A few Avy questions. Test yourself!

[Summitseeker]

Try to answer the questions and I will post (mark your answers) tomorrow.

1. The type of avalanche which starts when a small amount of ‘cohesionless’ snow slips and begins to slide down a slope, setting additional snow in motion is called: ____________________________________.


2. Avalanches are more likely to occur on the __________________________
slope than on the _________________________________ slope.


3. The term for a feature in the landscape which makes injuries or burial in an avalanche more likely is called: ________________________________________________________.


4. A thin, weak layer of sugar-like crystals of snow is called:
_______________________________________________________.


5. The beautiful effect of sparkling frost on the top layer of snow is called:
_______________________________________________________________.


6. The type of search pattern in avalanche rescue where one uses a transceiver in circular tangents is called:
__________________________________________________________.


7. The type of search pattern where one uses a transceiver in straight-line grids is:
______________________________________________________________.


8. Groups of trees or large rocks that provide limited shelter from avalanches are:
____________________________________________________________.


9. The more snow on top of a layer, the more the layer tends to strengthen. This is called:
______________________________________________________________.


10. The ‘sound’ of a fracture propagating along a weak layer within a snowpack is:
________________________________________________________________.

 

[TIM]

1 sluff
2 convex concave
3 terrain trap
4 gropple
5 hoar frost
6 single transciever search
7 multiple transcierver search
8 islands, i can recongnize them but don't remember the proper terminlogy
9 bonding
10 whoomping

 

[Summitseeker]

1 sluff
2 convex concave
3 terrain trap
4 gropple
5 hoar frost
6 single transciever search
7 multiple transcierver search
8 islands, i can recongnize them but don't remember the proper terminlogy
9 bonding
10 whoomping

Actual answers are:

1. Point Release or Loose Snow Avalanche
2. Lee and Windward
3. Terrain Trap
4. Facets or Faceted Crystals
5. Surface Hoar
6. Induction Line
7. Bracketing
8. Islands of Safety
9. Load
10. Whumpf

Not too bad Tim! I just posted this to make people think. Anybody who did not do well, maybe it is time to consider renewing an avy course. Not only is it important to know your rescue techniques but also knowing or suspecting if a hill will avalanche!

 

[TIM]

1 we have the same answer just i used the common term.
2 we are both correct. Convex knobs is where most avy start. or the most sweet spots.
6 and 7 same thing, i used the common terminology.
9 i guess we are saying the same thing, but not sure. Bonding is what happens with the load.

give us more please. I am not much of an engine guy but i like this stuff.

tim

 

[Summitseeker]

You can go here for all the definitions:

http://avalanche.org/~uac/encyclopedia/index.htm

 

[RGM]

Nice thread summit seeker. Here is a bit more info on your questions

Actual answers are:

1. Point Release or Loose Snow Avalanche
Can trigger a slab avy which can step down to ground (like this season)
2. Lee and Windward
Not only over a ridge but across the slopes if there are ribs and the wind blows across the slope you can get crossloading from the lee and windward side of the rib
3. Terrain Trap
kills lots of people. some times a small sluff is all that is require to knock you over a cliff or down a road embankment. Think about that the next time you are riding on a trail.
4. Facets or Faceted Crystals
what we got now

5. Surface Hoar

sometime forms in bands where the fog hangs in the valley
6. Induction Line
What the new digital beacons use

7. Bracketing
If you are still using this with your analog beacon time to upgrade to a digital
8. Islands of Safety
Do not get fooled by this . Slides can go through big timber. Killed a lady a couple of season ago at a cat skiing operation. If smaller trees have been flagged or are bent then it not a good spot.
9. Load
We need a big load this year.
10. Whumpf
Not what you want to hear on a steep slope.

Not too bad Tim! I just posted this to make people think. Anybody who did not do well, maybe it is time to consider renewing an avy course. Not only is it important to know your rescue techniques but also knowing or suspecting if a hill will avalanche!