November 9 
avalanche bulletin

			CANADIAN AVALANCHE CENTRE
		AVALANCHE INFORMATION - Danger Scale

9 NOVEMBER 1994
It's time to put on the avalanche thinking hats, welcome to winter and the Avalanche Bulletin from the Canadian Avalanche Centre. Before discussing the current conditions there is a VERY important announcement about definitions that will be used to describe avalanche conditions. A number of European countries have agreed on a unified scale that has five levels of avalanche danger. This scale will be used in Canada by national & provincial parks, ski areas and the Canadian Avalanche Centre in all information for the public. The avalanche danger may be described in one word by radio, TV or print medias similar words are used to descibe fire and swimming danger in the summer. No decision should be made on this one word description but it must be used as a prompt for getting more detailed information if planning a trip into avalanche terrain. The following scale of words and definitions are a formal guideline to avalanche conditions. More detail will be given in Bulletins about weather, snowpack, avalanche activity and current information.  The Bulletin from the Canadian Avalanche Centre is not a forecast but primarily a summary of prevailing conditions to help make the best informed decision before heading out into the backcountry.The new danger scale follows:

                          AVALANCHE DANGER SCALE
Degree of Danger                       Avalanche Activity
__________________________________________________________________________

1  LOW         On a few very steep extreme slopes, triggering is
  green        possible only with high additional loads such as a group
               of skiers, snow machine or avalanche blasting.  Only a
               few natural avalanches possible.

2  MODERATE   On some isolated steep slopes triggering is possible with
  yellow      high additional loads such as skiers, snow machine or
              avalanche blasting. Large natural avalanches are not likely.

3  CONSIDERABLE On selected areas of steep terrain, triggering is
   ochre        possible sometimes even with low additional loads such
                as a skier or walker. Medium and occasionally large
                natural avalanches may occur.

4  HIGH        On many steep slopes, triggering is probable even with
   orange       low additional loads such as a skier or walker. Frequent
                medium or large natural avalanches are likely.

5 EXTREME     Even on moderately steep slopes, triggering is likely
  red         with or without additional loads. Numerous large natural
              avalanches are certain. Before discussing the early season
              conditions a few reminders about preparing for the winter.

Everyone in Canada should be using a 457KhZ frequency avalanche beacon.
New alkaline batteries should be in the unit and practice finding a hidden or buried beacon before going out in the mountains. A strong shovel and sectional avalanche probe are also standard equipment for any trip into avalanche terrain. Self-rescue with your group a few minutes after burial is virtually the only chance for live recovery of a buried person. 

Now to discuss the current conditions. Although very little information is coming into the Centre there have been reports of avalanches. The season has started a little earlier than last year, and people doing snowmobiling, ski touring and ice climbing activities should all be aware of that. In the alpine terrain above treeline from the Coast to the Rockies avalanche thresholds have been reached. Your knowledge of the summer characteristics of the terrain can be very valuable now. Is the ground smooth, irregular, covered in boulders or small shrubs and trees? Using the avalanche probe can give a quick indication of the nature of the snowpack at many locations before doing snow stability tests and profiles at key locations.

[Submitted by: Canav (canav@mindlink.bc.ca)
Tue, 15 Nov 94 11:53:38 -0800]

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