Avalanche Risk During Backcountry Skiing – An Analysis of Risk Factors |
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| Authors: | Harpa Grímsdóttir David Mcclung |
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| Institution: | 1. Icelandic Meteorological Office – Avalanche Research Center, árnagata 2-4, 400, ísafj?reur, Iceland
2. Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, 1984 West Mall, Vancouver, BCV6T1Z2, Canada
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| Abstract: | Skier-triggered avalanches are the main cause of avalanche accidents in backcountry skiing. The risk of accidents during backcountry
skiing was analysed statistically and related to factors such as elevation level, aspect, stability rating and the time of
the year. The analysis is based on a database about terrain usage and avalanche accidents from a large heli-skiing operator
in Canada, which makes it possible to study the conditional probability of accidents given the recorded pattern of terrain
usage. This study shows that the historical risk of accidentally triggering an avalanche greater than size 1 depends highly
on the stability rating, with the highest risk occurring during “poor” stability. The risk is greater at high elevations,
and it is lower during the late season than earlier on. Skier risk does not depend as much on aspect as may be indicated from
avalanche data alone. However, it is relatively high in the N–NE–E sector. These factors are not independent of each other
and therefore analyses of combined factors were also performed. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gain knowledge
about the terrain selection of professional mountain guides. These results indicate that when selecting terrain, guides first
look at the overall shape and size of the terrain, but avalanche history of terrain and inclination are also important factors.
Finally, remarks in avalanche reports were analysed, and common human factors identified. |
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| Keywords: | avalanche risk management human triggered avalanches risk analysis avalanche risk recreation backcountry skiing mountain guides snow avalanches Columbia Mountains helicopter-skiing |
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