Avalanches

One of the most dangerous parts about going skiing or snowboarding, especially in the backcountry is the potential of encountering avalanches. 

There are two main type of avalanches: loose-snow or sluff avalanches and slab avalanches. 

Loose-Snow/Sluff Avalanches

Created when snow is not well bonded together, loss-snow avalanches are recognizable by their distinct inverted "V" track they leave behind. Although this type of avalanche is not usually able to bury people, it can definitely knock you off your feet and carry you downhill. This can be especially deadly if you end up colliding into a tree or even thrown off the edge of a cliff so make sure to check avalanche conditions before you leave for your trip. 

Slab Avalanches

A slab avalanche occurs when the top sheet of snow breaks loose as a cohesive layer when the layer beneath it shifts. These avalanches are particularly dangerous as they tend to be much larger then loose-snow avalanches and are thus, more likely to bury you. Sometimes these slabs can even travel for 1000s of metres. 

 

If you do ever find yourself in the midst of an avalanche, it might be good to have some survival tips in your back pocket so read this article by Mental Floss about the top 5 ways to survive an avalanche before your next visit to the hill.

How to Survive an Avalanche

Credits to BIGSTOCK | Captured on March 19, 2018 | Image URL: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/news/Alps-avalanche-risk-peaks-as-four-people-are-killed/

Visibility

Visibility is also another huge concern when hitting the slopes as poor visibility can lead to extremely dangerous situations like running into trees or other obstacles or even worse, falling off cliffs. Poor visibility can be caused by a couple of different factors including blizzards, heavy rain, fog/clouds and strong winds. It is therefore imperative that you check weather conditions before you decide to go skiing. Even if you checked the night before, things can change so make sure you're always up to date. 

 

Credits to ALPSINSIGHT | Captured on March 19, 2018 | Image URL: http://www.alpsinsight.com/stories/expectations-on-the-berner-oberland-ski-tour/

Extreme Weather Conditions

Although people usually only consider the hazards of being out in the cold when going skiing like the potential of frostbite or hypothermia, going skiing in warm temperatures can also be dangerous. For starters, people tend to wear very thick clothing when they hit the slopes but if it is unseasonably warm, it is important that you can take off layers in order to prevent yourself from overheating. It is also important to wear ski googles or sunglasses with UV protection in order to protect your eyes from the intense glare of the sun from the snow. 

Extreme cold temperatures on the other hand, are harder to characterize because winds can often make the "real feel" temperature much lower then the forecasted one but cold temperatures can be dangerous as it can lead to hypothermia or frostbite. If forecasted weathers are below 15 degrees Celsius, it is advised that you postpone your trip to when it warms up. 

 

 

Credits to Helly Hansen | Captured March 19, 2018 | Image URL: http://welove2ski.com/ski-base-layers