In seconds, an avalanche can turn your entire day around requiring you to fight for your own safety or someone else’s. In these moments it’s crucial you have the essential avalanche safety gear and proper training needed to bring everyone home. As unpredictable as avalanches they are, there are plenty of tools and resources available that will help you limit your overall risk and stay prepared.
We want to provide you with some baseline knowledge that will help you learn how you can become a backcountry and avalanche expert.
**Disclaimer: There are inherent risks to traveling in avalanche terrain. We do not condone the use of any avalanche safety gear without proper training. Always take an AIARE certified course before exploring.
Common Avalanche Safety Gear
Essential Gear
- Avalanche Transceiver (Beacon)
- Survival can literally depend on how quickly you can find and uncover someone buried in an avalanche. You and each person in your party should carry their own transceiver. These devices are strapped close to your body and will emit a radio signal that searchers can find with their transceiver.
- Top Choice: Black Diamond Guide BT
- Snow Probe
- After you pinpoint the location of the victim you will want to probe the area to find the exact spot and depth.This will help reduce the time spent shoveling snow. These poles are collapsible for easy storage in your backpack.
- Top Choice:BCA Stealth 270
- Snow Shovel
- Having a backcountry shovel is crucial to uncovering a victim as quickly as possible. These typically break down into 2 pieces with an expandable shaft. All three of these items are crucial to your safety and should always be carried together.
- Top Choice: BCA Dozer 1T
- Airbag pack
- These backpacks are designed with airbags that rapidly inflate with either compressed air or a high-output fan. This helps you stay afloat with the avalanche as opposed to sinking to the bottom. A recent study from Dr. Pascal Haegeli showed just how effective these packs can be. His research showed that 56% of victims without an airbag pack would survive, while 83% with a pack would make it out alive.
- Top Choice: BCA Float 32
Good-to-Have Gear
- Slope Meter – Tool used to determine the angle of a slope for avalanche probability. Avalanches are possible on any slope steeper than 30° and most frequently occur on slopes between 35° and 50°.
- Analog Thermometer – Another piece of snow testing gear this analog snow thermometer helps to check the snow temperature to assess its stability.
- Crystal Card – Measured grid useful for evaluating the individual grains and layers of the snowpack. With this you can identify weak layers.
- Extended Column Test (ECT) Cord – Strong cord that cuts through snow and crust when you are performing an extended column test. This test looks at propagation propensity (would it propagate across the slope?)
- Backcountry Access Snow Study Kit
Other Gear to Consider
RECCO® Reflectors are added to jackets and other gear as a way to provide detection without a transceiver or batteries. Note: these reflectors are not a substitute for an avalanche transceiver, which is the only reliable means of quickly and accurately locating a buried person. RECCO Reflectors require the search team to have a specialized RECCO detector unit which is large and typically only found in ski resorts. Do not rely on these in the backcountry.
Avalanche Rescue Courses
Avalanche safety gear alone is not enough to stay safe in the backcountry. It’s crucial that anyone looking for an adventure like this has the proper training on how to use everything.
The AIARE – The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education was established in 1998 was a non-profit with the goal to “create a researched-based avalanche education model for back-country users with the belief that avalanche education, research, and training can prevent injuries and fatalities due to avalanches.”
The Apex Mountain School in Vail offers AIARE certified courses at Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. These are single day courses that last around 7 hours and they cost between $180-$250 per person. This course will teach you how to properly use all the essential and good-to-have avalanche safety gear.
What Is The Current Avalanche Risk in Colorado?
Staying prepared and understanding the current avalanche risks is key to proper planning. Each state has their own resources, but in Colorado you can go to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center website for forecasts, news, and photos/videos. Below is the current risk rated from 1 (low) – 5 (extreme).
Be Careful
As much fun as it can be to explore Colorado’s backcountry, it can be dangerous even when done properly. This guide is meant to only serve as a starting point for you to find the information you will need. Get trained, get some gear, and explore safely.
If you are looking for your first backcountry adventure, Loveland pass is a common spot with multiple type of terrain. Check out our guide on how to explore Loveland Pass.