The basics of avalanche avoidance and good backcountry travel protocol,
is to always stop below your partner, not above them. The reason for
this is two-fold; one is that you might blow your last turn and take
out your partners from above, and the other is that the weight of a
stopping person may cause the slope to fracture, especially if it is
already weighted by another person. If this happens, it often breaks
right at the top person’s skis and then takes the lower person for a
ride.
Stopping at position “B” is safer option for the first person than
stopping at point “A” Position “B” is tucked underneath a rock on the
right hand side, which makes it more protected from an avalanche coming
down from above and doesn’t leave the second skier any other chance BUT
to stop below you.
is to always stop below your partner, not above them. The reason for
this is two-fold; one is that you might blow your last turn and take
out your partners from above, and the other is that the weight of a
stopping person may cause the slope to fracture, especially if it is
already weighted by another person. If this happens, it often breaks
right at the top person’s skis and then takes the lower person for a
ride.
Stopping at position “B” is safer option for the first person than
stopping at point “A” Position “B” is tucked underneath a rock on the
right hand side, which makes it more protected from an avalanche coming
down from above and doesn’t leave the second skier any other chance BUT
to stop below you.
