Patterns to Prevention Avalanche Awareness Workshop
4 new topics to discuss this season!
- Avy types: Not all avalanches are created equal
- Triggering Avalanches
- Review of the accident patterns identified in the newly released book “Avalanche Accidents in Canada 1997-2007”
Course fee only $40/pp
BUY A BUNDLE of 10 tickets for only $250
7:00 – 9:30 PM
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To Register
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- Oct 24 – Edmonton, AB
- Nov 20 – Grassland, AB
- Nov 17- Fort McMurray, AB
- Dec 7 – Lloydminster, AB
- Feb 3 – Grande Prairie, AB
Oct 24 – Edmonton, AB – 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Meeting Location – Chateau Louis Hotel and Conference Center
11727 Kingsway Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5G 3A1
_Phone: 780.452.7770 Fax: 780.454.3436
Toll Free Reservations 1.800.661.9843
CLICK HERE to view a Google Map
Nov 7 – Saskatoon, SK 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
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Nov 8 – Edmonton, AB – Cancelled
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Nov 9 – Red Deer, AB – Cancelled
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Nov 10 – Calgary, AB – Cancelled
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Nov 17 – Fort McMurray, AB – 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Nov 20 – Grassland, AB – 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Grassland Trailer Sales & Skidoo
Dec 7 – Lloydminster, AB- 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Rec-Tech Power Products
Hwy 16, Range Road 20 – Approx 4 miles west of Lloydminster
CLICK HERE for a Google Map
Special rate for this program! Rec-Tech Power Products has sponsored this event. Only $25/p.
CLICK HERE for the Discount Code for details!
Feb 3, 2012 – Grande Prairie, AB – 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Photo credit: Alan Harder
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To Register
FOR ONLINE REGISTRATIONS
TO FAX IN YOUR REGISTRATION
Download this 1 page form and return by fax or email
Confirmed Registrations
To review the class lists for all Zacs Tracs courses please click hereTo return to the Main Course Schedule
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Public Avalanche Bulletins
Looking for one of the most important pieces of the avalanche safety puzzle?! You have come to the right place!
The PAB (Public Avalanche Bulletins) are specialized reports created for high use avalanche areas of Canada.
There are 5 simple ways to access this information.
1) Dial 1-800-667-1105 and follow the prompts.
2) Register your email address to receive FREE Bulletins. CLICK HERE
3) Download a new App to your iPhone CLICK HERE
4) Visit the Sledder’s page on the Canadian Avalanche Centre’s website. CLICK HERE
5) Visit www.avalanche.ca and follow the prompts for “BULLETINS!” CLICK HERE
The PAB is like a road report for the mountains.
EVERYONE should access this information before going riding!
Please open a current bulletin for any CAC Forecast area by clicking on a region on the map or by selecting from the list on the left side of the page.
Not sure about the boundaries of the bulletin regions. CLICK HERE to follow this link to view the PAB map overlayed onto a Google Map. Zoom in and view towns and road systems to get a better orientation!
For a quick tutorial on Bulletin use we encourage you to refer to the bulletin below. This is a screen shot of the North Columbia Avalanche Forecast from Dec 18/09.
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Note the NEW AND ENHANCED features. These excellent features were added during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
- Sub-regions in the Hazard Rating Chart – some of the forecast regions have sub-regions to improve the quality of data by reducing the size of the forecast regions. Weather patterns have been the primary influence in these new dividing lines. For the North Columbia PAB region the sub-regions are the Cariboos (west side of Hwy 5) vs. Monashees and Selkirks (east side of Hwy 5).
- Color Map of the new Sub-Regions – in the top right of the forecast report.
- Confidence – the level of confidence is primarily related to the forecaster’s confidence in the weather forecast. (If the actual weather varies much from the forecasted weather, then the PAB may have mis-judged the avalanche hazard.) Confidence may also be low if there are little information being submitted to the forecasters (early or late season…)
- Primary Concerns Icons – a visual summary of the problem layers. Avalanche type, sides of the mountains affected, elevation band of concern and time of day for the primary concern.
- The colored areas of the Compass Icon are the areas of concern. In this bulletin, for example, the areas of concern for the windslab are on the North through East aspects. The areas of concern for the Storm snow are on all aspects.
- Avalanche Activity tells you what IS happening
- Snowpack Data tells you what COULD happen
- Weather Data tells you what SHOULD happen
- Glossary Links – click on highlighted technical terms for detailed descriptions and images. Very useful as a FREE training tool.
- Next Scheduled Update – this date ensures that no one accidentally uses stale bulletin information. Conditions can change quickly SO IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ACCESS THE DATA FOR THE CORRECT REGION ON THE CORRECT DATE.
- Recently Reported Avalanche Incidents – these reports are specific to the Bulletin area selected.
Photos are often included in many of the reports. This one shows the full path of the Size 3 slab avalanche (large enough to bury or destroy a truck or small building.)
We highly recommend that you take advantage of this Free service to keep in touch with the ever-changing conditions. Not only will this FREE service prepare you for your backcountry trips, but you will also grow your avalanche experience and vocabulary by noting the significant events and trends in the weather and avalanche cycles. Learn to identify the significant weather patterns and start to develop your own snow interpretation ability. As you read about the weather today, try to guess how it will affect the snow stability tomorrow. Pick up travel hints and terrain identification skills by following the forecaster’s travel advisories
Remember to download the new iPhone application!
CLICK HERE to be redirected.What is the AVALUATOR??
The Avaluator is a decision making tool.
It is a card and guidebook that leads you through gathering information and observations before and during your trip to the mountains.
By being more aware of the predicted and actual stability and weather conditions, and looking at this in conjunction with the type of terrain that you are choosing, the Avaluator will help you to acknowledge a recommended level of caution for your planned venture.
The Avaluator is a tool for semi-trained backcountry recreationalists. The proper use of this tool is well explained in the accompanying booklet, however it is recognized that the tool is more useful in the hands of a user that has completed the 16 hour AST Level 1 program.
CLICK HERE to register for an upcoming AST1 avalanche course.Pre-Trip Planner
The first part of the system is the Pre-Trip Planner.
CLICK HERE to learn how to use the CAC’s Interactive Online Trip Planner which contains officially rated terrain in each of the bulletin areas.
This webpage will walk you through steps to properly use the Avaluator to make decisions from home that compare the current avalanche conditions and your expected terrain choices.CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THIS LINK to the Canadian Avalanche Centre to learn more about the ‘Avalanche Terrain Exposure System’ (ATES) rating system. What exactly is Simple, Challenging and Complex terrain?
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THIS LINK to read the definitions of the Canadian Avalanche Centre Danger Scale.
These decisions are all related to Trip Planning, before the trip….but what about decisions when you are in the field?
To learn about the Slope Evaluation Card….just CLICK HERE
AVALUATOR2 Slope Evaluation Matrix
The Avaluator has undergone a few changes for 2010. The Slope Evaluation card for this updated Version has a new matrix that correlates field observations about avalanche conditions with terrain factors.
As you review both the Avalanche Conditions Warning Signs and the Terrain Characteristics notice that some relate to increased probability of triggering an avalanche and some relate to increased consequences if one is triggered.
This makes sense when one considers this definition of Risk:
Risk = Probability * Consequence * Exposure
We encourage you to CLICK HERE to review this 4 page download to refresh your memory on the components of the AVALUATOR2 Slope Evaluation Card.
Avaluator2 Slope Evaluation Matrix Explained
Remember to review these Warning Signs OFTEN throughout your day. Alpine and Below Treeline tend to experience different conditions. North face and south faces are rarely the same.
Keep this water resistant card handy to remind you to run through this matrix as you travel and make your field observations. Hunt for the Warning Signs…sledders cover a huge amount of terrain in a day. Make every mile count!
These sheets are scanned from the AVALUATOR2 booklet. Please forgive the quality!
CLICK HERE to download a .pdf version of these sheets
Take some time to review this article as it will improve your confidence and ability to apply the card to your riding area.
Backcountry Avalanche Workshops (BAW)
photo credit: Dave Brohm pushing powder by Chris ChristieClick here to go to the CAC website for more details.
CLICK HERE for a complete listing of Avalanche Awareness Seminars and Workshops for Western Canadian provinces and the Yukon.
Last season’s Backcountry Avalanche Workshops were a huge success. We had an excellent speaker line-up on the theme of “terrain” and the feedback from these well-attended workshops was overwhelmingly positive. Many of the venues were standing room only. Below are some examples of the feedback we collected from exit surveys:
• “A day well spent. I felt it was valuable as a refresher and I learned excellent new tips and skills”- Vancouver participant
• “Fascinating perspectives from some of the most experienced professionals in the avy business” –Calgary participant
• “Awesome. Makes you think before you go out.” – Prince George participant
• “Very informative; now I want to learn more.” – Grande Prairie participant
Avalanche Awareness Days
The Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC), in partnership with Canadian Pacific, presents Avalanche Awareness Days—a celebration of Canada’s avalanche safety expertise and an invitation to enjoy the winter backcountry with education and training.
Photo credit: Craig Evanoff, CAC website photoAvalanche Awareness Days is held annually during the third week of January in over 40 Canadian communities. Our National Event will be held on Jan 14-16 2011 in the North Shore mountains.
Check out the CAC website for more info.
Avalanche Bulletins, public and professional level avalanche training programs, the free on-line avalanche class, Trip Talk and weather links.
