If you don't understand the following recommendations, consider taking an AST avalanche course or travel with trained people who have more experience and can help you manage avalanche risk.
Plan and prepare for your trip before you leave:
- Ensure everyone has an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel
- Make sure everyone has been trained in using their avalanche rescue gear and has practiced recently.
- Have other emergency equipment in the group including: emergency shelter and lights, first aid kit, fire starter, navigational tools, personal emergency locator (e.g. SPOT or InReach) device, etc.
- Use avalanche forecasts and other avalanche information as well as maps, guidebooks, and other navigational aids to determine what route you will take and alternative routes you can use if your desired route proves too hazardous.
Regularly re-assess weather and snow conditions as you travel to ensure your plan and desired route are still reasonable and to help decide if you should use a safer alternative route.
Be prepared to undertake less risky activities or turn back if conditions are worse than expected.
Expose only one person at a time in avalanche terrain:
- Consider other parties in the area. Stop, shut down your machine, take off your helmet, and check for signs (e.g. sounds, tracks, etc.) that other might be on the slope.
- Communicate with each other and other parties to make a plan that everyone will follow.
- Don't go help someone who is stuck or experiencing difficulty right away. Wait and given them time to deal with the situation themselves. If there's a serious injury or imminent threat of injury, make a plan that minimizes the time and number of people required to assist.
Regroup only in safe locations, well away from avalanche start zones, tracks, and runout zones.
- Look above, below, and around you to assess where avalanches might start from and run to.
- Choose locations in dense trees or on high ground far away from steep slopes above or nearby.
Minimize exposure time on or under large, complex, steep terrain.
Avoid travelling on or near cornices and minimize exposure time on slopes with cornices above.
Avoid terrain traps where snow can pile up deeply or push you into features that magnify the consequences of being caught in even a small avalanche, such as:
- Low ground under steep slopes.
- Gullies, ravines, or creek beds.
- Cut-banks and other rapid transitions from steep to flat.
- Bodies of water with steep slopes above even when frozen.
- Slopes above cliffs.
- Places where an avalanche could smash you against obstacles like trees or rocks.
Back off if you see cracking, hear hollow or whumpfing sounds, or feel soft weaker snow under firmer, stronger layers.
Be more cautious:
- During and for a few days after storms that produce 30cm or more of new snow or strong winds.
- During and for a day or two after major weather changes such as warming spells, rain, rapid cooling, and winds strong enough to move snow.
- When persistent weak layers buried beneath the surface are known or suspected to exist (check the avalanche forecast or local information from credible sources).