Articles

Five Easy Steps to Safe Backcountry Riding

By: Eric Knoff

Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center

             There are no stoplights in the backcountry. The decision to ride into uncontrolled-avalanche terrain is a personal one with risks and rewards. Done correctly, pinning the throttle through a field of untracked powder or climbing a steep mountain face can produce unmatched excitement, but riding in avalanche terrain can produce severe and sometimes deadly consequences.

                We have a deep slab avalanche problem throughout the advisory area. Adjacent mountain ranges likely have this problem as well. It exists because the entire winter’s snowpack rests on a layer of facets near the ground. It produced avalanches in late December and early January and again following heavy snowfall in February and early March. This weak layer of facets, formed in early December during extreme cold weather will be a concern for the rest of the season.

Published in the January 2014 issue of CARVE.

The third week of December provided some valuable avalanche lessons when three people in two separate incidents triggered and were caught in avalanches near the Bridger Bowl boundary.  In both cases the parties exited the ski area into the backcountry.  The first incident involved two highly experienced skiers on Saddle Peak.  Like they have done for years, they rode the Slaschman’s lift and hiked

YES. Portable electronics like phones, radios, GPS, cameras, etc. will interfere with an avalanche beacon (aka avalanche transceiver).  Is it a problem? The interference is significant and may prevent you from finding a buried partner. These electronic devices typically need to be turned on to cause interference. Snowmobiles with running motors and electrical circuits will also cause interference.

Every year throughout the Rocky Mountains we warn that early season snow is not good for stability. Some years are worse than others. In my experience, this year is one of the worst.

April 16, 2015

Greetings:

What a strange year it has been.  We started strong with many storms and early season snow, followed by spring weather in February and March and then one of the biggest snowfalls of the season yesterday. Go figure. Although skiing and snowmobiling conditions were bipolar, the snowpack was generally stable with more days of “Low” avalanche danger than any of us can remember.

Dear Fellow Aficionados of the backcountry:

My career as an avalanche forecaster at the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center is coming to a close. After a 29-year run (24 as the director) it’s time to say good-bye. Avalanche forecasting allowed me to mesh two things I value: working in the outdoors and public service.

Presented at the 2014 ISSW in Banff, Canada.

For the last 24 years, the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center has achieved many successes in snowmobile avalanche education but many challenges remain. Building on the efforts of many others and the work outlined by the GNFAC at an ISSW twelve years ago, our snowmobile education has evolved considerably. Live recoveries, unheard of only 10 years ago, seemingly occur every winter now. 

Published in Carve, February 2014

I envision that should I ever be buried in an avalanche my partner will locate me quickly, put together his shovel and dig like a maniac. He will be anaerobic, spittle drooling from his mouth, sweat burning his eyes and he’ll be puffing like a locomotive. His heart rate will be in maxxed, his face red and ears ringing. I know this because I carefully chose my backcountry partners. They will give 110% of themselves to save me if I’m buried. They are mentally, emotionally and physically tough.