What do you do for Avalanche Assessment?

snoqueen

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Done the survey!

Awesome idea! A tool like this would definitely be welcome to sledders that want to keep safe in the backcountry. Along with the other avy tools that we carry, a tool that could assess the snowpack to likelihood of slides, and to "read" the layers in the snowpack without digging time consuming pits would be sweet. I think that if a tool like this was available maybe sledders would not venture into certain areas if they knew for sure that there could be a likelihood of a slide. Great idea, I really hope this tool will be available to us in the very near future! :wtg:
 

teamdirt

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Im AST 1-does that mean anything? oh yeah Im da man!


For the record for the f-tards that keep posting that----it means nothing in terms of experience-you are an idiot with limited experinece don't let some unrecognized badge let you get fooled into experience. Mother nature will whoop u!
 
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CUSO

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Done BUT! (with no disrespect)

There is no quick way to determine a snowpack. You must dig, look, observe, assess, determine and act accordingly.
I would never trust a device to tell me its safe, second handedly. It would be impossible to test how a layer reacts to another without a physical test.. An avalanche is a physical thing. Perhaps in 15 years we can determine something in the immediate are, but go 30 feet away and in a different aspect...you are looking at a whole new ball game.
 

catmando

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Well it's certainly a move in the right direction......you make it sound like taking a avy course turns everyone into superman, in my experience that is rare and I have a bit of experience ..... Not saying there are not a few out there but really,................


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CUSO

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Who are you referring to?

The quote button works well for this aspect.

Well it's certainly a move in the right direction......you make it sound like taking a avy course turns everyone into superman, in my experience that is rare and I have a bit of experience ..... Not saying there are not a few out there but really,................


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lilduke

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Done BUT! (with no disrespect)

There is no quick way to determine a snowpack. You must dig, look, observe, assess, determine and act accordingly.
I would never trust a device to tell me its safe, second handedly. It would be impossible to test how a layer reacts to another without a physical test.. An avalanche is a physical thing. Perhaps in 15 years we can determine something in the immediate are, but go 30 feet away and in a different aspect...you are looking at a whole new ball game.

Seriously who goes around digging pits all day? Havent seen one person dig one pit this season. You don't even want to know how we "test" for instability. This thing sounds a little too good to be true/affordable but if it works cool, ill take 5.....
 

Weirboondocking

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I find that our clients are almost always more careful after they take a AST1 then before they did.
We have always recommended they take at least AST1 to come into the mountains but we do get lots of riders with little to no training... After a riding with us some/most do get avi training, and the next time they are out with us they seem to have a much better respect for how unstable things that look safe can be.

A tool that could help read the snow pack in a sort time frame would be handy, and Just like digging a pit I would only trust it for immediately local knowledge. I think this would be a great supplement to see if neighbouring snow is similar to your pit... Every tool can help give you more options then just saying not positive Im safe so not today and skipping out on stuff that should be safe...

That said I would like a tool like this to have a large margin of safety built into it .
 

CUSO

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I try to assess the snowpack in many ways, which includes the odd pit. If there is an interesting feature in the snowpack, as observed in CAC, I will try to see if I can find it... not every weekend, but perhaps every 3rd or so...depending on the reports. I will "test a slope" too, in my own way, but a safe way/

Please share your way of "testing"

Seriously who goes around digging pits all day? Havent seen one person dig one pit this season. You don't even want to know how we "test" for instability. This thing sounds a little too good to be true/affordable but if it works cool, ill take 5.....
 

lilduke

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I try to assess the snowpack in many ways, which includes the odd pit. If there is an interesting feature in the snowpack, as observed in CAC, I will try to see if I can find it... not every weekend, but perhaps every 3rd or so...depending on the reports. I will "test a slope" too, in my own way, but a safe way/

Please share your way of "testing"
Yea sure you do,, just like everyone else:rolleyes: Like I said you don't want to know...
 

lilduke

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Sounds like you need new riding partners.

Ya sounds like a whole lot of keyboard to me...:rolleyes:
Yea for sure maybe you could come teach me about safe travel in avalanche terrain,, you sound like a pro....
 

Russell P

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Done survey, I would agree that this tool will not replace the knowledge gained by digging a pit, but as lilduke said you do not see many people digging pits. If this tool is affordable and convenient to use, it may increase peoples awareness of certain conditions that trigger avalanches. It will not be a silver bullet to keep everyone safe, but an extra tool in the box to increase your odds.
 
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