Decision Making In Avalache Terrain
There is much more to decision making in avalanche terrain than can be covered in a field book. This document presents a detailed discussion of decision making by highlighting the parallels between the processes of a professional mountain guide and a recreationists.
Avalanche Problem Essentials
The following documents contain detailed descriptions of the different avalanche problems. For each of the eight avalanche problems, we describe the typical conditions that lead to the development of the avalanche problem, examine the associated avalanche activity patterns, discuss how to best recognize and assess this condition in the field, and highlight effective risk management strategies.
Snowpack Test Essentials
Snow profiles can help you to better understand the snowpack, particularly the development of persistent instabilities. However, using this information to assess snow stability is a complex subject. This document provides a detailed discussion of the value and limitation of snow profiles for decision making in avalanche terrain.
How to Use the Daily Trip Form
A detailed description of how to use the daily trip form including a guide to the abbreviations can be found on pages 14 and 15 of the field book. This document provides more detailed explanations of the various observations and terms used in the daily trip forms.
Calling for Outside Help
Pages 60–62 of the field book provide a quick reference for how to best call outside help if you end up in an emergency situation in the backcountry. The following document provides a more in-depth discussion of different means to make contact, what information to communicate, and what type of response you can expect when that call is made.
Selected Background Readings
This document offers a selected list of useful background readings related to topics covered in this field book.