DANGER IN THE BACKCOUNTRY by Randy Lew

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Are you prepared? Are you educated? Have you been trained? I was on a webinar entitled “Danger in the Backcountry” hosted by North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA) and The Bryce and Ronnie Athletic Snow Safety Foundation (BRASS) that was truly thought provoking. With backcountry equipment sales up over 137% in the last 3 years, many more snow sport enthusiasts are venturing out of bounds. Side Country is Back Country… it is not controlled and not patrolled.

 At the end of last ski season when COVID shut down the lifts, there were more than 50 human triggered avalanches in Utah. One lucky victim (he survived) was recording his run on Strava, which showed he tumbled down the mountain at 77 mph! Both California and Colorado also showed large increases in human triggered avalanches. 90% of avalanches are caused by the victim or someone with the victim. 25% of avalanche deaths are caused from trauma, hitting a tree or rock. 38% of avalanche deaths are caused from suffocation, being buried under the snow with has set up like concrete.

 The webinar “Danger in the Backcountry” will be released in the near future on both the NASJA and BRASS websites.

 Highly recommended is the BRASS 101 Avalanche Webinar on Thursday December 3 from 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

  • Free 90-minute online webinar

  • Presented by certified avalanche safety instructor

  • Showing of acclaimed BRASS film Off Piste

  • Introduction to avalanche safety featuring Know Before You Go content

  • Q&A with instructor

 https://brassavalanche.org/education/

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Get out of Harms Way

Image by Jan Helebrant from Pixabay