Avalanche awareness for snowmobiler

Introduction In the time since I was first invited to write this article, several snowmobiling avalanche incidents have occurred, including the first U.S. avalanche fatality of the 1996-97 season, in Utah. Many of these incidents could be easily avoided with a bit of awareness and a few basic precautions. Therefore, in this article I will emphasize awareness and precaution, rather than delve into snow science and snow stability evaluation. It Could Be You, or …

…you've located the buried person, you have to dig him or her out. So be sure everyone in the group carries a shovel. You can carry a shovel and a collapsible probe under the hood of a machine, and it's a good idea for each machine to be so equipped. But do not put the beacon there--the search will be for the rider, not the machine. Work by: Jim Frankenfield Cyberspace Snow and Avalanche Center