*** Avalanche Cheat-List ***

From: jmedaugh@ix.netcom.com (Jeff Medaugh)
Newsgroups: rec.skiing.backcountry
Subject: Avalanche Cheatsheet
Date: 18 Nov 1995 01:12:42 GMT

Here is a text version of a avalanche cheatsheet I use when travelling in the
backcountry. This goes on a index card (two-sided) in my avalanche test kit.
This is no substitute for training, but works as a reminder.
I like having the Beaufort scale on there to check out the wind loading.

Copped from several sources, you know who you are:

Avalanche Checklist:

Weather TOP TEN:
1.  Heavy dense snowfall or rain.
2.  New snowfall greater than 12 inches, any density.
3.  Snowfall rate greater than 1" per hour.
4.  Wind loading greater than 15 mph.
5.  Long/clear/cold spell followed by significant snowfall or wind loading.
6.  Storms that begin cold and end warm.
7.  Rapid temperature rise during the day.
8.  Prolonged period of above-freezing temperature.
9.  Intense sun, especially near cliff bands.
10. Any combination of above.

Rutschblock Test Ratings ( Block 6' x 5' x 5' deep)

Test Safe/Short Slope Greater than 30 degrees with same aspect and elevation of
suspect slope. Slope must be facing same direction as suspect slope.

1. Block fails as you isolate it or walk above it.
2. Block fails when you carefully step on it.
3. Block fails when you make a sudden sinking or deep-knee bend.
4. Block fails when you jump vigorously with skis.
5. Block fails when you jump vigorously with skis a second time.
6. Block fails when you jump repeatedly with or without skis.
7. Block does not fail.

1, 2, or 3 - High to Extreme Hazard - Avoid ALL slopes above 25 degrees
4 or 5 - Moderate - Avalanches possible on slopes greater than 35 degrees
6 or 7 - Low - Avalanches unlikely except in isolated pockets or steep gullies

Beaufort Scale:
Number	Speed	Effects
 0       1        Smoke rises vertically.
 1	1-3	Smoke shows direction.
 2	4-7	Wind felt on face, leaves rustle.
 3	8-12	Leaves and twigs in constant motion.
                  Blows up small leaves from ground.
 4	13-18	Moves small branchs, raises dust and paper and drives them along
 5	19-24	Large branches and small trees in leaf begin to sway.
                  Crested wavelets on inland water.
 6	25-31	Large branches in continous motion.
 7	32-38	Whole trees in motion, inconvenient walking.
 8	39-46	Breaks twigs and small branches, difficult to walk.
 9	47-54	Loosens bricks on chimneys, litters ground with broken branches
10	55-63	Trees uprooted, considerable damage.
11	64-75	Widespread structural damage.
12	75+	Severe and extensive damage.

One of the climbing mags last winter (Climbing?) had a article on
Rutschblock testing.

See you out there.

Jeff


Subject:       backpacks and avalanches
Date:          2 Dec 1995 07:02:07 GMT
From: brunela@halcyon.com (Alan Brunelle)
Organization:  SBRI
Newsgroups:    rec.skiing.backcountry 

In one of the recent discussions on release bindings, a comment was made
that not discarding your backpack during a slide is thought to help
prevent back injuries. This seems to make sense, especially since modern
equipment supports much smaller packs and these are less likely to
interfere with the struggle.

It seems that a backpack might serve another advantage. A backpack, no
matter how tightly stuffed offers a considerable volume of air to the
trapped skier. Though packs are behind the trapped person, most packs
come up to very near the neck and back of the head. It seems that a
trapped skier with a pack on should not only consider forming a pocket of
air near their face, just prior to the slide stopping and cementing, but
should try to make that space extend to the neck area near the pack. It
seems that tugging on the shoulder strap might form such a channel. There
can also be lots of dead space between the pack and back of the skier. It
seems that the volume that a pack has to offer is much greater than can be
formed with just your hands and won't suffer from glaze over that occurs
because of breathing directly on the snow. Also, if space can be formed
between the pack and skier, the very act of breathing would cause air to
be pumped from front to back.

This may have been discussed before, but I am new to this discussion
group, so thanks in advance for any comments.

Also, it would be interesting to assemble statistics of avalanche survival
about the rate of survival for "buried" individuals who either had packs
on or not. I recognize that any positive result on this may not outweigh
the chance of not being buried by dropping the pack. I expect that the
recommendations for survival have come from the so-called experts, but I'd
like to see their data.  To many such practices seem to change after new
experts enter the field.

           ----------------------------------------------