SKILLS, TIPS & TRICKS TO GET YOU HIKING LIKE A PRO
✔ DO learn how to read an avalanche forecast. These include altitude and aspect of avalanche hazards, on-the-ground observations and notes about weather.
✔ DO take note of recent changes in weather, especially rapid changes in temperature, recent or heavy precipitation and wind speeds above 15mph. All of these can destabilise the snow pack.
✔ DO plan your route thoroughly, taking note of slope angle and aspect (direction it faces), and avoiding areas of high risk. Pick key locations where you’ll stop and review conditions on the way.
✔ DO make observations on your way in, noting where snow is accumulating and looking for signs of recent avalanche, including the breakaway crack at the top, the scoured trail left in its wake and debris at the base.
✔ DO beware of shooting cracks and ‘whoomphing’. Both indicate instability in the snow. Take note of the slope aspect and adapt your route to avoid similar slopes – even if this means changing your journey entirely.
✔ DO learn how to measure slope angle – most avalanches occur on slopes between 30° and 45°. You can do this using a slope measurement card on your map, the clinometer on a compass, or an app or ‘measure/level’ function on your phone.
✔ DO schedule reviews at key points on your journey, especially before setting out across slopes. Pause and take note of the snowpack, weather, and how you and your group are doing. Always be open to changing your plan.
✔ DO get on a course where you’ll be guided through all the stages of winter travel in the mountains from planning to actually getting out there and having a brilliant day. There are few more thorough ways to learn.
✘ DON’T get stuck in a terrain trap. These include valleys, cliffs and convex slopes where you could be caught in an avalanche coming from above.
✘ DON’T press on. Listen to your gut and only proceed if you and everyone in the group feels confident. If something feels wrong, there’s a good chance that it is.
KNOWLEDGE
