Glossary

Credit

Manuel Genswein

Credit

Manuel Genswein

The V-shoveling technique was developed by avalanche rescue specialist Manuel Genswein as a systematic rescue digging technique for multiple shovelers. To employ this technique:

• Shovelers are offset from each other and responsible for the area to their immediate left and right.
• Diggers at the apex cut and move blocks, while the diggers in the back use a paddling motion to move snow toward the back of the V.
• Shovelers rotate positions periodically to ensure the diggers at the apex don’t become too tired.
• Once the head is reached, one rescuer administers first aid while the additional diggers carefully remove snow from around the rest of the victim’s body and prepare a ramp for extrication.