CAC Avalanche Incident Photo Analysis

[kklassen]

The Canadian Avalanche Centre is trying out a new way of communicating with backcountry travellers. Using photos of actual recent incidents and terrain, weather, snowpack, and avalanche data, we produced an Avalanche Incident Photo Analysis. This is currently in the form of a PDF document found on the main page of the CAC website at www.avalanche.ca. You can access the document directly by clicking on this link:

http://avalancheinfo.net/Media/2008-09/200903 Avalanche Incident Photo Analysis.pdf

We recognize certain data such as trigger, activity, location, etc. commonly found in this kind of analysis is not contained in this product. This is a pilot project and we are assessing public response before increasing the depth or breadth of analysis. If we can find the funding and resources, we hope to continue this initiative and will consider expanding it in the future.

If you have comments, suggestions, or questions about this initiative, contact Karl Klassen: kklassen@avalanche.ca.

 

[RGM]

Hi Karl

Welcome to SnoWest. It has been a very tragic season so far with many preventable deaths. Unfortunately there will probably be more. There are many heart wrench threads on here about people losing their friends. One of the difficulties is that some sledders do not even know they are riding in avy terrain and then there are some that think they have superman powers. It is the ones that don’t read the avy forecast are the ones that you need to get the message out to and how to do that I just don’t know. As you can see on this forum there are many topics on avalanches, where to get more info, warnings, avy gear etc but it just doesn’t sink in with way to many people. Some people would rather pay 1200 bucks for an ABS pack than spend 250 and 2 days on an avy course.

 

[NoSecondChances]

Welcome Karl!!!!!

This is very exciting news for SnoWest!!!! We look forward to any information, input and knowledge that you can provide. It has been an unfortunately bad year for sledders and hopefully the CAC's efforts will change that.

As RGM stated, getting the information to the general population is critical and hopefully this is a step in that direction. Based on conversation with another forum member, we guesstimate that probably 20% of sledders participate in forums similar to this, so not big #'s overall. That being said the sledding community is committed to a sustainable and manageable future for our sport, and we are willing to support in any way possible. Please let us know what we can do to help out.

Thank you,

NSC

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Welcome Karl!!!!!

This is very exciting news for SnoWest!!!! We look forward to any information, input and knowledge that you can provide. It has been an unfortunately bad year for sledders and hopefully the CAC's efforts will change that.

As RGM stated, getting the information to the general population is critical and hopefully this is a step in that direction. Based on conversation with another forum member, we guesstimate that probably 20% of sledders participate in forums similar to this, so not big #'s overall. That being said the sledding community is committed to a sustainable and manageable future for our sport, and we are willing to support in any way possible. Please let us know what we can do to help out.

Thank you,

NSC

X2.

 

[giddyup]

av class

no substutude for education it the most inportant but the bag wont hurt
great information thanks karl
giddyup

 

[BlindBayBoy]

Thanks Karl. Education is key, took my first avy course this year, eye opener - for sure.

 

[somefear]

This is a very valuable post that most should check in on....Thanks Karl!! It is so true that there are sledders out there that lack common sense, we see it every time we head out there.

Anyway, my 12 year old son, my husband and I just signed up for the avy course in Valemount. Even though we play it safe every time we go out, the course will just be a little added security and set an example to our kid that it's so important to have that extra awareness.

 

[Team Pigeon]

This project will save lives...
It's very seldom to find professionally analyzed pictures for us to browse over, quick easy access would be truly beneficial.
Worth it's weight in bouillon, sure hope it gets up and going.

 

[RGM]

The CAC and BCFS is launching a program called
"Go big and Go Home"

http://www.avalanche.ca/sled