This is a handbook for anyone venturing above the snow-line in winter or summer. The writer explains how to avoid avalanche accidents through observation, recognition of avalanche terrain and good route-finding. This advice is reinforced by a variety of case histories from around the world. The second edition incorporates up-to-date techniques and equipment and also addresses the problem of stability evaluation for back-country telemarkers, snowboarders and extreme skiers.
* For intermediate-to-advanced backcountry skiers* Includes trip planning, navigation, fitness, and avalanche safety information, in addition to techniques*Provides advice on how to make well-informed backcountry decisionsMartin Volken and his co-authors provide skiers with all the tools and knowledge they need to safely and successfully travel in the mountain backcountry. The guide features intermediate-to-advanced techniques for ski touring and ski mountaineering, from planning backcountry trips to perfecting turns in rolling terrain and mastering uphill climbing. For those skiers ready for a more technical, high alpine environment, they draw on traditional mountaineering skills, including roped climbing, setting protection anchors, using ice axes, climbing on bare rock, and more. In addition to mastering techniques, Backcountry Skiing also features information on recent evolutions in ski equipment; avalanche safety tips; a primer on mountain weather and glaciers, trip planning tools, a discussion of emergency situations, nutrition and fitness advice, and winter camping basics.Throughout this guide, a special emphasis is put on being well-informed and making good decisions - whenever you strap on your skis and skins and head out into the backcountry.
Winter recreation in the mountains has increased steadily over the past few years, and so has the number of deaths and injuries caused by avalanches. Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain covers everything you need to know to avoid trouble in avalanche terrain: what avalanches are and how they work, common myths, human activities that lead to avalanche trouble, what happens to victims when an avalanche occurs, and rescue techniques. Provides step- by-step instruction for determining avalanche hazards, using safe travel technique, and making effective rescues.
What are our survival odds in avalanche country? Author Bruce Kay explores this puzzle in Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. Drawing from the experiences of his peers and his own 35 years as a climber, skier and avalanche professional, Kay explains why avalanche country demands a unique mindset of managing risk by consideration of the unknown as much as the known. He explores related topics, including: - The Siren Song of Culture - Intuition and Bias - what is the difference? - Optimism and Luck - do we roll the dice or calculate risk? - The Expert Illusion - Strategic Mindset Using the work of Ian McCammon, Gary Klein and the Nobel Prize winning Kahnemen, Kay shows how the avalanche problem is nearly perfectly designed to produce errors in judgement, yet still provide opportunity for solution. This is brought to life using case studies and adrenaline - pumping stories from fellow professionals and recreationists. He warns that his book may at times "demand a bit more of the reader than the average ski video," but if truly interested in surviving to ski another day, this book is for you.
This book is essential reading for anyone venturing above the mountain snowline in either summer or winter. Emphasis is placed on prevention of avalanche accidents through observation, recognition of avalanche terrain and good route-finding, and is reinforced by case histories from Canada, the USA and Scotland.
Presents historical background on ski mountaineering, which is climbing a mountain on skis and then skiing down the slopes, and offers tips on climbing and skiing specific mountains.
With more and more people heading into the winter backcountry on skis, snowshoes, and snowmobiles, avalanche safety is of paramount importance. Allen & Mike's Really Cool Avalanche Safety Book distills the sometimes overly technical information of snow science into a user-friendly format with helpful illustrations and easy-to-understand text. With years of experience as NOLS instructors to draw on, Allen O'Bannon and Mike Clelland team up to give winter recreationists the information they need to stay safe in the backcountry, including how to prepare for your trip, proper equipment and how to use it, snowpack assessment, choosing safe travel routes, decision making, and rescue scenarios. Written for both aspriring winter backcountry travelers and experts alike, this book is a must-read for anybody who loves to experience the solitude and beauty of the snowy mountains.
• Nearly 100 backcountry ski routes—most located in the central Wasatch • Written by a ski-obsessed outdoor journalist • Both day trips and overnights included Jared Hargrave averages more than 70 ski days a year, which adds up to a ton of local knowledge. He's exactly the ski partner you'd want to show you the best backcountry routes, from those you can hit on a pre-work dawn patrol to multiday overnight trips. Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes: Utah includes tours in the central Wasatch as well as the Uintas, Henry Mountains, and more. As with all books in this series, this Utah guide is designed for intermediate to expert skiers or boarders. Each route includes the following elements: • Detailed route description • Driving directions from nearest major town or junction • Trip rating • Trail distance • Estimated trip time • Skill level • Recommended season • Avalanche routefinding notes • Map/permit info • Starting point elevation • High point elevation • Alternate route options The guide also includes resources for avalanche, weather, and road conditions; land managers relevant to the routes; ski/snow reports; and general safety information, as well as a foreword by one of Utah's premier avalanche experts, Craig Gordon.
12 panel laminated pocket guide Waterproof, pocket-sized, quick reference for evaluating and managing avalanche danger while you're in the backcountry. Full-color fold-out guide with the most critical quick info that skiers, snowboarders, and other mountain enthusiasts need while in the winter backcountry Carry-along complement to Tremper's best-selling Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain and Avalanche Essentials: A Step-by-Step System for Safety and Survival The Avalanche Pocket Guide includes quick and visual safety reminders: the 5 As and 2 Cs to consider when evaluating avalanche terrain; the trusty Tremper Terrain-o-Meter; a snowpack stability checklist; quick review of snowpack stability tests, low-risk travel ritual; a gear checklist; Avalanche Smart Card graphic that pulls it all together; beacon search tips; and more.
