and move into the more advanced course. For example, one of the prerequisites to the CAA Avalanche Operations Level 3 course is the CAA Introduction to Weather course or equivalent training/experience. For those who have academic equivalence, previous experience, formal training and/or education, they could apply to have the Intro to Weather course prerequisite waived by using the PLA form. To complete the application form, students take a close look at the course goals and objectives laid out in the course DACUM and compile relevant information and evidence to support their claim to meeting the prerequisite course requirements. Read “What DACUMs mean to ITP” on page 16 to learn more about DACUMs. The candidate could demonstrate their knowledge through formal learning opportunities such as other courses, or informally.

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When a PLA for waiving of prerequisite is approved, the applicant receives a letter of approval. This letter can be used in place of a certificate during the CAA’s online registration process when students upload prerequisite proof. Prior Learning Assessment for Equivalency A PLA for equivalency is like a transfer credit and is used when an applicant can demonstrate proficiency of course competencies and expected skills; it can result in the issuing of a course certificate. The most common use of the PLA for equivalency is when an individual applies for their Qualified Avalanche Planner (QAP) membership category and has not completed all of the required courses despite having equivalent experience and training. The equivalency process is more rigorous than the exemption process. Someone who is considered for equivalency is held to a higher level of prior learning that someone who is seeking to be exempt from a prerequisite. Completing the application involves demonstrating proficiency and expected skills of the course goals (or competencies) through a ‘Competency Assessment.’ For each competency, supporting evidence must be provided whether educational (formal university courses, professional designations), career accomplishments (actual project results) or professional experience (as an avalanche worker). Technical skill demonstrations may need a field-based assessment. Both types of PLA applications are received by the CAA office and are processed by the ITP Manager and an external reviewer. Currently the Education Committee does the reviewing but this is being changed. The PLA process is in no way a guarantee that a prerequisite will be waived or a course certificate will be issued. All applications are handled on a case-by-case basis. The Education Committee reviews each PLA and makes one of the following recommendations: 1) accept the PLA application as equivalent to the training and a CAA certificate is issued; 2) provisionally accept the PLA application as equivalent to the training based on the applicant completing a missing component (e.g. the snow profile exam) and, if successful, a CAA certificate will be issued; or 3) reject the PLA application, and the applicant must take the course and pass the exam to receive the CAA certificate. In short, the waiving of prerequisite is to be used in the case of obtaining exemption from a course prerequisite, and equivalency is more commonly used for those applying for CAA membership categories (e.g. Qualified Avalanche Planner status). If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding the Prior Learning Assessment process, please contact me directly by email at egrady@avalanche.ca.

To be or not to be a CAA reference Mike Koppang To be or not to be a reference? Ask yourself this before committing your signature to paper as a reference for a person seeking Canadian Avalanche Association membership. Recommending an applicant for CAA membership is a serious responsibility. We discussed the responsibility the referring member takes on at the 2012 AGM in Penticton, but the Membership Committee believes the topic warrants more communication to assist both applicants and members who are being asked to be references. As a professional association, the CAA takes membership applications very seriously. Applications typically follow these steps: • Submission of a complete application to the CAA office with application fee. • If there are no errors flagged by the staff then the application is passed on to the Chair of the Membership Committee, who will quickly review it and then select a member of the

Membership Committee to conduct a more thorough review. • The committee member will review the application, ensure that the criteria for membership status have either been met or not met for the active, professional or QAP memberships, and then return the application to the chair, who then may give his or her final approval based on the recommendations of the committee member. • Some applications require further discussion and often a phone call between the chair and the committee member, or even the whole committee via conference call on certain occasions. A crucial component of this process is the reference supplied in support of the application. All members should be aware of the importance of this element, from the perspective of both the applicant and the reference. It is the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate that he or she meets the requirements for the given membership status requested. An important part of the application process is the selection of references who validate the applicant’s skill set and answer any specific questions that may be needed. To be a reference, you must know what is required to

be a professional or active member according to the CAA’s bylaws. The Membership Committee occasionally receives references that confuse a personal character reference with a professional reference. We need the latter—a supervisor or mentor who can articulate that the applicant has met the required number of days and years in the field, and based on what the reference has seen through direct observations or program supervision, the applicant has collected information and worked with a high degree of skill and professionalism. References to personal character in the professional context are helpful, but the primary nature of the reference must attest to the professional experiences and skills the member can vouch for directly. When applicants and referring members follow the process, the membership committee can process applications efficiently. When applicants and referring members fail to observe the process, delays may occur in the process slowing down all applications. A poor choice in references may be the difference between an application being approved or denied. Understand what is expected of you when you agree to be a reference, because there is a very good chance you will receive a phone call from someone on the Membership Committee.

Membership Requirements for Professional and Active Members Practising Professional Member

Active Members

Bylaw 13) A person is eligible to be a Practising Professional Member if;

Bylaw 21) A person is eligible to be an Active Member if;

a) The person successfully completed Canadian Avalanche Association

Industry Training Program Level 2 or equivalent technical training, or;

Industry Training Program Level 1 or equivalent technical training, or;

b) The person successfully completed academic studies acceptable to

the Director, Membership Committee at a recognized post-secondary

institution, and;

c) During four (4) of the previous six (6) winters, the person was

c) During two (2) of the previous four (4) winters, the person was

engaged full-time in avalanche related activities, or was the direct

engaged in avalanche related activities, or was the direct supervisor

supervisor of one or more persons engaged in such activities and was

of one or more persons engaged in such activities and was involved in

involved in making decisions that affected the safety of persons and

making decisions that affected the safety of persons and property with

property with regard to avalanches and avalanche conditions.

regard to avalanches and avalanche conditions.

“Engaged full time in avalanche-related activities” means that a person’s major annual or winter-season economic endeavours are in avalanche-related activities. the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

caa front lines

roped in // marty schaffer

Rope Access for Avalanche Workers Marc Piché Late in 2009, WorkSafeBC (WSBC) reviewed an avalanche control blasting procedure document that described techniques for performing belayed avalanche control work on cornices. As a result of this review, it became clear that this, and all other work at height performed by Association of Canadian Mountain Guides members in British Columbia, did not meet the current WSBC regulations for fall protection. This led to a number of communications with WSBC that made it clear that people working at height in the avalanche and guiding industries were not meeting the current legal regulations, and that it was unclear what would happen in the event of an accident. It was also determined that due to WSBC equipment requirements and current fall protection regulations, it would be impossible for avalanche workers to comply with the law as it was written. During the summer of 2012, WSBC began the process of dealing with these issues by holding stakeholder preconsultation meetings at their Richmond office. Bernie Protsch, Joe Obad and I attended both meetings, which included representatives from the CAA, the ACMG, the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians, Industrial Rope Access Trade Association, and other rope access professionals. It became clear early on that the work performed by these well-established industries could not fit into the current ‘Fall

the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

Protection’ regulations without significant and complicated variances, and that a new regulation needed to be created for ‘Rope Access’ work. We have been impressed by the process and by WSBC’s desire to ‘get it right.’ At this point WSBC will not put anything in writing, nor will they initiate a public review process until after the next election, but I feel confident that they have come up with draft regulations that will be suitable for avalanche control workers. There are many details in the first draft of this regulation. Here are some of the most significant points: • WSBC will recognize UIAA- and CE-approved equipment for use in mountaineering/climbing environments. Previously, all work at height needed to be done using CSA-approved equipment. However, if the task is more industrial than mountaineering in nature, you may be required to use more industrial techniques. • WSBC will require workers in a mountaineering/climbing environment to use techniques that follow the principles demonstrated in the ACMG Technical Handbook. • WSBC will require workers at height in a mountaineering/ climbing environment to have ACMG or equivalent training for the work they are performing. Note: this does not mean that all people working at height in the mountain environment must be ACMG guides, but it will require them to be trained for the work they are doing. Specifically, if an avalanche worker must use a rope to access a cornice, that worker must be trained in the specific techniques and equipment that will be used. There must be a written safe work procedure in place and all of this must be documented. In the mean time, we are still not able to comply with the current regulations. It is unlikely that this will cause any problems unless there are cases of negligence; however, there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk. Employers should do the following: ensure staff is trained for the work they are asked to perform; ensure they are using techniques that would be considered common practice in the industry; ensure that the equipment they are using is in good condition and appropriate for the task; ensure equipment is being used within manufacturers’ recommendations; and, last but not least, remember that you did not do it unless you can prove you did it. Find a way to record all of this information. The CAA will inform the membership when the public review process begins, as it will be important for WSBC to hear from you, the workers on the ground.

cac

know more 40 New Sponsors Bring Sledder Billboards Sandman Hotel Group and Alberta Snowmobile Association come together for snowmobile safety

42 Bringing Human Factors to AST Courses Keith Robine's Top 10 Human Factors

in this section 34 president and executive director reports 37 new additions to the cac board 38 brp avalanche awareness seminars 39 yamaha dealer avalanche awareness seminars 45 backcountry workshops a resounding success 46 caf news

the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

jonathan reich

cac awareness

CAC Vice President’s Message This Past year has seen a lot of changes at the CAC; arguably the biggest was to better define the role and direction of the CAC separate from the CAA.

Dan Markham CAC Vice President

We saw the creation of a separate Board of Directors, new by-laws and a clearer mandate. Were these the right decisions? With a clearer focus on who we serve and without the cloudiness of multiple mandates, these decisions became easier. The CAC is a ‘public first’ organization and that has helped the team sharpen its focus. Opportunities grew from these decisions. The new by-laws opened the door for people with more diverse backgrounds to join the Board. We retain a strong CAA Professional Member representation, but we now have individuals with business, finance, marketing, fundraising and youth education backgrounds on the team. Membership is another opportunity. We currently have about a thousand members, and we now have the chance to expand to other audiences who believe in what the CAC does. Every year, several thousand students take AST courses and over 2,500 people subscribe to the public avalanche bulletins. Many don’t know the benefits of being part of a like-minded community of avalanche “engagers” with common interests and ideas. Key partners like Mountain Equipment Co-op have over 3,000,000 members! What if we were to entice even a small fraction of that group with the benefits of CAC membership? Social media has helped us stay in touch with public interest. The CAC’s communications team took the bull by the horns last year. With communications channels such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, the Forecaster’s Blog and various forums, the team has engaged users in an unprecedented manner. Every day of the season they connect with the public avalanche community on what’s relevant, and sometimes just for fun. Social media is about building communities, and what better community than those of us who venture into the backcountry for fun, recreation, fitness and the pure joy of snow. If you don’t already “Like” us, or follow us on Twitter, get on board. We have also focused more on sponsorship. The CAC sponsorship team has added new sponsors and encouraged existing partners to increase or even double their investments: most recently Canadian Pacific, Teck and Mountain Equipment Co-op. A tighter

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focus has also opened the doors to better harmonization with the Canadian Avalanche Foundation, who have worked for many years to support the avalanche community. Our Board includes a CAF Board member, and there have already been some great brainstorming sessions on how we can both get more together than apart. More to come on that. There are always learning curves and twists in the road. Through this whole process our boat has been steered by an amazing leader, Ian Tomm. His knowledge of how things worked with the CAC and CAA made the transition easier. The board relied on his insight and ability to build relationships with stakeholders. Ian has decided it is time for a well-deserved break. Over the next few months, Ian will be taking some time to clear his head and regroup—re-engaging with his family and re-stoking his passion for the outdoors. Karl Klassen will be Acting ED in his place. If you know Karl, I am sure you will be confident in his ability to take the CAC into the coming season. For those who don’t know Karl, take the time and you’ll be better for it. The CAC Board of Directors is fully behind Karl as he leads a great team at the CAC. I’ve been involved with the CAC Board for almost nine years now and have seen a lot of challenges and changes; staying focused is the biggest. There were too many things for one board and one ED to manage. Things had to be prioritized, and everyone involved since the CAC was formed in 2004 did a phenomenal job in doing so. The separation of the two organizations was inevitable, and all those doing double-duty managing both affairs over those years should be proud of where they brought it. I’m confident that the incredible CAC team, our partners, funders and our family members at the CAA and CAF will all help ensure we keep the public first, and deliver on a standard second to none. Please take the opportunity to give them a pat on the back, buy them a beer, or just say thanks. They deserve it. Stay safe.

Dan Markham, CAC Vice President

cac awareness

CAC Acting Executive Director's Report As many of you already know, in mid-October, CAC Executive Director Ian Tomm found himself at the end of his considerable reserves. “When I put my foot on the gas, there’s nothing there,” is how he explained it. Ian has been at the helm since 2008 and has played central roles in both the CAA and CAC since he first began working here in 2001. He’s put his heart and soul into both organizations over the years and we all appreciated his willingness to recognize when he needed a break.

Karl Klassen CAC Acting Executive Director

In the uncertain environment of avalanche safety, we all have procedures and practices to help us succeed. Unplanned events, big or small, offer a yardstick by which we can measure the true value of our preparation and which demonstrate the strength of an institution. The unexpected loss of an Executive Director would test any organization but, just like in other facets of the avalanche business, the CAC has learned to be prepared for the unexpected. When Ian had to step out, every single staff person stepped in to help fill the void. As the acting ED, I’m honoured by the confidence the board has placed in me and feel privileged by the support the staff continues to provide to me as they did to Ian. I’m very pleased to say that the work of the CAC has received some extraordinary honours this fall. In October, the CAC was a finalist at the Spirit of Innovation Awards, an event hosted every four years by the Kootenay Association of Science and Technology. We were nominated in the Innovative Organization category for our work in applying ATES ratings to all of BC’s 91 managed snowmobiling areas. We are rightfully proud of this project and very pleased it received this recognition. The work began in 2010, with funding from Recreation Sites and Trails BC, and will run until 2014. At this point, we have mapped over half of the terrain, about 40,000km2. More importantly, this project has already made massive contributions to snowmobiler safety. Innovation and collaboration are both at the heart of what we do, and this terrain rating project highlights both of those qualities. Another project that was recognized this year is AvalX, the new avalanche bulletin software developed by Parks Canada with the CAC as a primary partner. I am proud to have been a part of the team on that project, along with the CAC’s IT Director Kristina Welch and Forecast Coordinator Ilya Storm. AvalX was nominated for a G-Tec Award, a national recognition honouring technology advances in government operations. In

the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

early November, we were thrilled to learn that AvalX had won Gold in its category of Working Together to Make a Difference. In addition to celebrating the success of the software, this award recognizes outstanding achievement in government partnerships with other organizations. To my mind, this is the true heart of our success; Grant Statham, Mountain Risk Specialist for Parks Canada and the leader of this project, agrees. When he emailed our office to tell us that we had won, he wrote: “When I am speaking with avalanche forecasters from other countries about public avalanche bulletins, particularly the USA, they are always envious of our Canadian cooperation. Everyone sees the benefit of a common product for the public, but not everyone can collaborate to make it happen. I think as much as anything, this award recognizes our unique ability to work together in Canada.” This spirit of collaboration and teamwork with external partners is mirrored within the CAC. Ian’s leave at a critical time of year might have crippled the organization but for the depth and breadth of experience within the staff, combined with the unqualified support from our many friends and partners. This teamwork has produced a resilient organization, with strength that belies the relatively few years the CAC has existed. Utilizing the power of our team, we have been able to seamlessly prepare and implement our core products and services. Outreach programs, AST, youth education, and Backcountry Avalanche Workshops are underway. As I write this, the forecasters are preparing to launch the first forecasts of the season. In short, it’s business as usual as much as that’s possible in our business. I wish everyone a safe and successful winter.

Karl Klassen, CAC Acting Executive Director

New Additions to the CAC Board Meet the newest members of the Canadian Avalanche Centre Board of Directors.

Sandra Riches, Director: Born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Sandra Riches has been calling BC’s Lynn Valley in North Vancouver home for more than twenty years. Sandra has a long-standing passion for the outdoors, completing an Outdoor Recreation Management program at Capilano University in 1994. Sandra started her career with BC Parks as a Senior Ranger in the Lower Mainland Region. She continued her career as Coordinator for the AdventureSmart program, focusing on education, youth outreach and program delivery. AdventureSmart is now a national program due to its success in BC. She continues to work with the National Search & Rescue Secretariat and the Search & Rescue Volunteers Association of Canada with outreach, training and delivery. Sandra currently works at the Justice Institute of BC as the Program Assistant for the BC Search & Rescue Association. She is also the Project Manager for that association's Search and Rescue New Initiatives Funds projects. Happiest outdoors, Sandra enjoys hiking, trail running, skiing, adventure travel and snowshoeing. She is excited to sit on the CAC board. “It gives me a chance to give back. I’ve been fortunate in my career and have learned a lot from my fieldwork and technical experiences to youth outreach and project management, which will allow me to bring that knowledge to the CAC table.”

Sandra Riches

Christina Tutsch, Director: Christina Tutsch grew up in Toronto, where her love of the outdoors and skiing began with her time canoeing on the lakes of Ontario and ski racing. After high school, she headed to the mountains of Vermont where she graduated from Middlebury College with degrees in Environmental Studies and Education. Christina taught in a small rural elementary arts school in the Green Mountains for a number of years. While in Vermont she also received her Masters in Education, focusing on student engagement in the 21st century classroom. Christina now works at St. George’s School in Vancouver in the Outdoor Education department, teaching and coordinating the Discovery program. Professionally and personally, Christina is a backcountry enthusiast, especially when it comes to skiing. Christina is very excited to join the CAC board; it brings her passions for wilderness, skiing and education together. She is committed to giving youth opportunities to experience the outdoors; the lessons that they learn through adventure extend far beyond the mountain.

Christina Tutsch

News in Brief A raffle fundraiser by The Choice snowboard shop in Cranbrook on November 3, 2013 raised approximately $3,000 for the Canadian Avalanche Centre. New Assistant Avalanche Field Technician for the South Rockies Field Program Jen Coulter represented the CAC at the event. Event organizers raffled off a Jones Hovercraft splitboard at the premiere of Jeremy Jones’ Further.

The Kelowna Yamaha open house and premiere of snowmobile movie Thunderstruck 11 on November 2 raised approximately $1,500 for the Canadian Avalanche Centre. Other profits benefitted the Kelowna Snow Hoots in their quest to rebuild the ‘Dog House.’ Thank you to the organizers of both events for your generous support of the CAC.

the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

cac awareness

packed house at the brp seminar in red deer // stephanie swartz

Summit X

The 2013 Summit snowmobile is the most specialized mountain sled ever. Yes, it’s a great climber and the easiest boondocking sled we’ve ever made. But it’s also ideal for conquering the most challenging terrain and technical lines you can find. Because it’s redesigned around the most important component: you.

the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

BRPAvalanche Awareness Seminars The Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) Avalanche Awareness Seminars for snowmobilers were again underway this fall season. This is the third year of the program in Western Canada. A total of 21 venues in three provinces were scheduled for 2012 in Alberta, BC, and Saskatchewan. The three-hour information sessions are taught by CAC Snowmobile Program Coordinator Carole Savage and have been structured to provide attendees with basic avalanche awareness information and some key messages: get educated with an AST 1 or AST 2 course, carry the proper avalanche safety equipment, and check the avalanche forecast. Interactive exercises, video clips, case studies of past avalanche accidents, and a brief overview of the programs and services available at avalanche.ca are embedded in the presentations to keep the audience engaged and interested. Attendance at the events in the prairie provinces has been higher this year compared to past years, and interest is evident. Feedback has been very positive, and many who attended the seminars to date have showed the desire for more education. We still have a ways to go regarding avalanche awareness and education in the mountain snowmobile community, but there is good progress being made by this and other similar initiatives.

BAlloon pack demo at a yamaha Avalanche awareness seminar // amber wood

Yamaha Dealer Avalanche Awareness Seminars Amber Wood put over 6000km on the truck to wrap up her dealer avalanche awareness seminars for the season. Her company Trigger Point Snow Services has been conducting these seminars for five years for Yamaha Motor Canada and the local Yamaha dealers. Polaris jumped on board for 2012 with a presentation at Main Jet Motorsports, a large dealership in Nelson, BC, and they hope to expand the sessions to more Polaris dealers next year. The two-hour sessions focus on the Canadian Avalanche Centre’s products with a focus on avalanche bulletins and the Trip Planner, along with a quick look at rescue basics. Sessions are intended to reach those that may have not had any training at all or can be utilized as a preliminary pre-season AST 1 refresher. This season she connected with 350 people from across BC. The sessions reach individuals who may not commit to taking an AST 1 or Companion Rescue Skills course. While the sessions provide a broad overview and encourage participants to learn more, Amber does not feel that many are taking the next step with an AST 1 course. Many participants feel that the seminars are a course despite being told otherwise. About 80% of Trigger Point’s AST students are from Saskatchewan or Alberta—what are your suggestions on reaching BC snowmobilers?

the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

cac awareness

New Sponsors Bring Sledder Billboards The Canadian Avalanche Centre welcomes two new Supporting Sponsors for the 201213 winter season: Sandman Hotel Group and the Alberta Snowmobile Association (ASA). The ASA has been a longtime collaborator with the CAC, and now formally joins the CAC as a sponsor. Their support has led to a new billboard initiative to encourage mountain snowmobilers visiting the mountains to check the avalanche forecast at avalanche.ca. Three billboards will be located on Highway 3 at Crowsnest Pass, the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) in Hinton, and on the Trans Canada Highway (Highway 1) in Golden. The billboard in Golden will be lit up for added visibility. All three billboards will face westbound traffic. The billboards will be in place from the beginning of December until the end of March. “The aim is to reach sledders, particularly those who fall outside of organized snowmobiling, on their way to the mountains,” says Chris Brookes, ASA Executive Director, “and the majority of snowmobilers pass along these routes.” The ASA proposed the billboard initiative last year. “Our hope is that snowmobilers will see the message and be directed to the CAC website to check the conditions, and— if they haven’t already—be directed to an AST provider or course.” Sandman’s sponsorship made the proposal a reality. “Being part of our local communities is tremendously

look for billboards on highways 1, 3 and 16

the avalanche journal fall // 2012

important to Sandman,” says Sandman Hotel Group. “With several hotels in mountainous regions, we wanted to ensure that we reach out to all the people who are potentially affected by avalanches.” Sandman and the ASA are happy to collaborate. “We were very excited to see Sandman Hotel Group come aboard as a sponsor on this project,” says Brookes. “Sandman is a valued destination for so many tired snowmobilers.“ Sandman Hotel Group also saw synergy between the organizations: “as Canadians, we know how important snowmobiling is. Many of our guests are avid snowmobilers, so being a part of their sport is important to us.” Both the ASA and Sandman look forward to working with the CAC. “We are proud to sponsor the CAC, who provides essential services during avalanches season,” says Sandman Hotel Group. “The ASA is pleased to work with the CAC as a supporting sponsor on many snowmobile initiatives; this billboard project is just the latest in a series of very productive collaborations,” enthuses Brookes. “The generous commitment from the Alberta Snowmobile Association and the Sandman Hotel Group help us deliver the message of avalanche safety to even more people in the snowmobiling community,” says Karl Klassen, CAC Acting Executive Director. Brookes echoes the sentiment: “[t]he goal is to save lives. The way to do that is to get the message of avalanche safety out there for all to see.”

cac awareness

burp test during an AST course // Keith robine collection

Bringing Human Factors to AST Courses Keith Robine It was a great summer for alpine climbing. My partner and I had already tackled some big climbs, including Liberty Ridge on Mount Rainier and the Full North Ridge of Mount Stuart. Our last big objective was to climb the Beckey-Chouinard on South Howser Tower, but as the designated weekend approached, the weather forecast was not cooperating.

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We scaled back to a day of cragging and two days climbing in the Valhallas. We spent the day of cragging at a new crag near Hall Siding outside of Nelson: 15m sport routes, a short approach and copious bolts. Each person would lead two routes in a row to improve flow and lessen the time spent taking shoes off. After the first lead, the climber would yell “off belay” and rappel down, cleaning the draws. Then the same climber would lead another route, placing draws and lowering off the top anchor. This sets the other climber up to repeat the pattern. We rotated through, using this formula. On the third round, I climbed up and rappelled off my first lead. On the second lead, I got to the top and yelled “Okay!” down to my belayer, expecting him to lower me off. However, in the way that human factors often intervene—unexpectedly—he took me off belay, thinking it was the first of two climbs I was leading rather than the second. My partner is not a novice. We have both been climbing for more than 20 years. Were we pushing our limits? Not really. We were having a casual morning, sport climbing several grades below our limit. Were we tired from previous effort? Not at all. We were rested, fresh from a good night sleep—no alpine start that

morning! How can a pair of experienced climbers, who had already accomplished harder objectives just weeks before, make such a colossal mistake on an easy sport climb? The answer: human factors. I try to teach human factors in every avalanche course I instruct. The first question for avalanche educators is whether teaching about human factors helps prevent accidents. After all, we can’t eliminate the human characteristic of making mistakes, can we? So is it worth addressing this topic in our AST curriculum? I don’t know for sure, but I can share my own experience of incorporating human factors into my AST courses. After signing waivers, I begin each AST course with an exercise I learned from esteemed Alaskan avalanche educators Jill Fredston and Doug Fesler, authors of Snow Sense and other books. The exercise is called Mythical Pass; I will outline it for you with their permission. You’re skiing with a group of 3 others (4 in total) on a 5-day trip, going from Point A to Point B. On the 4th day, you’re faced with the decision in the mid-afternoon whether to camp or to continue up over Mythical Pass. Once over Mythical Pass, it’s a long but easy ski out, back to civilization. The group has been doing well, but food rations are starting to run a little short. It started snowing last night,

has accumulated 25cm and is snowing quite heavily now. Formulate a list of questions, in priority, which you want to know to help make your decision. I break the class into groups of four. Each group has the opportunity to discuss Mythical Pass and their questions. Even in an AST 1, they usually come up with a good list of questions, like “what is the temperature?” I make up answers to make it difficult for them to decide whether to continue over the pass or to find somewhere to camp. In most groups, it’s about a 50/50 split. I bring up the Mythical Pass case study once or twice during the course and then again at the end of the course. As students learn more about avalanches in their AST, they sometimes have additional questions. They also sometimes change their minds about their decision. At the end of the AST course, I do a final poll of their decision. I then inform them that Mythical Pass is based on a true scenario in Alaska. That group decided to continue up to the pass in the afternoon. They recognized the instability, but one of the strong members was able to convince the group that since they were so close to the pass, they might as well go for it. Although their decision point was on low slope angles, the last climb to the pass took them onto steeper terrain. The slope avalanched and four out of five people died. It is a sobering account, but the students seem to appreciate the juxtaposition between theory and reality. So what is the key to teaching human factors, assuming we believe it may help prevent accidents? I think we each have a different take on the best way to teach, but I think the experiential approach will have the biggest impact on the students. People like Jill and Doug have been doing just that for many years. Another way to get students thinking about human factors in the field is to ask the question, “Would you ski this slope with your 14 year old daughter?” Or one can ask “Would you ski this slope without a transciever?”

I would like to offer another look at human factors as they apply to avalanches, through my personal favorite ‘Top 10’ list. In my day job, I work with children and their families in the field of psychology. The study of the brain influences my perspectives. 1) Letting one’s guard down. This has moved to the top of my list after my experience in August. The brain wants to let its guard down if it perceives that we’re doing something safe relative to what we were doing before. It’s a matter of perspective. Our brains were geared up for a big alpine climb, so when we “just” sport climbed instead we let down our guard. This factor can get

So what is the key to teaching human factors, assuming we believe it may help prevent accidents? us in trouble in the winter, especially when we alter our objectives and/or when skiing familiar terrain where we think we can predict when and where avalanches will or won’t occur. Previous experience in terrain can sometimes convince the brain to let its guard down. 2) Slow reaction to change. After a period of relative stability, it is hard to change our habits in the midst of new instability. This can be seen under any significant change to the snowpack, but especially with rapid change in temperature, wind, or any unexpected weather event. I’ve noticed with temperature that I’m usually pretty careful when there is a rapid warming event. However, I have gotten caught off

guard by stress in the snowpack caused by rapid cooling. 3) Urgency. How important is it to ski that particular run? Is it the last day of a trip? Is someone leaving the area soon (i.e. is it their last chance to ski that zone)? Or is it the first nice day for skiing after a long period of undesirable conditions? Urgency can push us to make decisions that we may later regret. 4) Group dynamics. What is the makeup of the group? Is more than one person comfortable assessing conditions and speaking about potential dangers? Communication is often stymied when one person is seen as more knowledgeable than everyone else. Are there other reasons that keep people from speaking up when they have concerns? 5) Lack of a backup plan. Let’s say the plan is to ski in avalanche terrain. What if the conditions aren’t as stable as you thought? Do you have a backup plan that still involves fun skiing? It’s easier to change plans if there is a good alternative, and less so if there isn’t. Is the trip point-to-point? Has the group already dropped off a car at the finish? Is there committing terrain after the halfway point (where it is even harder to turn around)? 6) How good is the skiing? The euphoria created by powder skiing can sometimes influence us to take greater risk. When the powder is really blower, that euphoria can play tricks with the rational part of the brain, similar to the way that someone with Bipolar disorder having a manic episode may act without regard to normal mental barriers that keep us safe. 7) Age. This one is well researched. Youth take more risks than adults. It is programmed in the brain and peaks around age 19. National Geographic (October 2011) published a great article that explains how this period of increased risk taking has actually helped us evolve as a species.

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cac awareness

8) Time of day. There are a number of factors that contribute to making riskier decisions later in the day. Each of these can be considered a human factor separately as well, but they often add up as the day progresses. A potential human factor trap is the desire to have one more really good run to remember the day by. 9) False Confidence. Wouldn’t it be great if we could hear a warning bell before entering a slope that is going to avalanche? We try to hear that bell by choosing smaller slopes to ski before we commit to a bigger one. This is generally a good practice. However, we must also be aware of the possibility of gaining false confidence from skiing a slope that almost avalanched, but may not have gotten enough of a load. If we are not keeping the bigger picture in mind, it’s possible to boldly move into bigger terrain until we find that sweet spot that triggers the next avalanche. 10) Gut Feeling. Here’s a human factor that can work both ways. Many people describe “having a bad feeling” about something before an accident takes place. We can listen to those feelings— some may describe this as the sixth sense, others would call it intuition. If you know how to muscle-test, this is another way to get at this sense. Like all human factors, this one can get us into trouble as well. Sometimes our gut feeling is wrong because we’re listening to something other than our intuition. Some people would describe this phenomenon as listening to our ego. Most of my life, I’ve been aware of my tendency to listen to my ego. If I ever get wise in my old age, I’ll write a book called Taming the Ego. We are back to the question: “How can our knowledge of human factors help us avoid making costly mistakes?” I think avalanche educators have realized that simply teaching our students about the science of avalanches is not enough to help them make the right decisions in the field. This may be one of the reasons that

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as a community of educators in Canada we have incorporated a rules-based tool to help students in their decisionmaking. The Avaluator v2.0 is the tool we currently use. I think that much of the effectiveness of the Avaluator is its ability to help the user lessen the impact of human factors on their decision-making process. On my AST courses, I get the students to come up with their own list of human factors and we try to refer to that list before, during, and at the end of the day to learn how to become aware of and prevent these factors from increasing our risk to avalanches and other accidents. Perhaps one of the great advances in avalanche education in the future will be discovering further ways to teach the concept of human factors to our students. Human factors of course are not limited to recreational skiers. In the heli, cat, and backcountry ski guiding industry in Canada, most operations use a system of deciding which runs are off limits on any particular day before heading into the field. I think it is fair to say that one of the important outcomes of this system is the reduction in human factor errors. So, what happened to me on that cool August morning, perched atop that sport climb? My partner was relaxing on the ground after taking me off belay, thinking I would soon be getting ready to rappel. I was getting ready to put my full weight on the rope, thinking I was now safe to lower. Just as I was about to weight the rope, I looked down and to my horror saw that there was nothing to prevent me from plummeting to the ground, littered with large, angular boulders. With my stomach in my throat, I grabbed the anchor with clenched hands, and yelled expletives. My partner realized we may have had a slight miscommunication, and after triple checking that I was now “on belay,” he lowered me to terra firma. We spent the next several minutes wondering how we came so close to ending my life and changing his

irrevocably. There were many places on Rainier and Stuart where a mistake could have had dire consequences. Yet it was in comfortable Kootenay surroundings where I almost met my maker. There was some tense discussion about blame, and then the sobering realization that we had both fallen prey to human factors. I used to spend much of my spring, summer, and fall teaching climbing classes in Colorado, occasionally still do. In Colorado, it is not uncommon to have numerous parties climbing on the same piece of rock. I learned a habit of using institutional climbing commands and even included the name of my partner in order to avoid confusion with other parties. How did I get so far away from my normal routine on that August morning? I made a mistake that was caused by human factors and it nearly cost me my life. I am thankful that I get another chance to make and hopefully avoid plenty more mistakes in the years to come. References: Dobbs, D., “Beautiful Teenage Brains.” National Geographic. October, 2011. Fredston, J. & Fesler, D. (2011). Snow Sense. Anchorage, AK: Alaska Mountain Safety Center, Inc. Fredston, J. (2005). Snowstruck: In the Grip of Avalanches, Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books. Haegeli, P. (2010). Avaluator v2.0, Revelstoke, BC: Canadian Avalanche Centre. McCammon, I., (2002). Evidence of Heuristic Traps in Recreational Avalanche Accidents, Snow and Avalanche Field Notebook. Tremper, B., (2008). Staying Alive In Avalanche Terrain, Seattle, WA: The Mountaineers Books.

Backcountry Workshops a Resounding Success Nancy Geismar The CAC’s full-day Backcountry Workshops on November 10 in Revelstoke and November 18 in Calgary had a packed speaker lineup. Not only were there a wide variety of speakers and presenters from the avalanche industry, there were local retailers, organizations and sponsors represented at with an array of information and goods. As well, the CAC offered $5 off the ticket price with a donation to the local food bank— almost 100 pounds of food was collected in Revelstoke and 170 pounds in Calgary and the food banks were thrilled. Presentations were varied and compelling. Grant Statham of Parks Canada discussed AvalX, the icon-based avalanche bulletin launched last year. Statham showed how all the problem areas are still addressed in an improved way with much less text. CAC public avalanche forecasters James Floyer and Grant Helgeson spoke about avalanche character: types of avalanches and what recreationists must consider regarding terrain and decision-making. Rob Whelan’s presentation on transceivers and signal overlap used audio and visual components to drive home the fact that all transceivers work relatively well in a singleburial situations, but there is a vast discrepancy in multiburial situations. A take-home message is to upgrade to a modern three-antenna digital transceiver. Next came the video “Wisdom from Wounds” by Steve Crowe of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Briefly 7 Productions. It followed several KHMR patrollers on a day where one was injured in a large avalanche on the Grizzly slide path at Rogers Pass. Over the lunch hour, there were demonstrations on avalanche transceivers and rescue. In Revelstoke, Revelstoke Canine Search and Rescue teams Troy Leahy and Penny and Al Roberts and Sadie gave search demonstrations, showing how a great partnership between master and dog leads to successful searches.

nancy geismar mans the busy CAC membership table during the revelstoke workshop // karilyn kempton

CAC public avalanche forecaster Grant Helgeson kicked off the afternoon with an interactive terrain analysis; volunteers considered specific avalanche problems while choosing routes through avalanche terrain. Next, Pascal Haegeli’s research on avalanche airbags was presented. Tom Riley and Mike Koppang presented on search and rescue trouble spots and how to help avoid needing rescue in Revelstoke and Calgary, respectively. Meteorologist Uwe Gramann presented a long list of weather resources to help plan days, weekends or longer trips in the backcountry in Revelstoke, and in Calgary, Thomas Exner presented a case study of a 2012 avalanche cycle triggered by solar warming. Both days finished with Jeremy Hanke sharing his sobering personal story of being buried in an avalanche. Know your partners and the group’s self-rescue skills, ride for the conditions, and realize that not everyone out there may be as prepared. The CAC was able to host these events thanks to our sponsors: Columbia Basin Trust and the Revelstoke Credit Union in Revelstoke and Resorts of the Canadian Rockies and the University of Calgary Outdoor Centre in Calgary. The Revelstoke event was videotaped, and several of the presentations will be online shortly.

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caf in support

CAF President’s Message

CAF News Pattie Roozendaal

Cora Shea Memorial Fund Dear CAF supporters, You are indeed a very special group of people supporting a special mission—to reduce the number of avalanche-related injuries and fatalities in Canada. Thanks to your generous support in the past, the Canadian Avalanche Foundation’s board of directors committed to fund avalanche safety initiatves totalling $156,510 this year. The Foundation’s primary goal is to fund the public safety initiatives of the Canadian Avalanche Centre in Revelstoke. For the winter of 2012-13, the Foundation’s contribution of $111,510 will go towards the CAC’s bulletins and safety programs. In addition, the Foundation renewed a five-year agreement to provide $10,000 per year to Le Centre d’avalanche de la Haute-Gaspésie. A further $20,000 will go to the NSERC Research Chair in Snow Avalanche Risk Control at the University of Calgary and $15,000 was allocated to the CAA’s bid to produce the publication “Snow Avalanche Risk Mitigation,” which will serve as a valuable resource to professionals engaged in public avalanche safety initiatives. This coming winter the Foundation is holding fundraising events in Banff, Calgary and Whistler on January 12, March 2 and March 7, respectively. Please join us—your support is critical.

In 2008, Cora Shea came from California to study with the Applied Snow and Avalanche Research program at the University of Calgary (ASARC). Cora completed her Ph.D in Geoscience in September 2011. Many of her contributions to snow and avalanche science involved thermal processes and visualization. She is remembered for her insatiable curiosity about physics—especially snow physics—as well as her remarkable skill at explaining physical processes. In her memory, the Cora Shea Memorial Fund has been established to provide modest financial assistance to women seeking to do avalanche research and/or study towards advanced avalanche practice. To donate to the fund, visit our website at avalanche.ca/caf/ support/donate and select “Cora Shea Memorial Fund.” For more information about the fund and how to apply for a grant, visit avalanche.ca/caf/programs/corashea-memorial-fund

Upcoming CAF Fundraiser Events Gordon Ritchie, CAF President

Gordon Ritchie CAF President

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Check our website for more details in the coming months: avalanche.ca/caf/news-andevents/events. Canuck Splitfest: Rogers Pass, January 5-6, 2013 The 3rd annual Canuck Splitfest, sponsored by Prior, will be held

again this year in Rogers Pass. All proceeds go to the Foundation. Keep up to date about this fun event at splitboarders.ca Mountain Adventure Night: Banff, January 12, 2013 Wild Bill’s Legendary Saloon is hosting this entertaining event again this year. Brad White is the guest speaker; he will present on the history of Parks Canada’s Avalanche Mitigation Program. There will be a silent auction and films from the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Whistler Fundraiser: March 2, 2013 Join us at the Nicklaus North Golf Club on Saturday, March 2. More details will be announced on our website soon. Calgary Gala Fundraiser: March 7, 2013  Canadian Pacific will again host the Calgary Gala Fundraiser at the CP Rail Pavilion. The format will be similar to last year, featuring an after work reception with silent auction. Tickets will be available to purchase on our website in the coming weeks.

Donate to the Foundation Learn more about how you can donate to the CAF by visiting our website at avalanche.ca/caf/support/donate

New in the Online Store See our newest selection of Marmot technical t-shirts and down sweaters at avalanche.ca/caf/store. Proceeds benefit the CAF’s avalanche safety fundraising efforts.

Join the Discussion Please visit the CAF blog to join in the discussion on what priorities the CAF should focus on when allocating funds to avalanche safety in the future. Find the blog at canadianavalanchefoundation.blogspot.ca.

Canadian Avalanche Foundation Sponsors

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avalanche community 52

avalanche accounts Life after being buried in an avalanche

New and Improved Swiss Avalanche Bulletin SLF bulletin revamp

in this section 50 schedule of events

52 avalanche accounts

51 rory fawcett awarded NSS award of excellence

56 new and improved swiss avalanche bulletin

55 new hgac partnership

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mike smith

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Schedule of Upcoming Events World Snow Forum January 17 – 20, 2013 Novosibirsk, Russia Three sessions, covering snow and city management, snow and ecology, and snow and sport. For more information: worldsnowforum.org Avalanche Awareness Days January 19-20, 2013 AAD is a national celebration of Canada's avalanche safety expertise and an invitation to enjoy the winter backcountry with education and training. Mark your calendars and get involved. For more information: avalanche.ca/ cac/events/avalanche-awareness-days Wilderness Medical Society’s Wilderness & Mountain Medicine Conference February 15 – 20, 2013 Park City, Utah Leading-edge information in avalanche rescue, cold injuries, high-altitude illnesses, expedition/travel medicine and more. For more information: wms.org/conferences/

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caf whistler fundraiser March 2, 2013 For more information: avalanche.ca/caf/news-and-events/ events caf Calgary gala fundraiser March 7, 2013

Canada West Ski Areas Association 2013 Spring Conference May 6 – 9, 2013 Delta Grand Okanagan Hotel, Kelowna, BC For more information: cwsaa.org/calendar3.html

For more information: avalanche.ca/caf/news-and-events/ events

CAA & CAC Spring Conference and Annual General Meetings May 6 – 10, 2013 Ramada Inn & Suites, Penticton, BC

European Geosciences Union General Assembly April 7 – 12, 2013 Vienna, Austria

Mark your calendar! You won’t want to miss any of the presentations, meetings or discussions at this year’s AGM. For more information: avalanche.ca

One meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences. For more information: egu2013.eu Western Snow Conference April 15 – 18, 2013 Jackson Hole, WY The theme for the 81st annual conference is: “Wild Weather in the Wild West” For more information: westernsnowconference.org/2013.html

HeliCat Canada Annual General Meeting Date TBD Ramada Inn & Suites, Penticton, BC For more information: helicatcanada.com

Roy Fawcett awarded NSS Award of Excellence Jay Pugh The Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) would like to congratulate Roy Fawcett on receiving a 2012 National Search and Rescue Secretariat Award of Excellence. CARDA is privileged to have a strong reputation in the search and rescue dog field— the course organization, the selection process of handlers and dogs, the high standards, and the quality of the teams are all part of it. Many people have made this possible, and each deserve recognition that in most cases goes unnoticed except for those in our niche. Roy Fawcett has spent the greater part of his life working with dogs. Roy spent over thirty years with the RCMP, the vast majority of that time as a Police Dog Handler, which culminated in running the Canine Division for BC. Despite being a non-skier, he has donated thousands of hours to volunteer organizations such as CARDA and the British Columbia Search Dog Association, as well as other non-canine groups like Chilliwack Search and Rescue. He continues to give his time despite health issues. Roy’s involvement with CARDA started about 30 years ago. His influence is present in nearly every aspect of CARDA’s training program. Previous articles in The Avalanche Journal describe the selection process and the puppy training in the first year. These can be directly attributed to Roy, and are a great part of CARDA’s success. He was also the force behind the lectures and presentations given to new students. He mentored some CARDA members to become instructors and was always open to answer questions and give advice. He is passionate about the success of the program and is steadfastly supportive— he gave every student his all. When many of us first met Roy, we were a little intimidated. Large and burly with a nononsense aura, Roy gives the impression that fools will not be suffered. His approach to our training was efficient and his feedback straightforward—we immediately respected his knowledge. Shouts of “more praise!” will ring in our ears for all time. As we got to know Roy, his sense of humour became more apparent and we relaxed. In 1998, I was extremely lucky when Roy took me under his wing as an instructor. I spent ten years watching and learning. I like to say now that the first five years Roy taught me about dogs and the second five about people; he connects with both. His ability to find and utilize strengths was one of the greatest lessons he taught. Dog handlers are often Type A personalities, but Roy’s ability to get past egos and do what’s best for the team stands out. I first saw this with the many teams we worked together on, and later when I watched him consistently match the right instructor to the student. He also practiced and encouraged us as instructors to be open minded to different methods of training and working with students. I divided these into several categories. Drill Sergeant: This is self-explanatory—stay organized and keep things moving. It does not mean breaking down spirit, but does set a tone of taking things seriously. Back Pat: Roy taught that two seconds of anger results in a loss of two months of training with dogs. It can be similar for some students, and can sometimes be hard to convince a student that they are doing well. It’s important to tell someone what he or she is doing right. Facilitator: This is a term Roy used for the instructor when an experienced handler came to the puppy group with their second or third dog. The handler has a good idea of

Roy Fawcett with Chilako // Jay Pugh what their dog needs and the instructor facilitates that. There is a balance as the handler also desires constructive feedback, and may be guided into a more suitable path for the dog. More than anything this lessens the chance of an ego clash. Demonstrative: The best example was when Roy wanted to demonstrate what a handler’s loud, aggressive style was like for his soft, shy dog. Roy called the handler over and spoke softly to him as he zipped up the other man’s coat; Roy then lifted him off his feet and cheerfully shook him from side to side while screaming in his face. That handler never scared his own dog again. Roy has been an incredibly positive influence on CARDA. I hope his lasting legacy is the attitude of mentorship he demonstrated and instilled in the Instructor corp and many senior handlers. Many CARDA people go out of their way to help new members. They are encouraging and supportive, and honest about the strengths and limitations. There is no reward other than seeing someone else succeed. This is what Roy was all about— selfless dedication for the benefit of others. On November 18, CARDA President Kyle Hale accepted the Secretariat Award on behalf of Roy Fawcett, whose health did not allow his attendance. I speak for all CARDA members in saying that never has an award been so deserved. Thank you, Roy.

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Avalanche Accounts Stepping Forward: Life After Being Buried in an Avalanche Jeremy Hanke

It was 08:00 when my eyes started twitching from the pain in the back of my head. I had spent the previous day driving into Revelstoke, BC, from my job in Alberta, and had joined a few friends on my arrival for some drinks. As I pulled myself up and out of bed, the evening discussions started coming back to me—I was supposed to be at the gas station for 07:00.

It is hard to explain the feelings and thoughts that have gone through my head each time I head back into avalanche terrain.

Tell us your story If you have been involved in an avalanche and want to share your story, email us at: stories@avalanche.ca

I was now an hour behind, so I rushed to the gas station, fueled my snowmobile up, and headed out to one of the more unknown sledding areas in the Revelstoke area: the Mt. Symons and Empress Lake are in the South Monashees. When I arrived at the staging area, I saw that most of my crew’s vehicles were there, but they—and their sleds—were not. In a hurry to catch up with them, I unloaded my snowmobile and pounded the trail, hoping that they hadn’t gotten too far. As I climbed through the forest to the top of the first alpine ridge, it became apparent that the riding conditions were not going to be as good as we thought. When I stepped off my sled, I thought that ice skates would have been more appropriate footwear. Looking across the ridge I could see a friend maneuvering his sled up to an overly large cliff drop—too large for the snow conditions. Making my way over to him proved a bit more challenging then I had originally thought it woud be. The snow got deeper and deeper as I worked my way across the bowl. Once I was above the cliff band, it was obvious to me that the snow was almost waist deep. I reached my friend, and after a short talk about my tardiness, discussed some of the concerns with the conditions and the risks of dropping the cliff we were standing on. I had been riding with him for four or five years and had a lot

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of confidence in his skills to minimize his risk for the reward. The choice was made to drop the cliff. One thing I enjoy out there is pushing my personal limits—it is not something that you can do on your own. It takes a team of people with experience to have fun and do the crazy stuff without hurting loved ones at home. This day I felt like I had that team in place. There was an average of ten years of experience under each of the riders’ belts. I dragged behind my friend’s snowmobile to reduce his speed on the descent into the cliff, and could feel the instabilities in the snow beneath me. I had to let go of his sled a bit early, which in turn put him at the top of the cliff with too much speed. This was something that we had talked about, so it was not a surprise to me when I got to the bottom of the bowl and found that he had crashed on the landing. A small pocket of slab had cut out from the impact of his landing. After tumbling down three quarters of the steep slope with the snow and snowmobile, my friend came to a stop. We had talked about the potential for a small slab releasing on the landing, so this was also not a surprise. I could see that a few of the crew were headed up the slope to check on our friend’s condition, as well as the destruction to his sled. As I approached the slope he was on, I could see that there was a cliff band above me as well

My next few years were a mix of bliss and terror, but my comfort started to return after years of continued hard riding // rob alford

as the treed slope that I had just left. To the right of the cliff band was a large slope that went to ridge top. I could see that a cornice had developed on the top of the ridge. As I looped around to park my sled beside the wrecked one, I made sure to point my sled downhill. This was a habit that most of us had developed in case something were to go wrong. I remember feeling confident about where we were parked. I think at the time everyone with us knew avalanche conditions were dangerous. We started to talk about what we were going to do to fix the wrecked snowmobile. That is when I heard the faint sound of other snowmobiles in the distance. As we started to come up with a plan, those snowmobiles were now in the same bowl we were. Two riders from the other group made the choice to start climbing on the large slope with the cornice. As the first snowmobile passed our group, it clicked in for one of us that we were all now in real danger. I remember hearing that friend start to yell at the top of his lungs “GO GO GO GO!” It was then that a second snowmobile from the other group passed us, following the first up the slope. As I started to move off the slope, a large wall of snow hit me, leaving me buried six feet under. Another person’s choice left me buried under tons and tons of avalanche debris. Some of my crew self-rescued, and others not involved in the avalanche began rescue efforts. Our group started with one person taking control to organize efforts. The first

problem the group encountered was the beacon signals from the other group, who were still moving around the area. After getting the other group’s transceivers switched to receive, the rescue efforts resumed. As life began fading from me, I was pulled from the debris. I was the last one of the victims from my group to come out of the avalanche. It looked like there were going to be some major medical issues for me, and our group decided to call for help. My legs and feet seemed to be in places they should not be, so I was happy to be breathing. After some digging, I was lucky to be found without serious injury. At this point, my crew had found and accounted for its entire group but one of the snowmobiles in the debris did not belong to any of us. We asked the other group whether they were missing anyone. It took a bit of time for a response, but then they answered that yes, “Johnny” was missing. The beacons were switched back to receive and the search kicked into gear again. After a bit more time passed, one of the members of the other group brought to light that Johnny had chosen to leave his beacon in the truck. As the beacons were switched back to transmit, a probe strike found Johnny. After an hour of CPR from both groups, a helicopter that was called to deal with me arrived on the scene. Then, in time, came a second helicopter carrying the coroner. Many things go through one’s head after surviving trauma like an avalanche. I have made the choice to share a small

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part of what has gone through mine. If I had to highlight one of the many things that I learned from this experience, it would be better communication. There were many mistakes made by both groups involved in this tragic accident. Remember that your choices may have consequences for others. Johnny (not his real name) left his beacon in the truck, and a two-week-old baby and the mother of his child in his hotel room. The days after being buried were about the same as the days before. Life must move forward no matter what. Flying out that day, I had already begun the process of stepping forward, trying to tuck that trauma into my back pocket. I headed home to regroup. After spending some time with my loved ones, I chose to get back on the snow. Two weeks after the accident, I grabbed a new sled and headed into the mountains. It is hard to explain the feelings and thoughts that have gone through my head each time I head back into avalanche terrain. When you come that close to losing your life, you analyze every little choice you make in avalanche country. My next few years were a mix of bliss and terror, but my comfort started to return after years of continued hard riding. Many factors got me to where I am at today. So many days were spent in my head analyzing every situation—it was like walking on eggshells. I would look at every single risk five times to teach myself to mange it the best way possible to feel comfortable. Like anything in the backcountry, I couldn’t do it alone—it took all of my riding partners to build up my confidence. One in particular helped me move beyond terror after four long years. I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am that I am still out snowmobiling all the time. I am sure that for many of us, the backcountry is a constant in our lives that gives us balance. I would like to thank everyone who has put time into rebuilding my confidence. Thank you so very much—you gave me my life back. With bright eyes, great hair and a smile you can see from the back of the room, Wren McElroy proved to be the inspiration for my involvement with the Canadian Avalanche Association and Canadian Avalanche Centre. We met in Revelstoke, BC and chatted about our passion for mountain, the dangers of avalanches, and the challenges the CAC was having reaching out to the snowmobile community. I left a 12-year job that season and had another chance run-in with Wren. I had spent a long time thinking about our previous chat. I had lost a friend when I was younger who, like the man that lost his life in the avalanche accident, had left a two-week-old baby behind. I thought a lot about the man who lost his life, the child who lost his father, and the woman he left behind. I had watched what my friend’s death had left behind, and I related to this man’s family so much.

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Wren’s humility, patience, open mind, and non-judgmental attitude proved to be the push I needed to get involved. I had never wanted to speak in front of a crowd, but Wren’s first request for help reaching sledders was for me to present to the CAA—you do not say no to her. I spent the week at the CAA spring conference and AGM in Penticton, BC, on my own dime. I told myself I was doing it for an assortment of reasons. I was hesitant; there were only a few other snowmobilers involved, and I felt very out of place even though I had an extensive snowboarding background. I must commend the few sledders who had been doing outreach for years in a sea of skiers. I was nervous to speak in front of such a large group; this was so outside my usual scope of things. With Wren’s help I choked down my fear and spoke about the day I was buried in an avalanche. I had no idea the amount of emotion I had held back over the years— it is still a bit funny to me that I let it come out for the first time in front of a room full of people. I suppose I was there for my own therapy session as well. I knew it was worthwhile from the response I received. I must thank everyone in the room that day; the comfort that I felt from everyone is the reason I continue to do that same talk today. Spending that week with CAA and CAC members was pivotal in my life. I felt like we were there to make a difference in the lives of others. I felt like I could help fellow snowmobilers who were already members reach out to our community, and share and progress knowledge with sledders. Motivated to make a difference, I found an assortment of ways to be involved—from some monster days of pit digging with Jeff Scott to learn how snowmobiles affect the snowpack to receiving my CAA Avalanche Operations Level 2 ticket last season. I feel like I am where I should be. I still speak at an assortment of avalanche outreach events and operate Soul Rides Avalanche Education in Revelstoke, BC (soulrides. ca). I am looking to gain more industry days this season to feel comfortable applying for CAA Professional Membership. I am still passionate about helping recreationists avoid the mistakes I made along the way. We have all learned humility from nature in one way or another. By admitting our mistakes we can learn from them; I hope people will learn from mine as well as their own. Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and what I do. Your unwavering support keeps me moving forward. For everyone who has helped me get my passion for the mountains back, I owe you all a drink.

A portion of this article was originally published on getradrevelstoke.com on October 31, 2012.

New HGAC Partnership Dominic Boucher The Haute-Gaspésie Avalanche Centre (HGAC) is pleased to officially announce a new partnership in quebec with Voyages Gendron, a ski vacation wholesaler and retailer. This agreement includes several components to diversify funding sources for the HGAC, increase visibility of the organization among skiers, and to reduce travel costs in Canada and abroad. After HGAC General Manager Dominic Boucher met Voyages Gendron’s Ski Sales Director Paul Dubrûle last February on the slopes of the Auberge de Montagne des Chic-Chocs, both partners began formulating numerous ideas. The first initiative to be implemented is the 2012 Avalanche Draw fundraiser in December 2012—the first prize is a ski trip for two in Revelstoke, BC, offered by Voyages Gendron. Subsequently, a group ski trip combined with an AST 1 course is organized for March 8 to 15, 2013, also in Revelstoke. Last summer, an article about the HGAC and mountain safety advice appeared in 2012-13 Voyages Gendron ski magazine.

On November 11, 2012 in Montréal, QC, the HGAC were present at Voyages Gendron’s annual ski event in order to sell tickets for the draw, promote the group ski trip to Revelstoke, and raise awareness and educate skiers via talks and presentations. In addition, donations made during the day were shared between St-Vincent-de-Paul Society and HGAC. Finally, since this fall, Voyages Gendron became the official travel agency for all travel needs of employees of the HGAC. In addition to fundraising efforts, this partnership between HGAC and Voyages Gendron is contributing greatly to the mission of public awareness, which is to promote avalanche safety, reduce risks and thus save lives. For more information, please email info@centreavalanche.qc.ca or visit centreavalanche.qc.ca.

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looking for layers in the pit // dominic boucher collection

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New and Improved Swiss Avalanche Bulletin Christine Pielmeier and Kurt Winkler, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland

For the winter of 2012-13, the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF has launched a completely revised Swiss avalanche bulletin format. The revamp includes some major improvements. There will now be a single avalanche bulletin for all regions in the Swiss Alps in four languages (English, German, French and Italian), published twice per day; there will be no more distinction between national and regional avalanche bulletins. The online avalanche bulletin offers a zoomable, interactive danger map of the Swiss Alps (Fig. 1). Users can zoom in on the region of interest and click through

for a detailed danger description that appears as a pop-up. This should make the bulletin easier for users to comprehend, and easier for forecasters to formulate. The other major improvement is that the bulletins are optimized for the Internet and smartphones, with well-arranged illustrations and menu navigation. The avalanche bulletin will be structured in an information pyramid with the most important information at the top (Fig. 2). Viewers will be directed first to the danger

Fig. 1: the online avalanche bulletin offers a zoomable interactive danger map of the Swiss Alps

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level, then to the "core zone" (elevations and aspects in question), then to the danger description. The new avalanche bulletin consists of two parts: an interactive danger map and a snow cover and weather description. The SLF issues the interactive danger map (including the detailed danger descriptions) on its website slf.ch twice a day at 08:00 and 17:00 in all four languages. A databased translation system enables a fully automated translation, using a catalogue of pre-defined and pre-translated sentence combinations that the forecasters have developed. In the future, the danger description will be chosen from that catalogue with pre-defined phrases and will be instantly available in all languages as soon as the German danger description is composed. The second part of the avalanche bulletin is the description of the snow cover and weather situation. It is published once per day at 17:00 in a semitabulated, clear format. The forecasters write this text freely, independent of the data base. It is translated conventionally to the other three languages by a professional translation bureau. The mobile app "White Risk" was completely renewed this season as well. It offers the new avalanche bulletin with the full interactive functionality for smartphones (Fig. 3). The app â&#x20AC;&#x153;White Riskâ&#x20AC;? is available in English, German, French and Italian. Apart from the avalanche bulletin, it also offers comprehensive background information on avalanche accident prevention. It is available free of cost for iPhone and Android. Diverse print versions of the avalanche bulletin are available on the Internet. They range from the complete avalanche bulletin for the entire Swiss Alps to regional danger maps suitable for posting in freeride areas. The regional danger maps replace the former Regional Avalanche Bulletins. The traditional distribution channels Teletext, abbreviated phone number and Wap go out of service. The SLF has been publishing the national avalanche bulletins since 1945. For more information, please visit slf.ch/ueber/organisation/warnung_praevention/ projekte/Neues_Bulletin/index_EN.

Fig. 2: the new avalanche bulletin will be structured in an information pyramid with the most important information at the top

Fig. 3: full interactive functionality for smartphones

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The Avalanche Journal wants you! We're accepting submissions for upcoming issues of The Avalanche Journal. We welcome articles relating to the professional avalanche industry or public avalanche safety, teaching tips, research papers, avalanche accounts, book reviews, historical avalanches, gear reviews, hot routes, global updates, event listings, interviews, letters to the editor, humorous stories, and anything else interesting or relevant to those involved with avalanches. We are also seeking winter mountain photography: avalanches, terrain, touring, skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and backcountry recreation or avalanche awareness activities. Please email Managing Editor Karilyn Kempton at editor@avalanche.ca with your ideas and submissions. The Avalanche Journal is published three times per year in April, September and December. Upcoming deadlines: October 15 (winter issue) February 15 (spring issue) July 15 (fall issue)

research &education 60

cooling and avalanches

the glide feature

transceiver performance when searching for multiple burials

the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

doug tuck

research & education

Cooling Off The Relationship Between Cooling and Avalanches Penny Goddard

Avalanches that occur during periods of cooling are important because they can surprise people. The subject first piqued my interest several years ago while watching the sun leave a steep slope on the opposite side of the valley from a ski lodge in New Zealand. When a large slab released from the slope minutes later, it seemed incongruous.

No obvious trigger was present: no recent loading by wind, snow or rain, no person and no bomb. The only change I perceived was a rapid drop in temperature as the slope moved from full sunshine to shade and into its associated early evening chill. Days later, the same thing happened on the same slope. In 2005, I became an avalanche forecaster at Broken River Ski Club in New Zealand. Lingering in the shadows of my mind was an avalanche which had occurred there 13 years prior. The week preceding the avalanche had been stormy, with 142mm of precipitation. Fluctuating freezing levels eventually led to a rain-soaked snowpack. On the day of the avalanche, the weather cleared, temperatures dropped and the snow surface became slick and icy. Staff decided to open the area based on conventional wisdom: cooling and surface re-freezing promote stability. At lunchtime, a size 4 avalanche failed near the ground on depth hoar, pulling out the entire Broken River basin with a crown up to 2.2m deep. It propagated 800m wide into lowangled terrain, leaving a deposit 20-30m deep. A snow groomer and skiers were in parts of the basin and may have been the trigger, but they were far from the fracture line. Amazingly, because almost all other skiers were inside having lunch only the ski area manager was killed. A photo of the avalanche hung on the wall in the forecasting office, leaving me chilled and uncertain. Doesn’t an icy, frozen surface mean the snowpack’s locked up? Why did the avalanche fail then and not during the warm

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storm? Why did it propagate so widely? So began my investigation. I turned to the books to read up on the phenomenon and learn about the mechanisms behind such events. Beyond some passing references to rapid temperature changes, the standard volley of avalanche reference books left me empty-handed. I tried scientific journals, asked academics and searched online. Very little came to light. So I began to ask my colleagues. A few people had experienced something like it. Many hadn’t. A more formal questionnaire followed. In the end, 40 avalanche professionals from around the world responded. The questionnaire focussed specifically on ‘re-freeze’ type events (where the snow surface goes from 0°C to below 0°C). I called this a “Cool-Down Avalanche” (CDA). The responses alerted me to the prevalence of surprising, large avalanches during periods of rapid cooling, not just when the snow surface goes from melt to freeze, but also at overall lower temperatures (e.g. a drop from -5°C to -15°C). This article firstly summarizes the results of the questionnaire, and then highlights a round of cooling-related avalanches in Western Canada during the 2010-11 winter season. Part 1: The results of the CDA questionnaire • In order of descending quantity, observations came from New Zealand, North America, Europe, Asia and Antarctica. • 15 of the 40 respondents had never experienced a CDA. Many more people

elected not to answer the questionnaire at all, due to having never experienced a CDA. • About 360 CDA were observed. This number is approximate, as the bulk of observations were poorly recorded, based instead on observers’ memories. • 98% of observed CDA were described as slab avalanches, 2% as loose. • The bulk of the observed avalanches were size 2-3; 14 were size 4 and three were size 5. • 61% were described as ‘glide’ releases. • 20 CDA events occurred within 15-60 minutes of the sun leaving the slope. A further seven occurred less than 15 minutes after the sun left the slope. • 21% of respondents had experienced a close call involving a CDA. These included large avalanches hitting an open highway, burying a ski lift in an area open to staff, and fully burying people in guided groups. • 38% of respondents factor CDA into their decision-making while managing the exposure of people and infrastructure to avalanches. 44% said they do not. • Seven people who had never had a close call involving a CDA factor the possibility of CDA into their decision-making. Interestingly, three people do not factor CDAs into their decision-making, in spite of having had a close call involving a CDA (including involvement in fatal incidents). The following comments made by respondents help address some of the reasons why CDAs are rarely factored into operational forecasting: • “[This is] much too speculative a theory to apply in an operational forecast.” • “I see 'cool-down' as the more stable end of the curve.” • “I don't factor CDAs into management due to a lack of understanding and observations.” • “I don't factor CDAs in, as it seems a very rare event.” • “I don't factor CDAs in, as there’s no knowledge base, therefore they are hard to estimate.” • “The funny thing is, I probably still guide and operate considering cooling down as a good tick for stability.”

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand. This basin was closed during the day due to creep and glide concerns. At 17:00 the surface was starting to refreeze, so the forecaster gave the OK for groomer operators to go into the basin to work. The avalanche occurred some time during the night, failing on depth hoar at ground. It damaged the lift bull wheel. // Dean Staples

Lanark path, Rogers Pass, 8:00, Jan. 18, 2011. The avalanche was size 4.5 and damaged ten acres of forest. It failed on facets/crust at ground. The air temperature dropped from -3°C to -17°C overnight prior to the event. It failed around the time that sun first hit the slope. // Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure - Avalanche and Weather Programs

CDA Conclusions • CDAs (surface refreezing avalanches) were observed around the world. • Accidents and near-misses have occurred when operators have re-opened previously closed terrain assuming that cooling means dramatically improved stability. • Some operators actively manage the CDA hazard through closures or explosives control, which are timed to coincide with rapid cooling or surface refreezing. • They were rarely observed overall–many experienced practitioners have never experienced a CDA. • There is a feeling that they are too difficult to predict, so there is a tendency to ignore them when making decisions. Hilda Peak, Valkyr Range, Jan. 20, 2011. This size 4 avalanche was an isolated event which occurredthe post-cooling. There were no other//large natural 61 avalanche journal winter 2012-13 avalanches during the cycle. It destroyed mature forest. // Ryan Glasheen

research & education

Part 2: Cooling Events in Western Canada during winter 2010-11 It is important to distinguish a key difference between Part 1 and Part 2. The questionnaire in Part 1 asked specifically about ‘re-freeze’ CDA events (snow surface going from 0°C to below 0°C). The events listed in Part 2 occurred during periods of rapid cooling within an overall colder temperature regime and did not involve a clear melt-freeze process at the surface. The included photos show a succession of large avalanches that occurred during periods of rapid cooling in western Canada. Operators described these events as very surprising, eye-opening, historic and unusual. Some common factors in the events of 2010-11: • Heavy storm loading occurred prior to the event. • All but one failed on a persistent weak layer. • Rapid air temperature cooling occurred, often around 7-10°C overnight. • They were mostly very large events with wide propagation. • In every case, experienced locals were surprised by the events.

Conclusion What does all this mean? Is there anything more than a sense of vague paranoia to take away? It seems clear that avalanches sometimes occur during periods of rapid cooling, both when the snow surface is going from melt to freeze and at overall colder temperatures. It is unclear whether, or how, cooling itself triggers avalanches—and that is a topic for a whole different study. What does seem apparent to me is that many near-misses and possibly some serious accidents were caused by faulty decision-making around cooling. The premise that cooling stabilises the snowpack after a storm (or solar warming) ends is not always correct. Always basing decision-making on this premise can lead to premature exposure to avalanche terrain. The most constant element in these events was that of surprise. In many cases, professionals were just about to (or just had) opened up terrain previously off-limits for public, guests and staff access. This research is mostly a collection of anecdotes. In order to really understand the mechanisms behind avalanches that occur during periods of cooling (and from there, to be able to forecast them), as a community we need to better document this type of event. I hope that this preliminary investigation will spark some discussion, spawn some more focussed research and perhaps encourage decision-makers to take a ‘second look’ at conditions during periods of rapid cooling. I presented this topic at conferences in Penticton, and New Zealand last year. On both occasions, numerous audience members revealed that they, too, had experienced surprising avalanches during times of rapid cooling. My feeling is that this phenomenon, while sporadic, is more common than one might expect. Acknowledgements Thanks to the following for their contribution: Bill Atkinson, Mark Austin-Cheval, Reid Bahnson, BC Ministry of Transportation – Avalanche and Weather Programs, Canadian Avalanche Centre, Peter Bilous, Dave Birnie, Stewart Blennerhassett, Kevin Boekholt, Jay Bristow, Wayne Carran, Howard Conway, Rosco Davies, Jef Desbecker, Thomas Exner, Ryan Glasheen, David Hamre, John Hooker, Andy Hoyle, Damian Jackson, Dan Kennedy, Karl Klassen, Mark Klassen, Brett Kobernik, Gary Kuehn, Chris Landry, John Mletschnig, Jane Morris, Shaun Norman, Tom O’Donnell, Christine Pielmeier, Tarn Pilkington, Nicholas Rapaich, Tim Robertson, Davie Robinson, Mike Rubenstein, Mark Sanderson, Mark Sedon, Ron Simenhois, Jim Spencer, Dean Staples, John Stimberis, Frank Techel, Craig Wilbour and Henry Worsp.

Mistaya Lodge, western Rockies. Overnight, Jan. 17/18, 2011 after a storm which deposited 1m+ snow had ended. There was overnight air temperature cooling from -3°C to -13°C and wind (however, many of these slopes were not lee to the wind). More than 62 the avalanche journal // 2012-13 20 avalanches released, size 1 to 3.5 winter (many 2-2.5) with crowns 100-150cm, some up to 200cm deep. Several avalanches were observed in unusual locations. // Dave Birne

THE AVALANCHE FEATURE Creeping On: Glide Cracks and Glide Slab Avalanches Larry Stanier Glide slabs, cornices and seracs are in some ways the neglected nasties of our industry. We certainly do not talk much about these issues on ITP courses, nor do they receive the volume of research directed to other snow avalanche hazards.

However, many of us deal with one or all three in our avalanche risk management operations. Some of us even get paid to lose sleep over cornices and seracs year round. The intention is to run a feature of articles on each of these three phenomena in this magazine over several issues to give a voice to folks very experienced with them. If you have a case study, story, technique, or photo dealing with cornice or serac avalanches, control or forecasting please send it to me laristan@telus.net. I would love to hear from you.

My real introduction to fast paced glide slabs was over a couple of warm weeks in January 2009 in Hakuba, Japan. A strong snowpack, warm air, warm ground and bamboo grass provided a fascinating CPD session. I had never seen a snowpack move so far and fast on so much low angle terrain. I loved it, but was scared of it. Welcome to our glide slab feature. Glide slab avalanches remain one of the mysteries of our craft. Has anyone ever heard of a skier-triggered glide slab avalanche? Let the conversation begin. It may get creepy!

Whistler’s Glide Cracks Anton Horvath Avalanche Forecaster, Whistler/Blackcomb We have glide cracks open up once every few years on Harvey's traverse out of Burnstew Basin. They just gradually creep downwards until they finally melt out. We have never had one fail, although due diligence dictates that we test them. We have tried 25kg bags of ANFO—mixing it up on the top, bottom, and right in the guts. We’ve never had it budge. Sometimes it pulls large boulders out of the ground, and uproots and pushes over trees. There is no rhyme or reason to it—it’s not associated with rain events. We do have some vents open up occasionally here and there on the mountain, moving around from one year to the next. The glide cracks could have something to do with the vents, but that is just a guess. The associated ground cover is heather glades , with an ENE aspect start zone at 1850m.

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glide crack on harvey's // whistler mountain snow safety

research & education

Glide Cracks at Mustang Powder Larry Stanier

Glide cracks are part of the deal at Mustang Powder Cat Skiing, but last season we seemed to have more— particularly close to the lodge on some sporty bread and butter terrain. I had spent parts of five seasons at Mustang, located in the western Monashees north of the Trans-Canada Highway, and was starting to get to know the place. Operationally, the obvious hazard is glide slab avalanches affecting skiers and snowcats. There is also the haunting image of a skier taking a 1-3m drop onto frozen dirt and then slamming into the downhill, pencil-knife hard lip of the crack—likely a world of hurt. Carnivale is a big piece of terrain close to the Mustang Lodge. Gentlest coming in on its south end, as you go north it has an ESE aspect close to 500m wide that is approximately 40 degrees at its complex upper entrances. Smooth grass, rock and alder covered fans very slowly get to 20 degrees over a 300m vertical drop. The terrain is neither really steep nor huge, but it is a serious place. We have observed glide cracks on Carnivale over the years but in December 2011 they were exceptional. They were big and were not behaving as our limited experience expected them to. Perhaps the most unsettling event was when two seemingly disconnected glide slabs were observed moving 2-5m downhill on a cold, clear afternoon after several cold, clear days with no discernible movement anywhere. We gave in to the uncertainty and just closed that section of the run for skiing. We were concerned with when we could open the terrain again (possibly the following year, we thought) and the lingering threat to the road that runs beneath the slope in obvious short sections and historically for longer sections. I asked to be snow safety guide on December 6 because I wanted to go get intimate with the beast. I eased into the gentlest Carnivale main entrance and began a tour of the cracks. It was cold, clear, the sun was on the slope and I really was not sure if I was the hunter or the hunted. I began with some smaller cracks but was drawn towards the big ones. I got to one end of the biggest crack and managed to find a way to gently release my skis and tiptoe into the heart of it. As I stepped warily down onto the frozen grass, I was hit by a very strong wet grass or barn odor. Then, just to really jerk me awake, around one hundred little brown birds came charging out of a cave on the downhill edge. After a diaper check and a few deep breaths, I started my walking tour. The ground was rock hard with frozen grass, little seeps of clear water ice and

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glice cracks on carnivale being a bit creepy // larry stanier

bits of rock. Crampons would have helped a lot. I was a bit terrified of slipping as I obviously did not want to get beaten up, but more importantly I did not want to disturb this house of cards that was way outside of my experience. I tried to keep my eye on exits if something started to move—a desperate idea, but good luck and good habits like that have kept me alive thus far. I walked across approximately 150m of crack from 0-15m wide and around 150cm deep. Some of the buckles in the snow were over 1m deep. From time to time the brown bird airforce would come winging by me—I assume just to tell me to take off. It was a very unusual and stimulating experience, especially on 35-40 degree terrain in perfect light. Nothing I saw indicated any propensity for dynamic movement, but the damn thing had been gliding just two days before. It made sense that the exposed ground was frozen after a night to -10°C, but even where I peered deep under the snow there was no visible or audible water. Eventually it started get warmer and I ran out of courage. It was fascinating skiing down through the fans and the wrinkled and rolling snow surface, unlike any I had ever seen there before. At the edge of the big timber I put on skins and toured just below the obvious trim lines. There was lots of evidence of dry snow avalanches but also places where it was easy to picture where at various times in the past 100 years a big glide slab had plowed through the forest with big trees bent, broken or barked up down low to the ground. Later in the week, one isolated size 2.5 glide slab pulled out and didn’t quite make it to the road. Were we being too conservative? Maybe. Were we glad we kept that terrain closed? Damn right. So, what did I get out of this risky tour? An adventure, but also a deepening of the sense that I know very little about what is actually happening at the snow/ground interface. Stick around and let’s see what others have to say about this creepy business.

glide crack on the main path of mcgill shoulder // parks canada

Glide Cracks and Glide Slab Avalanche Failures in Glacier National Park in Winter 2011-12 Parks Canada, Glacier National Park The winter of 2011-12 in Rogers Pass can be considered notable for many reasons. In addition to almost continuous snowfalls, mild temperatures and large destructive avalanches, more glide cracks in the snow cover were observed than in a normal winter. The winter started early, with above average precipitation. When snow first covered the mountain ridges on October 11, the ground was warm and wet. Air temperatures were well above freezing and over 100mm of rain fell in the previous two weeks on the west end of Glacier National Park. Snowstorms early in the season quickly created a thick, strong snowpack, without significant persistent weak layers. In early January, basal snow densities at the Fidelity study plot were in the range of 415kg/m3, and in February were 485kg/m3. The first observed failure of a glide crack slab avalanche was in December on a steep northwest aspect at 1000m ASL. Shortly after this event, glide cracks and glide crack slab avalanches began to show up on all aspects and elevations up to 2200m ASL, many in areas not previously observed. Full depth slab avalanches from areas that formed glide cracks continued well into June 2012. These blemishes in the snow cover and the related slab failures proved to be troublesome. Cracks formed across

popular ski descent routes, above or in standard snow profile locations, and on many slopes above the transportation corridor. In one case a glide crack slab avalanche failed well after sundown, blocking the highway, in a path that had no previous history of glide cracks or glide crack slab avalanches. The debris fields from these slab failures were impressive, some containing cube-van-size blocks of snow. Determining if or when a glide crack will result in a slab avalanche can be difficult. We find time-lapse photography useful; when deformation rates increase dramatically failure is usually imminent. Glide crack slabs sometimes fail when you would expect: on a hot sunny afternoon, when a rapid temperature change occurs or during a rain event. Just as often, failure occurs when you are not expecting it: late at night or early on a cool morning during a stable weather pattern. Mother Nature continues to show us new things. We look forward to testimonials from other operations and scientific studies to help us better manage, forecast and perhaps control the risk this natural hazard poses in the mountains we work and play in.

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research & education

Glide slab explosives control results, 50 mile path. Skeena River corridor, west of Terrace, BC // rod gee

Predicting and Controlling Glide Slabs

Rod Gee is a CAA and AAA Professional member with 30 years industry experience. His association with Chris Stethem and Associates Ltd. from 1985 to 2011 provided participation in a broad variety of Canadian avalanche programs. Rod is owner of Northwest Avalanche Solutions Ltd., and is based in Terrace, B.C.

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My 25 year glide slab education began on an early morning in January 1989. A snowplow operator on Highway 16 west of Terrace reported witnessing a Size 3.5 airborne wet avalanche cross the railroad and highway corridors. The deposit pushed sections of concrete guardrail into the Skeena River. Fortunately, no one was involved. I arrived at the site shortly after hearing the plow operator’s report. “Argh! It’s the glide slab I’ve been monitoring for the last week," I thought; "Why this morning? It’s not raining, and it’s not warm. Why did it run now? Were there indicators I’d missed?” I came to the north coast of British Columbia to work in CN Rail’s Skeena avalanche program. I brought seven years of work experience in the Rockies, and ITP training in the Selkirk Mountains and the Coast Ranges. However, I had minimal knowledge of glide slab behaviour. Glide slab prediction is a challenge, compared to the relative predictability of most maritime snowpack avalanche activity. They are classic poster children for the discussion surrounding why “Hazard Level 2” is perhaps a better descriptor than “Stability Good,

with the occasional size 4.” Without start zone instrumentation monitoring glide rates, the CN Skeena program offsets uncertainty to some degree with frequent explosives control, and, where effective, runout zone earthworks. These are some of the observations on formation and natural initiation I now use to evaluate glide slab stability: • A low-friction ground surface is important for slab formation, but the degree of support from terrain features immediately below the slab is at least as important for slab failure. • Rapid, early season snowpack accumulation associated with relatively warm air temperatures increases the likelihood of early- and mid-season glide slab formation. • Lack of an effective ground freeze prior to snowpack accumulation results in increased mid-winter glide rates. • Rainfall and meltwater percolation in an isothermal starting zone snowpack may accelerate glide rate by decreasing friction at the slab/ ground interface. Free water may also decrease the strength of the supporting snow downslope of the glide slab as well as the slab itself.

Rain falling into the glide crack above the slab, likely has a similar net effect. However, rain does not guarantee slab failure; it is only part of the equation. • Glide slab failure does not require an isothermal snowpack. Failure may occur before the snowpack becomes isothermal or during the overnight cooling phase of the diurnal cycle, and without free water being present at the snow/ground interface. Explosives Initiation The ideal condition for explosives control occurs when the slab itself maintains a degree of strength greater than that of the snowpack below the toe and along the flanks of the slab. In an ideal scenario, a combination of terrain and weather factors unbalances the downslope snowpack stress/ strength relationship to a greater degree than within the slab itself. The toe and flanks are now barely able to support the loading of the gliding slab. Explosives applied at this time cause slab initiation by triggering a failure of the snowpack at the toe of the slab. Technicians Herb Bleuer and Mike Zylicz began experimenting with charge quantity and placement in the Skeena corridor in the early 1980s. They realized that conventional charge quantity was usually insufficient for glide slab initiation, and that charge placement was extremely critical. They also realized that placing the explosives charge into the glide crack above the slab was ineffective because that was not where the stress/strength relationship was deteriorating. Effective glide slab control is about “kicking the knees out” from under the slab, and not adding load to the slab itself. Their testing produced reasonable results using 100-150kg ANFO charges placed at the toe of the slab. The best charge placement is a very specific point where the gliding slab

is having the greatest effect on the non-gliding downslope snowpack. Current Skeena corridor glide slab control strategy includes the use of charges of 150 and 500kg on 200-500cm deep slabs. Large charges are used because they increase the likelihood of triggering, which reduces hazard at the runout zone transportation corridor and minimizes the likelihood of natural events disrupting rail operations. That said, control is not always successful. A complex, ever-changing

A complex, ever-changing interplay of factors affects glide slab stability, and the puzzle is not completely understood. interplay of factors affects glide slab stability, and the puzzle is not completely understood. Some factors I consider in evaluating explosives control effectiveness include: • Control is more likely to be successful on glide slabs poorly supported by the terrain below the slab. For example, a poorly-supported glide slab can be initiated with explosives so it will then trigger a bettersupported glide slab lower in the starting zone that does not respond to explosives. • Rain or melt-water at the ground/ snow interface is not essential for initiation to occur, but it does

increase the likelihood. • Initiating sections of glide slabs is useful both by reducing the deposit volume of a single occurrence, but also because it exposes the ground surface to solar radiation, which then potentially aids in increasing glide rate by introducing more heat into the slab’s basal layers. • The strength of the snowpack below and alongside the slab allows the slab to glide a significant distance downslope without failing. Increasing glide rate may indicate decreasing snowpack strength. • A 300-600cm slab can easily glide 50-100m without initiating if the downslope snowpack and terrain accommodates the glide’s loading effect. Increasing glide rate and/ or deteriorating strength of the snowpack supporting the slab are two critical initiation factors. • Three reliable nearby indicator paths I use to assess an east aspect path prone to glide slab formation have a northwest aspect, but the starting zones are at the same elevation. This suggests ambient air temperature affects glide slab behaviour to a lesser, but still relevant, degree. Prediction and control have improved since the 1980s, but we still include a healthy dose of “art” to the “science” of our craft. Explosives control in January 2012 put a size 4 deposit within 2m of the rail roadbed. Is our understanding of glide slab management improving, or were we just lucky on that mission?

This article was originally published in Volume 101 of The Avalanche Journal.

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research & education

Glide Snow Avalanches Revisited Christoph Mitterer and Jürg Schweizer WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland

During the 2011-12 winter season, the Swiss Alps experienced strong snow gliding with repeated cycles of large glide-snow avalanches (Fig.1). Local avalanche services were challenged by deep open glide cracks, as their evolution into glide avalanches was hardly predictable. Some cracks immediately developed into glide avalanches, while others stood open for weeks before producing an avalanche. The forecasting of glide snow avalanches is particularly difficult as the occurrence of glide cracks and their evolution to an avalanche is still poorly understood. Liquid water is thought to play a vital role for the triggering mechanism of glide snow avalanches. Observations (Clarke and McClung, 1999; in der Gand and Zupančič, 1966) suggest that in many cases a thin, wet or moist basal layer or percolating water reduces the friction at the snow-soil interface. Glide avalanches may therefore be classified as wet-snow avalanches (McClung and Schaerer, 2006). Weather, snow cover and soil properties influence the conditions at the snow-soil interface, but so far no direct relation between snow gliding and these factors has been established. Jones (2004) reviewed glide processes with special emphasis on glide-avalanche release, predictability and possible control work. Despite important progress, he concluded that methods for artificial release and forecasting of glide-snow avalanches were still relatively limited. We will update Jones’ review and present an overview of the current state of knowledge on processes favoring glide-snow avalanches. In addition, we present a first simple approach towards modeling the processes at the snow-soil interface (1-D) that favor the formation of a wet basal layer. TRIGGERING PROCESSES AND PATTERNS The role of liquid water The four following points are still considered as prerequisites for snow gliding (in der Gand and Zupančič, 1966): • A snow temperature of 0°C at the snow-soil interface allowing the presence of liquid water. • A smooth snow-soil interface with little roughness (e.g. bare rock or grass). • A slope angle steeper than 15°C.

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• A deep overlaying snowpack without any prominent weak layer. Many studies (Clarke and McClung, 1999; in der Gand and Zupančič, 1966; McClung and Clarke, 1987) revealed that glide avalanche activity is always connected to the presence of liquid water within the snowpack. This seems obvious as presence of water reduces the friction at the snow-soil interface (McClung and Clarke, 1987). Beside snow temperature, the liquid water content determines the viscosity of the snowpack, which again has an effect on gliding behavior over a rough surface. Quantitative observations on the influence of liquid water on snow viscosity are not available at present, but estimates on the relation between snow hand hardness and liquid water content exist. Izumi and Akitaya (1985) reported that snow hardness decreases significantly with increasing water content. As the presence of water seems so decisive for the formation of glide-snow avalanches, it is paramount to know the processes that are responsible for the presence of water at the snow-soil interface. Three different processes may deliver liquid water to the snow-soil interface (McClung and Clarke, 1987): • Water—produced by surface melting or rainfall—percolates through the entire snowpack. • Heat released from the still-warm ground melts snow after the first major snowfall. • Water might be produced at terrain features with strong energy release (e.g. bare rocks) and is running downwards along the snow-soil interface or may originate from springs (ground water outflow). The first triggering scenario is very similar to the triggering process related to wet-snow avalanches: the less permeable substrate below the snowpack often acts as a barrier for infiltrating water. Backed up water lowers the strength of the basal layer and thus determining the arrival time of the water is crucial for predicting avalanche events (Mitterer et al., 2011). In fact, Clarke and McClung (1999) related most avalanches to either snowmelt or rain-on-snow events using air temperature as proxy. However, so-called cold temperature events could not be explained with air

temperature. They suggested that the third process (water produced at terrain features) was responsible for those very few events. Lackinger (1987) observed more glide avalanches after warm spells and rain events and in about 85% of all recorded events an isothermal snowpack. His dataset does not include cold temperature events. In der Gand and Zupančič (1966) stated that the existence of a lowermost moist snow layer is especially important, as a dry boundary layer would not cause glide motion on a grass surface. Moreover, they suggested that liquid water is produced due to warm ground temperatures. Snow layers with low temperatures (below 0°C) may exist above the wet basal layer. In addition to the presence of water, Lackinger (1987) proposed that glide activity is high when early in the season a heavy snowfall covers the bare soil. Terrain characteristics of glide snow avalanches Glide snow avalanches occur mostly on steep terrain, i.e. 30°-40° steep slopes (Leitinger et al., 2008; Newesely et al., 2000), covered with smooth rock (e.g. Stimberis and Rubin, 2011), grass (in der Gand and Zupančič, 1966), or tippedover bamboo bushes (Endo, 1984). Newesely et al. (2000) observed increased snow gliding on abandoned pastures compared to slopes with short grass. Leitinger et al. (2008) and Höller (2001) observed that the lack of dense forest stands causes glide-snow activity, in particular if the distance to surrounding anchor points is longer than 20m. Research results on prevailing aspects and elevations are inconclusive, as in most studies observations do not cover all aspects. Seasonal and diurnal variations Glide rates may vary throughout the entire winter season and from year to year. According to the observations by Clarke and McClung (1999), Höller (2001), McClung et al. (1994) and the above suggested formation processes, high glide activity can be expected in either early winter or spring. Observations of diurnal variations and patterns are conflicting. While Lackinger (1987) observed avalanches often in the evening or at night, McClung et al. (1994) found in one year increased activity during the day, but in the second year no clear variations. Clarke and McClung (1999) reported for the same study site no significant differences in glide rates between daytime and night. On the other hand, Feick et al. (2012) analyzed two large glide-snow avalanche slopes and found a clear tendency towards increased gliding and avalanching around noon or in the afternoon.

fig. 1: Release zone with fracture line of a glide-snow avalanche above Davos, Switzerland, January 10 2012.

fig. 2: Simulated volumetric liquid water content (Ө w) for a 1-D soil-grass-snow column. White dashed lines show the interfaces between the different media.

FORECASTING OF GLIDE SNOW AVALANCHES Many studies focused on using air temperature as a proxy variable to forecast avalanche activity. In general, air temperature is linked to snow gliding activity, however, this

fig. 3: Photo taken at the base of an open glide crack. Basal snow layers show high water saturation. Brownish color hintsjournal to soil solutes the avalanche wintertransported // 2012-13into 69 the snowpack through water flow.

research & education

relationship is complex as it influences indirectly several processes related to glide. Rising air temperatures will warm the snowpack thereby decreasing snow viscosity. This results in enhanced creep rates and may promote gliding. In addition, air temperature is a proxy for melt at the snow surface and indicates whether precipitation falls as rain or snow. Clarke and McClung (1999) showed that glide rates corresponded to increased air temperatures with lag times of 12-24 hours for snow gliding activity after snowmelt or rain events. As increasing glide rates are thought to be a useful predictor variable (Endo, 1984; 1985), much research focused on automatically detecting glide cracks and follow them over time. Basically two different approaches were chosen: • The glide motion of the snowpack is directly measured with on-site installed so-called glide shoes (e.g. in der Gand and Zupančič, 1966) or accelerometers (e.g. Rice et al., 1996). • Recurring pictures (Akitaya, 1980; Feick et al., 2012; van Herwijnen and Simenhois, 2012) or optical measurements (Hendrikx et al., 2010) of slopes prone to snow gliding are taken throughout the entire season. The approach of van Herwijnen and Simenhois (2012) seems especially promising for monitoring important glidesnow avalanche paths as instrumentation is fairly cheap. They automatically related the number of dark pixels (i.e. the open crack) with time to white pixels (i.e. snowy surrounding of the open crack) and could track the widening of the crack. The number of dark pixels increased shortly before failure. Both methods are suited for monitoring notoriously dangerous avalanche paths, but do not provide sufficient coverage for a regional avalanche forecasting program. MODELLING THE WET BASAL LAYER In the following, we will focus on the processes associated with the hydraulic properties at the snow-soil interface. In order to do so we implemented the governing equations into a numerical model. We assumed a soil (0.1m), grass (0.02m) and a snow layer (0.1m) to represent the natural conditions within our model. The grass layer was simulated as a porous medium with very large pores. A fine-textured snow layer (grain size of 1mm) covered the grass. For the sake of simplicity, snow was modeled as a non-changing isothermal porous medium. Results show that due to capillary effects, liquid water rises until 0.2m into the snow. The water content is in the pendular regime (i.e. <4% by vol.) for the upper parts of the snow layer (Fig. 2). From the very beginning of the simulation, the amount of liquid water at the interface grass-snow increases, and the grass layer dries out over time.

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The upward direction of the water is due to a strong hydraulic pressure gradient between the two porous media snow and grass. The gradient results from the large differences in liquid water content when starting the simulation. The difference in water content is an effective driver in transporting liquid water into the basal layer of the snowpack. The results are supported by observations showing the presence of brownish-colored saturated snow layers at the bottom of the snowpack (Fig. 3). The coloring comes probably from soil solutes transported through the upward directed water flux. So far this issue was never taken into account—as far as we know—when presence of liquid water in an otherwise dry snowpack was explained. As we neglected the influence of melt water due to the release of stored heat, it is difficult to conclude which process dominates. Our interpretations of the simulation are only valid for snowpacks overlaying a porous medium (e.g. grass, soil). The situation will be different for smooth impermeable rock substrates, on which stored heat will be the major source of water. In the future, we will incorporate the presented model into more complex models to better identify which of the two processes dominates. CONCLUSIONS Based on the review by Jones (2004), we provided an update of research results on glide-snow avalanche formation. We summarized characteristics of glide-snow avalanches and triggering patterns with a special emphasis on the role of liquid water at the snow-soil interface. Prevailing weather conditions and terrain characteristics determine the cause for liquid water at the bottom of the snowpack. Processes producing liquid water include infiltrating water due to either melt at the snow surface or rain, water due to basal melt by heat released from the still warm ground after the first major snowfall, capillary rise due to different hydraulic pressures along the snow-soil interface and water originating from springs (ground water outflow). We presented first results of a simple model mimicking the hydraulic processes at the snow-soil interface. The model reveals that a strong pressure gradient at the snow-grass interface causes an upward flux of water. Water moves from the soil towards the snowpack. We showed that capillary forces at the snow-soil interface play a vital role for the formation of a wet basal layer. If the substrate is a wet porous medium, liquid water can be present within the basal snow layer even without basal melting. Results are biased towards our simple model assumptions and the relative importance of the two processes (basal melt and/or capillary rise) will be different for other substrates such as rock.

References Akitaya, E., 1980. Observations of ground avalanches with a video tape recorder (VTR). Journal of Glaciology, 26(94): 493-496. Clarke, J.A. and McClung, D.M., 1999. Full-depth avalanche occurrences caused by snow gliding. Coquihalla, B.C., Canada. Journal of Glaciology, 45(151): 539-546. Endo, Y., 1984. Glide processes of a snow cover as release mechanism of an avalanche on a slope covered with bamboo bushes. Contributions from the Institute of Low Temperature Science, A32: 39-68. Endo, Y., 1985. Release mechanism of an avalanche on a slope covered with bamboo bushes. Annals of Glaciology, 6: 256-257. Feick, S., Mitterer, C., Dreier, L., Harvey, S. and Schweizer, J., 2012. Automated detection and mapping of glide-snow events using satellite based optical remote sensing and terrestrial photography, International Snow Science Workshop ISSW 2012, Anchorage AK, U.S.A., 16-21 September 2012, pp. 603609. Hendrikx, J., Peitzsch, E. and Fagre, D.B., 2010. A practitioner’s tool for assessing glide crack activity, International Snow Science Workshop ISSW, Lake Tahoe CA, U.S.A., 17-22 October 2010, pp. 395-396. Höller, P., 2001. Snow gliding and avalanches in a south-facing larch stand. IAHS-AISH, 270: 355-358. in der Gand, H.R. and Zupančič, M., 1966. Snow gliding and avalanches, Symposium at Davos 1965 - Scientific Aspects of Snow and Ice Avalanches, IAHS Publication, 69. IAHS, Wallingford, U.K., pp. 230-242. Izumi, K. and Akitaya, E., 1985. Hardness of wet snow. Annals of Glaciology, 6: 267-268. Jones, A., 2004. Review of glide processes and glide avalanche release. Avalanche News, 69: 53-60. Lackinger, B., 1987. Stability and fracture of the snow pack for glide avalanches. In: B. Salm and H. Gubler (Editors), Symposium at Davos 1986 - Avalanche Formation, Movement and Effects, IAHS Publ., 162. IAHS, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, U.K., pp. 229-241.

Leitinger, G., Höller, P., Tasser, E., Walde, J. and Tappeiner, U., 2008. Development and validation of a spatial snow-glide model. Ecological Modelling, 211: 363-374. McClung, D.M. and Clarke, G.K.C., 1987. The effects of free water on snow gliding. Journal of Geophysical Research, 92(B7): 6301-6309. McClung, D.M. and Schaerer, P., 2006. The Avalanche Handbook. The Mountaineers Books, Seattle WA, U.S.A., 342 pp. McClung, D.M., Walker, S. and Golley, W., 1994. Characteristics of snow gliding on rock. Annals of Glaciology, 19: 97-103. Mitterer, C., Hirashima, H. and Schweizer, J., 2011. Wet-snow instabilities: Comparison of measured and modelled liquid water content and snow stratigraphy. Annals of Glaciology, 52(58): 201-208. Newesely, C., Tasser, E., Spadinger, P. and Cernusca, A., 2000. Effects of land-use changes on snow gliding processes in alpine ecosystems. Basic and Applied Ecology, 1: 61-67. Rice, B., Howlett, D. and Decker, R., 1996. Preliminary investigations of glide/creep motion sensors in Alta, Utah, Proceedings of the 1996 International Snow Science Workshop, Banff, Canada, pp. 189-194. Simenhois, R. and Birkeland, K., 2010. Meteorological and environmental observations from three glide avalanche cycles and the resulting hazard management technique, ISSW International Snow Science Workshop, Squaw Valley, CA, U.S.A. Stimberis, J. and Rubin, C., 2011. Glide avalanche response to an extreme rain-on-snow event, Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, USA. Journal of Glaciology, 37(203): 468-474. van Herwijnen, A. and Simenhois, R., 2012. Monitoring glide avalanches using time-lapse photography, International Snow Science Workshop ISSW 2012, Anchorage AK, U.S.A., 16-21 September 2012, pp. 899-903.

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Transceiver Performance When Searching for Multiple Burials Jürg Schweizer WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland Manuel Genswein Genswein, Meilen, Switzerland Fred Jarry, Dominique Létang ANENA, Grenoble, France

Two large-scale field tests at Davos, Switzerland, and on Col du Lautaret, France, focusing on the performance of avalanche rescue transceivers in multiple burial accidents were conducted in winter 2011-12.

Whereas in the Swiss test beginners searched with low-end transceivers, the French test focused on the advanced and professional user groups who used top-end transceivers. The complexity of the search scenarios was adapted to the respective user groups. In both tests we measured search time for locating the first, second and third (and in some scenarios the fourth) search target. In the test at Davos, with four out five transceivers the novice/average users were unable to locate the third target in about 30% of the cases. This failure was mainly due to the malfunctioning of the marking function. In the second test with the advanced and professional user group, the number of not-found targets was considerably lower, as this user group successfully applied backup search strategies. Test results clearly indicate that even with modern transceivers with digital signal processing, the presence of multiple signals during search may still lead to a challenging and problematic situation for the rescuer. Backup search strategies are essential for handling complex rescue scenarios and need to be taught. 1. INTRODUCTION Avalanche rescue transceivers (or beacons) together with shovel and probe are the standard equipment for snow avalanche rescue. As the survival chances quickly decrease with time, the rescue—including transceiver search, probing and excavation—needs to be as fast as possible. Although the search time is often substantially shorter than the time spent excavating the buried subject, it is vital that the transceiver

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allows the victim to be quickly and reliably rescued in order to save lives. The rescuer, whether relatively inexperienced or professional, has to be able to find the buried subject(s) even under stress and in non-trivial burial situations. For several years, the transceivers on the market include a processor and multi-antenna system that supports the rescuer while searching. In single burial situations (with average burial depth) the search is typically quick and reliable, in particular due to the availability of distance and direction indication. On the other hand, training sessions frequently show that in nontrivial burial situations, when two or more persons are completely buried in close vicinity (i.e. within 2-20m), the search is more demanding, despite the multiple burial algorithms that support features such as the ability to mask out the signal of an already localized but not yet recovered subject. The Swiss avalanche accidents statistics indicate that every year, a few accidents with two or more buried persons occur who were not found by visible clues. In the 10 years from 1998-99 to 2008-09 (not including 2006-07), about 1800 avalanche accidents were reported to the SLF. In 250 accidents, at least one person was completely buried (no visible parts) for a total of 315 involved people. Whereas in most cases only one person was completely buried, 45 accidents with two or more completely buried persons were reported, involving a total of 110 persons. In other words, in 18% of the accidents with at least one completely buried person there were two or more subjects that had to be searched for.

Considering just buried persons, the proportion is about 35%. That is, on average the odds are about one third that at the same time at least one other person is completely buried, with possibly severe consequences for survival. In detail, the probabilities for two or more, three or more and four buried subjects are about 35%, 17% and 5%, respectively. In the past, transceiver performance has been regularly tested to monitor the progress in development and to compare different brands on the market. However, only a few tests were based on quantitative measurements that allow an objective assessment (e.g. Schweizer, 2000; Schweizer and Krüsi, 2003). The aim of this study was to test the performance of avalanche rescue transceivers in multiple burial accident situations by the three main users groups: ‘novice/average’ user, ‘advanced recreational’ user and ‘professional’ user. We conducted two field tests in January and May, 2012 in Switzerland and France, respectively. Whereas in the Swiss test beginners were searching, the French test focused on the advanced and professional user groups that split up in three subcategories: non-commercial mountain leaders, guides and full-time professional rescuers. Search time for locating the first, second, and third (in some scenarios the fourth) search target was measured. In addition, the test participants provided feedback by answering questionnaires. 2. Methods In both tests we measured the time for localizing the search targets in a multiple burial situation. In the test at Davos January 12-13, 2012, beginners—a class of inexperienced secondary school students in grade 9, age 16—tested five lowend transceivers: ARVA Axis, Mammut Element Barryvox, Ortovox 3+, Pieps DSP Tour and BCA Tracker 2. In France from May 12-16, a group of advanced and professional users tested four high-end transceivers: ARVA Link, Mammut Pulse Barryvox, Ortovox S1+, and Pieps DSP (Table 1).

In Davos we used radio-controlled search targets that simulated a generic, modern transceiver. The targets had a short lasting transmit time of approximately 100ms followed by a randomly chosen pause of approximately 950 to 1050ms in order to minimize longer lasting signal overlaps. All search targets where transmitting a 457 kHz signal with very little to no frequency deviation and no continuous carrier. In France, only one test field was equipped with remote-controlled search targets; the remaining fields were set up with standard transceivers in transmit mode. Additional search information such as W-Link information, including MAC addresses and 457 kHz time stamps, were purposely disabled to give equal chance to devices outside of the ARVA/Barryvox W-Link platform. Antenna orientation varied (Figures 1 and 2). In Davos, all antenna were oriented parallel (not inclined) to the snow surface, resulting in relatively easy scenarios,. For the advanced and professional users groups at Col du Lautaret, the antenna orientations were more variable and the scenarios Fig. 1: Search scenarios in the test at Davos. In each field four search targets are buried. Transmitters in white color are always turned on, of the transmitters in grey color only one of the two is turned on at the same time. White numbers indicate distance between targets or to the boarder of the test field in meters. Black number are search target identifiers. Triangles mark the starting point.

Fig. 2: Search scenarios in the test on Col du Lautaret. Same presentation as in Fig.1. All transmitters are turned on at all times. The circular transmitter symbol indicates vertical antenna orientation.

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Table 1: Characteristics of the two tests Location

Davos Sertig, Switzerland Col du Lautaret, France 1860m ASL 2200m ASL

Date

January 12-13 2012

May 12-16 2012

User groups

Novice/average

Advanced recreational, certified guides, fulltime SAR

Number of test participants

20 (on 1 full day)

10 per day (on 3 full days), 30 in total

Training

2 hrs (20 min per brand of beacon by representative of manufacturer)

3 hrs (45 min per brand by mountain rescue instructors with specific training)

ARVA Axis Mammut Element Barryvox Ortovox 3+ Pieps DSP Tour Tracker 2

ARVA Link Mammut Pulse Barryvox Ortovox S1+ Pieps DSP

Size of square test fields

40-50m

100m

Number of test fields

Burial depth

1m, occasionally 4

Number of search targets per field

3, occasionally 4

Search targets

remotely controlled transmitter at exactly 457 kHz simulating a modern beacon with a short lasting transmit time

remotely controlled transmitters and standard transceivers with different transmit times and frequency deviations

Brands and models of beacons tested

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manuel Genswein

consequently more complex and demanding. Search targets were buried in a depth of 1m (see exceptions below) below a wooden plate of 50cm Ă&#x2014; 70cm. This burial depth corresponds to the median burial depth in human-triggered avalanche accidents (Harvey and Zweifel, 2008). To add some challenges to the fine search phase at Col du Lautaret, some objects were buried between 2 and 2.3m. The search targets were equipped with probe detectors measured search time to the point when the rescuer hit the wooden plate with the probe pole. We recorded search times for localizing (with a probe hit) the first, second and third search target (and occasionally the fourth target at Col du Lautaret). The participants started in the middle of one side of the test field with the transceiver in transmit mode. Switching into search mode was part of the measured search time. Times were recorded by a field assistant who rotated clockwise from one field to the other; test participants rotated counter-clockwise in order to prevent any bias from particularly positive or negative interaction between participant and field assistant. The search fields were approximately square: the sides were 40-50m at Davos and about 100m on Col du Lautaret. Whereas the average deposit size of human-triggered avalanches is about 50m Ă&#x2014; 70m, it is about twice this size in those cases where persons were completely buried (about 80m Ă&#x2014; 100m). Hence, the test fields in Davos were relatively small so that there was hardly any signal search. However, when testing the performance for multiple burial situations, this drawback was almost irrelevant. The relatively small test fields slightly favored transceivers with a rather small range, but only when searching for the first target. On the other hand, in the test at Col du Lautaret the search fields were larger than the median deposit size of human-triggered avalanches with complete buried persons, which is about 8400m2 (Genswein et al., 2009). Test fields at Davos were prepared with a grooming machine and boot-packed on Col du Lautaret on the previous day so that conditions for moving

Table 2: Results of field test at Davos ARVA Axis

Element Barryvox

Ortovox 3+

Pieps DSP Tour

Number of test results for first, second and third target

40 / 40 / 40

40 / 40 / 36

40 / 40 / 40

Time* for localizing the first target (min:sec)

2:00

1:45

2:00

Time* for localizing the second target (min:sec)

5:45

3:45

4:30

6:00

Time* for localizing the third target (min:sec)

10:00

6:00

6:15

10:00

0 / 5 / 18

0/0/1

0 / 1 / 12

0 / 5 / 23

Number of cases where the first, second or third target was not found within the time limit.

Table 3: Results of field test on Col du Lautaret ARVA Link

Pulse Barryvox

Ortovox S1+

Pieps DSP

31 / 31 / 31 / 16

28 / 28 / 28 / 15

33 / 33 / 33 / 14

30 / 30 / 30 / 15

Time* for localizing the first target (min:sec)

3:15

3:00

3:30

3:00

Time* for localizing the second target (min:sec)

5:30

5:15

6:15

5:15

Time* for localizing the third target (min:sec)

10:30

8:45

9:45

9:30

Time* for localizing the fourth target (min:sec)

14:00

12:15

15:30

17:30

0/0/1/2

0/0/1/0

0/1/2 /0

0/0/3/1

1. Number of test results for first, second, third and fourth target

Number of cases where the first, second or third target was not found within the time limit.

* median values, rounded to quarter minutes.

around on the test fields were always similar and tracks did not reveal burial locations. In all test fields at Davos, four search targets were buried. Two of them were always turned on, whereas the other two were activated alternatively by the radio control unit. This allowed two different burial scenarios of similar complexity. On Col du Lautaret, the four test fields were split in two pairs in which the search scenario was almost the same for the layout of the buried objects including its transmitter

orientation and transmit pattern. This setup allowed researchers to measure the influence of transmit frequency deviation as well as of radio-controlled test equipment such as remotely controlled search targets. One set of two test fields (no. 1 and 3 in Fig. 2) had a simple multiple burial situation with three search targets activated at one timeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;very similar to the ones used in the test at Davos. This included the transmit pattern of the transmitter with short transmit times, randomization in period length

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no continuous carriers. The only difference between the two fields was the 457 kHz transmit frequency deviation in test field no. 1. Two out of the three transmitters had a transmit frequency deviation: one transmitter was at 456’950 Hz and therefore with a deviation of 50 Hz still within the allowed bandwidth of ±80 Hz as defined by the ETS 300718 regulatory standard for avalanche rescue transceivers. The other transmitter was at 456’900 Hz with a deviation of -100 Hz; this transmitter was outside of the allowed transmit frequency of the current version of ETS 300718, but just at the lowest limit of the tolerance field of the previous version of the standard, which was less restrictive with a ±100 Hz tolerance field. As frequency deviation towards lower frequencies is more common than deviation towards higher frequencies (Genswein et al., 2009), three out of four search targets with frequency deviation were below the nominal frequency and only one, in test field no. 4, was with a transmit frequency of 457’030 Hz above the nominal frequency (+30 Hz). The other set of test fields (no. 2 and 4 in Fig. 2) was a demanding multiple burial situation with four search targets activated at one time. Two transmitters in close proximity had long lasting transmit times and some continuous carriers, leading to a challenging situation with frequent signal overlap—an ideal setup to test how the transceiver is able to support the search with its multiple burial algorithms, as well as allowing the rescuer to verify the feasibility of the implemented algorithms, and to apply alternative search tactical systems, if required. Training the novice user test participants in Davos consisted of five twenty-minute, device-specific workshops. Due to the low level of training at the Davos test, most of the teaching was strictly device related, and therefore a representative appointed by the transceiver manufacturers taught the workshops. The training at Col du Lautaret took three hours for the four devices: about 45 minutes per workshop. The pre-existing level of knowledge and the level of training were much higher but the scenarios were more challenging; the test participants needed to be prepared to recognize when the device’s regular search mode became inefficient or unreliable (e.g. by scan functions or analog sound check), and what backup search strategies should be applied in such situations (e.g. micro-search-strips or micro-box). The official manufacturer’s user manuals were consulted to teach in compliance with the official manufacturer’s recommendations. However, in cases where the user manual did not specify any strategy to solve the

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respective search problem, a generic strategy was taught and adapted to the capabilities of the individual device. The formal course curriculums for each device are available on request and will be published elsewhere. 3. Results In the test at Davos with novices, the first target was found within about two minutes with all the different brands on average (Table 2). When localizing the second target, the first differences showed up. Search times were longer with the ARVA Axis and the Pieps DSP Tour than with the other three beacons. In addition, in five out of 40 cases, the second target could not be found within the time limit: initially 10 minutes and then 12 minutes after the second. The number of targets that were not found increased when searching for the third target. With all brands of transceivers, at least one (Mammut Element Barryvox) and up to 23 search targets (Pieps DSP Tour) were not found. The difference in performance in terms of search time as well as not found targets was significant, and clearly shows that considerable differences between the various brands of transceivers exist. Overall, the novices searched best with the Mammut Element Barryvox; they had most problems with the Pieps DSP Tour. The main problems with the ARVA Axis and the Pieps DSP Tour were the malfunctioning of the marking feature and in general problems with locating the second or third target. In the test on Col du Lautaret, the times for locating the first target were only about one minute longer than at Davos (Table 3). Again within about three minutes the first target was located with all beacons. Even for the second and third target times were fairly similar between brands. Only in the more challenging scenarios (no. 2 and 4) did differences become larger for locating the fourth target, but overall were not statistically significant. The number of not-found targets was considerably smaller than in Davos, between one (Pulse Barryvox) and four (Pieps DSP). The limit for the more complex scenarios on Col du Lautaret was 25 min. The experienced or professional users were able to locate the targets even if, for example, the built-in marking function did not work. Considering search times, the Mammut model (Pulse Barryvox) overall performed best, the Pieps DSP ranked second, followed by the ARVA link and the Ortovox S1+. According to the comments, the test participants mentioned problems with the marking function most often for the Pieps DSP. On the field with transmitters with frequency deviations, the search was not slower in general. Differences were

relatively small and deviations were positive as well as negative. The most distinct difference was found with the Pieps DSP. Locating the fourth target in scenario no. 4 took 18 minutes vs. about 14 minutes in scenario no. 2 (with no frequency deviation). Considering the three subcategories of users, the search performance between the non-commercial mountain leaders and the certified guides was similar. However, the full-time professional mountain rescuers found the buried subjects on average about 20% faster than the other two groups. 4. DISCUSSION Novice and average users depend more than any other user group on a high reliability, performance, user friendliness and error tolerance of their transceiver. Their limited training and the limited functionality of low-cost devices do neither allow detecting when the device is not capable to fulfill the task of finding all buried subjects nor would the devices or users be able to apply the required backup strategies. On the other hand, the experienced and professional users were sufficiently trained to recognize the problems and apply more complex but reliable backup search strategies, once the scenarios exceed the capabilities of the digital search modes. Only thanks to the advanced search skills of this user group and the extended capabilities of the top-level devices, the percentage of buried subjects which were not found was considerably lowered in the test on Col du Lautaret—in particular for the brands which did not well in the test at Davos. 5. CONCLUSIONS We have conducted two large field tests focusing on search time in multiple burial situations. In the test at Davos, novice to average level users with limited training—the group which probably accounts for the vast majority of all companion rescuers—searched with five low-level transceivers, whereas in the test on Col de Lautaret experienced and professional users tested four top level transceivers. With all transceivers the novices had almost no problem locating the first target on average within about two minutes. Search times significantly differed between the various brands. Most importantly, with four out of five transceivers the inexperienced users were unable to locate the third target in about one third of the cases (on average). Not finding the third or fourth target was less a problem with the experienced and professional user group in the test on Col du Lautaret. Though differences existed in search

times, those were overall statistically not significant. This user group was capable of handling almost any situation independent of the type of transceiver since they knew backup search strategies.The higher the training level of the rescuer, the better he is able to detect deficiencies of a device and apply a search tactical workaround. Our tests clearly show that even the most advanced digital search modes still are not 100% reliable. Therefore, backup search strategies are essential for handling complex rescue scenarios and need to be taught. Moreover, for accident prevention, our findings confirm that exposure of several persons or several parties on the same slope should be avoided whenever possible, as they may considerably increase the risk of a fatal outcome in case of an accident. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank the many participants and helpers of the test who have given in their time, in particular Sébastien Gerard, Yann Paitreaud and Cyril Valantin. We are grateful to different PGHM and CRS posts that have sent their rescuers as participants. Without the help of all the volunteers this project would not have been possible and the authors are very thankful for their efforts and initiative. REFERENCES Genswein, M., Reiweger, I. and Schweizer, J., 2009. Survival chance optimized search strip width in avalanche rescue. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 59(2-3): 259-266. Harvey, S. and Zweifel, B., 2008. New trends of recreational avalanche accidents in Switzerland. In: C. Campbell, S. Conger and P. Haegeli (Editors), Proceedings ISSW 2008, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, Canada, 2127 September 2008, pp. 900-906. Schweizer, J., 2000. The European avalanche beacon test "LVS98". American Alpine News, 9(228): 28-32. Schweizer, J. and Krüsi, G., 2003. Testing the performance of avalanche transceivers. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 37(3): 427-436.

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ASK THE EXPERT Q: What is the decision-making process on days rated at Considerable? Moderate and High allow for relatively straightforward decisions, but Considerable is sort of a gray area.

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contact Jennifer george jgeorge@avalanche.ca 250.837.2141 ext.229

A. To answer this question, let’s first discuss the premise that decision-making is “relatively straightforward” when the regional danger rating is forecast to be High or Moderate. If your expectation were that you would not travel in avalanche terrain when the danger is forecast to be High, then I would agree that the decision-making in this instance is “straightforward.” Does this imply that your expectation is that you would travel in avalanche terrain when the danger is forecast to be Moderate? I think we need to look at a few more pieces of the puzzle. Also crucial to decision-making is the type of avalanche problem or problems that are being assessed, and the consequences. There are times when the frequency and likelihood of deep slab avalanches drops down to a level that is consistent with forecasting the regional danger rating to be Moderate. In these conditions, my decision making would involve avoiding the type of terrain that may produce a low likelihood/high consequence avalanche. When the regional danger rating is forecast to be Considerable, the likelihood of avalanches (in the avalanche forecaster’s opinion) is higher. The consequences of any one avalanche may be the same as when the danger rating is forecast to be Moderate. The risk that you take is related to the amount of time that you are exposed to the consequences of the avalanche occurring. The Public Avalanche Bulletins are a planning tool. The danger ratings are one piece of information on the bulletins. Good trip planning involves picking an objective where the risks may be mitigated by terrain selection, and where options are available to adjust the objective as you gather more evidence during your trip. At the Canadian Avalanche Centre, we are trying to give you an informed starting point for planning your trip by sharing the data and evidence that we have gathered. Decision making should come from a constant feedback loop as everyone in the group observes the changes that happen over time and space. Do you have a question to ask an expert? Send it in to expert@avalanche.ca.

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Stéphanie Lemieux public avalanche forecaster Stéphanie Lemieux is the CAC’s newest public avalanche forecaster. She recently relocated to Revelstoke from the Gaspésie region in Québec, where she worked as an avalanche forecaster for the Centre d’avalanche de la Haute-Gaspésie. Stéphanie also taught in an adventure tourism program at a college in Gaspé. Stéphanie has a graduate degree in Environmental Studies, and an undergraduate degree in Geography. Stéphanie enjoys skiing, yoga, and playing old-time music, and her newest passion is fly-fishing. She is happy to join the CAC team: “I'm excited to work in the avalanche industry at a bigger scale—working with a larger team of forecasters, forecasting for bigger regions, and living in bigger mountains!”

Jen Coulter Assistant Avalanche Field Technician

Scott Stewart Assistant Avalanche Field Technician

Jen Coulter has joined the CAC’s South Rockies field team as an Assistant Avalanche Field Technician. Jen grew up in Ontario and migrated west after university to “see how the other (better) half lives.” She has called Fernie home since 1998. Jen has been a full-time member of the Fernie Alpine Resort Ski Patrol since 2000. She is a self-proclaimed dog geek in her free time; she is a CARDA dog handler on her second certified avalanche rescue dog. Jen also works as a CARDA instructor, combining avalanche search and rescue skills with her passion for training high-drive working dogs. As a new Assistant Avalanche Field Technician, Jen looks forward to using her avalanche-related skill set beyond the confines of the resort, and further developing her interests in public avalanche education.

Originally a prairie boy from Saskatchewan, Scott Stewart has joined the YAA/CAC Yukon field team as an Assistant Avalanche Field Technician. Scott has worked seasonally for Parks Canada for the past 16 years, and works as a Resource Management and Public Safety Specialist in the big mountains of Kluane National Park. He has worked in Jasper, Chilkoot Trail, Prince Albert, and Glacier and Mt. Revelstoke National Parks. Scott lives in Haines Junction, Yukon, on the Alaska Highway. He loves to ski and sled in the winter, and once the ice breaks up he is crazy about whitewater canoeing. He also fits hunting and fishing into his ski and paddling trips whenever possible. Scott looks forward to being a part of the Yukon field team, because it gives him the chance to “contribute to a growing avalanche safety program for the very diverse group of northern backcountry enthusiasts.”

the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

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the avalanche journal winter // 2012-13

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