Avalanche Saftey For Climbers

I got an email from a friend the other day who mentioned he tried to go climb Avocado Gully, but couldn’t even get near it because of all the new snow. Given the tender snowpack we are currently experiencing and all the recent deaths at ski resorts across the West, I thought it’d be appropriate to visit a topic that a lot of winter climbers aren’t all that familiar with: avalanche saftey. Most of us tend to think that avalanches are something only skiers have to deal with, but as someone who has been caught in two small slides while climbing, I can assure you that is not the case. Getting caught in a slide which you are unprepared for usually ends poorly, but there are a few simple steps you can take to maximize both your knowledge and chances of survival when traveling in avalanche terrain.

1. Get Educated
The easiest way to avoid an avalanche is to know what kind of terrain and conditions can produce a slide. From simply reading a good book on the topic, to taking a class, there are many ways to increase your knowledge of the threat and your ability to safely travel through avalanche terrain. Simply knowing what to avoid could make the difference between a good or bad day.

2. Carry the Right Gear
When you’ve already got a pack full of ice screws, cams, ropes and clothes, what’s a little extra weight to throw in a shovel and probe, and wear a beacon under your jacket? It’s easy to be lazy here, and just say you wont cross anything sketchy, but if you posthole for 2 hours and it’s only a 10 yard stretch of dangerous terrain between you and your objective, you’ll probably just go for it, regardless of whether you are prepared or not. I imagine trying to dig out a buried partner with an ice axe is not a pleasant experience (for either person).

3. Don’t Be Complacent
As I mentioned above, I’ve been in two small slides while out climbing, and among other things, I had assumed that we were at too low of an elevation to worry about avalanches. But the truth is if there is a foot or more of snow on steep terrain, you can easily get a decent sized avalanche to cut loose. Our local climbing area of Redstone generally appears benign, but there are pockets that lurk near many popular climbs where you can easily get caught in an avalanche. Both incidents I was involved with occurred when there had been a recent warming trend and the temperatures hovered right around freezing.

I think we’re probably set up for a great climbing season the rest of the winter, with all this snow to feed many of the climbs that rely on melt-freeze to come in. Be careful on the longer approaches right now, which generally take you into areas where avalanches can happen. Have fun and be safe out there.

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