Term Paper- Avalanche

[goridedoo]

Well its that time of year where I have to write the dreaded senior term paper, and I've decided to do mine over Avalanches, and I'm actually looking forward to it, think it a good topic that I will actually gain alot from. Has to be 5-7 pages typed, double spaced. I need 4-6 main points. Thinking something like History, Science, Awareness, Gear, and Rescue? Just wondering what everyone here has for advice, and I need sources, about 10 of them! So if you have any good informative sites, or advice let me know, I will post the paper up when I'm done (not due for about 2 months ). Thanks!

 

[The Fourth Wolf]

Suggestion:
Pick an aspect of avalanches and focus on that--for instance the weather conditions, and physical aspects and mechanics of avalanches, or the statistics on fatalities, or the curious relationship between training/education and victims. You could talk about how the rapid advancement in snowmobile technology in the last 15 years has outpaced the growth of avy awareness training and education and made us the #1 group likely to be killed by avalanches. (but be careful how you present this)

I would suggest further that whatever you write you explain how slabs are created and how they're triggered. Use good photos if allowed, or if you'll be doing a powerpoint presentation then imbed a video clip or two.

Make sure you emphasize the facts that avalanches are predictable and avoidable.

Good luck!

Here's your first source: Snow Sense by Jill Fredston & Doug Fesler

 

[cpatts2000]

Take a look at the American avalanche association website.

 

[EagleRiverDee]

Books:
Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper
Snow Sense by Jill Fredston and Doug Fessler

And if you want some really good visuals on what an avalanche can DO, read Snowstruck, In the Grip of Avalanches by Jill Fredston. It's not an avalanche training book, it's more of a biography about her responses to major avalanches and the rescues/body recoveries involved but there are some very powerful stories in that book including the massive avalanche that took out an entire subdivision in Cordova and required heavy equipment to extract a survivor.

Websites:
www.avalanche.org
Your local avalanche forecast center

 

[aebsledder]

Here are a few

http://www.mtavalanche.com/education

There is also a book called the White Cascade by Gary Krist that tells the story of a passenger train that was obliterated by an avalanche in the early 1900's. Pretty good read.

 

[RNR1085]

I'll echo what " The Fourth Wolf" said in his reply....

Your first sentence should clearly state that "Avalanches are Predictable and Avoidable", heck maybe that should be the title.

 

[SnowBigDeal]

x2 - Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper is a great resource.

 

[550iq]

EagleRiverDee recommends reading Snowstruck, In the Grip of Avalanches. I do too. In the book you'll read about a person that is drawn to the physical attributes of the unstable snowpack. This attraction leads her to teaching avalanche awareness training, to avalanche forcasting, to avalanche abatement, etc. The book ends with her realizing that what was once the study of a neat and cool natural wonder, has turned into a people problem. A good narrative on both the physical make-up of an unstable snowpack and how an unstable snowpack can effect us humans.
Good call.

 

[EricW]

I need 4-6 main points. Thinking something like History, Science, Awareness, Gear, and Rescue?

I would change Gear to "Avoidance/Survival" and include the gear and technology/education available to best case avoid an avalanche and worst case survive one. Great project for ya. Maybe you would consider posting up your draft, bet you could get some good input that might help you out. Good luck with it. EW

 

[ewsummit]

AVY

The area I ride had last Jan 19 2011 102" of snow . Now has 38" 2012 but, you here of more avys now then last year.

 

[goridedoo]

I would change Gear to "Avoidance/Survival" and include the gear and technology/education available to best case avoid an avalanche and worst case survive one. Great project for ya. Maybe you would consider posting up your draft, bet you could get some good input that might help you out. Good luck with it. EW

Changed it up.

Avalanche Safety
-Causes
- Recognizing Terrain
-Gear
-Search and Survival
Thanks for all the resposnes so far. Looks like all of my sources need to be online..

 

[TIM]

http://www.avalanche.ca/
www.avalanche.org

one is american and the other is canadian. both sites have many links.
you could also link a copy of an avalanche report to your paper as a source.

It should be a pretty easy paper to write with all the info in those sites.
Also get some quotes from some people who have been in them.

tim

 

[polaris dude]

Gonna bump this up! great info I'm giving a speech about avalanche awareness in the backcountry!

 

[goridedoo]

Topic: Avalanche Safety<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>​

Royce Rolsma<o></o>​

<o> </o>
“Beneath the snow, everything was still and silent. He had a general sense that he was on his back, facing up, but he couldn’t be certain. He couldn’t move a finger or wiggle a toe. The snow was packed so close to his face that it took him several attempts to open his eyes, but it did no good. It was utterly black. O’Neill realized he hadn’t taken a breath since the slide began. Snow was packed against his nostrils. He moved his lips and tried to eat snow to create an air pocket, but he seemed to be inhaling snow instead of air.” This is a quote from backcountry snowmobiler- Kemp O’ Neill who lived his worst nightmare, being completely buried in an avalanche. Fatality numbers of snowmobilers in avalanche related accidents have been on the rise in recent years, mostly due to new technologies and higher horse power machines that are taking people higher and farther into the back country than ever before. In the 2009-2010 season 36 lives were taken by avalanches in the United States, 17 of those being snowmobilers, almost 4 times the number of fatalities in 1990. Riding abilities and sled limits are being pushed and rising at a fast rate the same needs to happen with avalanche awareness and knowledge or we are only going to see fatality numbers continue to rise in the future.<o></o>
An avalanche is composed of two things- a mass of snow, and a slope for the snow to slide down. There are three types of avalanches, sluff avalanches, wet snow avalanches, and the most common, and most deadly- slab avalanches. There have been 235 slab avalanche deaths in the United States since 1950. A slab avalanche is caused by layers of snow that have been weakened by weather conditions, when a stronger layer on top of weaker layer fractures the weight, and gravity cause the mass of snow to slide down the slope. <o></o>
There are tons of factors that will contribute to the likelihood of avalanche. Conditions and danger levels can change overnight, even in hours. Conditions can be read and danger can be avoided by putting factors together. The 24 hours after a large snowstorm is generally when risk is the highest. Snowfall amounts of one foot or greater present the most hazardous conditions. The weight alone from recent snowfall is what will cause a slide. Large variations of temperature will also increase risk, although above freezing temperatures followed by freezing temperatures will help stabilize and strengthen the snowpack. Fresh snow on top of the refrozen layers can easily become a hazard; the frozen snowpack will create a slick surface which in turn makes weaker bonds between the layers. Depth hoar is often the cause of most avalanches. Depth hoar is a layer or type of snow that is formed of weak bonding grainy like crystals, it is much like sand. Depth hoar layers are often towards the bottom of a snow pack and very hard to detect because they are formed by conditions early in the year (“Avalanche Awareness” 1-3).<o></o>
The most common slope angle for an avalanche to occur is between 30 and 45 degrees and are also quite likely to happen between 45 and 65 degrees. Avalanches are rare at angles higher than this because the snow will naturally slide down the hill before it accumulates to dangerous amounts. Fractures are more common in areas where the hill is raised and curving outward, this is known as the convex of the hill. After the snow slides down it will usually slow and pile up at a sunken or curved inward area known as a concave. (“Snow Avalanches” 2). <o></o>
North facing slopes are the most dangerous during the early and middle winter months, the south facing slopes become more dangerous in the late spring months as the sun warms the snowpack. The ground cover and objects within the snow will also affect conditions. Large rocks and trees help anchor the snow. Smooth, open, grassy surfaces are more likely to slide. (“Avalanche Survival- How to Survive An Avalanche” 2) If all of these conditions are avoided an avalanche will most likely not occur.<o></o>
Avalanche danger is rated on a scale in many avalanche prone areas in the United States. In most popular winter sports areas it is updated daily. The scale is arranged by color starting with the lowest level of danger green, or low, yellow/moderate, orange/considerable, red/high, and black being extreme. <o></o>
The best thing that you can bring with you into the backcountry is knowledge, it will go farther than any life saving device, and if you use it you shouldn’t be forced to use any gear. An educated snowmobiler should be able to evaluate terrain and stay off of unsafe slopes, but in the case of an unexpected slide he or she should be prepared (“What’s the best Avalanche Safety Gear?” 1).<o></o>
The first and most important thing someone should have when entering the back country is an avalanche beacon. A beacon is a battery powered electronic device that will track to another beacon by giving a directional and distance reading, measured in meters. All types of beacons work but the most important factor when buying is that you know how to use it (“What’s the Best Avalanche Safety Gear?” 2). A beacon should be securely strapped around the torso underneath the jacket. Everyone in the group should wear a beacon and be sure it both receives and transmits properly, and has adequate battery power. Be sure the beacon is turned on (“How to Use an Avalanche Beacon” 1). A shovel is the next most important piece of gear. The shovel should be sturdy. Aluminum is the most common, and best material used in a shovel, it is strong and light and should hold up to fast digging in an avalanche rescue. A D shaped handle is the easiest handle to use when efficiently moving large amounts of snow in a short period of time. Your shovel should always be attached to your pack, and everyone in the group should have one (“Choosing and Using a Snow Shovel” 1-2). A probe is the third thing that should be carried when entering the back country. A probe that is durable, long, and easily assembled should be chosen. Probes are generally made of 2 materials, either aluminum, or carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is lighter but more likely to break; aluminum is a better choice for most applications. Length is also something that should be considered; a 240cm or 320cm probe should be chosen. Most importantly find one that can be assembled in a short amount of time. Your probe should be attached to your pack along with your shovel (“How to Choose the Right Avalanche Probe” 1).<o></o>
Avalanche airbags could possibly be one of the most affective pieces of gear that can be worn into the backcountry, although a beacon probe and shovel should be put first. Rather than having the purpose of saving the victim before getting buried, an avalanche airbag is designed to prevent he or she from being buried in the first place. An airbag is a specially designed backpack containing a compressed air/gas cylinder and one or two air bags. The bags are fully inflated around or behind the head 2-4 seconds after a ripcord is pulled. The airbag works by increasing your volume and making you one of the largest objects in a slide. If you took a bowl of marbles and shook it, the largest marble would rise to the top, the same principal applies to an airbag. The first avalanche bag was released in 1985 by the company ABS. From the years 1990-2007 151 people wearing airbags were caught in slide, of those 151, only two were killed. Of the 151 86% were not completely buried. An airbag comes with down falls, it has a high price, high weight, and lack of storage. The cheapest bag on the market currently sits at $685 and prices on higher end lightweight bag can be well over $1000. The average bag ways from 4-8lbs. Avalanche airbags come with a high price tag, but statistics show that they are well worth the money (“Avalanche Airbags” 1)<o></o>
When an avalanche occurs the chance of riding or skiing off the slab is nearly impossible. It is best to leave your snowmobile, skis, or snowboard, and “swim”. If possible seek shelter behind a rock or tree, in most cases an air pocket is left on the back side of stationary objects. Its important to fight to get some part of the body above the surface to make rescue for the group easier. When the snow slows there are only a few seconds before it sets up like concrete, in this time it’s important to punch and try to create an air pocket to lengthen the time the victim has to live. Panicking is bad and keeping an expanded chest is important. Don’t not cry out when being carried in the slide, as snow may fill the mouth and greatly shorten the time of survival (“Avalanche Survival- How to Survive An Avalanche” 3-4).<o></o>
Survivors and people not buried play a huge role in saving the life of the victim, the victims life is in their hand, and in many cases the victims are good friends of those buried. It’s a scramble to save a friend or family members life. The first thing to do is keep all eyes on the victim and try to pinpoint where they appear to be buried. Make sure the area is safe an evaluate the terrain to make sure there isn’t a possibility of another slide. Check for clues, on the surface of the snow such as any piece of gear, or even a fingertip, this can save the time of a beacon search. The victim is most likely buried somewhere in the fall line, or very close. A fall line is like the path that a ball would roll down if you dropped it off at the top of the hill. Do not go for help, the present party is most likely the victims only chance of survival as there best chance of living is within the first 35 minutes. If there are no visual clues it is time to begin a beacon search (“Avalanche Awareness” 4-5).<o></o>
The first thing to be done is all the Beacons need to be switched to transmit mode. All the searchers should begin at the highest point of possible burial and work their way down the hill, no more than 50 feet apart, working the direction of your beacon back and forth. Once a signal is picked up the search should be conducted by that one person. They need to walk in cross pattern until they pick up the strongest signal/lowest number. A pinpoint search should then be conducted, the beacon should be placed as close to the snow as possible and worked in a cross pattern once again, forward, back, left, and right until the lowest number is found. Set the beacon at the lowest number and begin probing as a group. (“How to Use an Avalanche Beacon” 1-2)<o></o>
Probing should be done perpendicular to the snow, not vertically to gravity. The first probe should be done at the point where your beacon showed its lowest reading and then done 10 inches forward, and in a circular pattern with 10 inch gaps, this process should be repeated until you strike an object (“Probing an Avalanche” 1). Immediately begin chopping and scooping at the slope, do not dig straight down, dig into the hill. After the victim is uncovered they will most likely be in shock or unconscious. Immediately send someone for help as soon as the victim is uncovered, and begin CPR or other needed procedures. Get the victim, completely unburied, comfortable and in as stable of condition as possible.<o></o>
Avalanche are very dangerous and one of the scariest natural disasters that can occur. They cause grief among many families and extreme sport enthusiasts each year, this all can be avoided by doing one thing, educating yourself on avalanches and realizing the consequences that could be faced if poor choices are made.<o></o>

 

[goridedoo]

I had forgotten to post this till just now but there is, I procrastinated and ended up writing it last minute but still got a 50/50 on the paper itself. Let me know if you see any mistakes info wise!

 

[Betterview]

You stated the first thing to do after a burial is set all beacons to transmit mode...that should be SEARCH mode.