All that Read the Berthoud Story: Important Avalanche Education Resource

F

farley

Member
You have probably read the story of Sammy and the heart wrenching rescue attempt on Berthoud Pass earlier this month.

Hopefully you were moved, and hopefully you are now motivated to educate yourself. I have found this great resource from the Canadian government and some corporate sponsors.

It is FREE.

This Avalanche education page is not a replacment for a real level 1 avi course.

Think of it as a introductory avalanche course. It is in depth and very helpful. Every one should check it out.

http://access.jibc.bc.ca/avalancheFirstResponse/index.htm

I found it off of this page which gives a great review of the course.

http://www.telemarktips.com/RevAvyCourse.html

 
one thing that's dumb about certifications is that they are only good for like one year. I mean shit at least let people keep em for 5, The courses aren't cheap and it's not like you forget everything in a year.
 
i already did that thing but i think i will do it yet again just to refresh my mind before the season starts, LEARN ABOUt AVALANCHES KIDS! while NS might be a place of hate i think everyone can safely say that it would suck to have one of our fellow members lost to an avalanche
 
yes, i did a course too, and it is a VERY good idea if you are going to be going anywhere out of bounds, people die in slides all over the counrty and the world. it can happen anywhere.
 
DO A COURSE !

I cannot emphasize that enough!

Just owning the equipment and taking it out is not enough.

Beacons take PRACTICE to be able to use them efficiently. Also, as the story so accurately portrays, when a slide happens and you know someone is under it, everything is pretty stressful and chaotic. If you are trying to remember something you read in a book six months ago, you are not going to be as quick as you could at locating the person.

If you have been trained in a mock rescue and practiced it - even just a couple of times - when the real thing happens, you go into auto pilot and can focus on the task at hand.

Wearing a beacon also carries the RESPONSIBILITY of being able to use it. Its not just for saving you.

Hate to preach - but in a split second, an epic powder run (heck even a damn traverse) can turn into heavy shit, with your friends lives on the line.

Be Prepared.
 
yea man, people who ski BC without beacons and probes and muchless shovels fucking piss me off. they endanger you as well as themselves. just be smart, invest in a beacon, itll last you awhile, learn how to use it, and bring a friend who youd trust with your life.

DONT be a dumbass and say your going to outrun it. cus you probably cant. even if you do, youll get to the bottom, lose all your speed, and get caught. dont try and pull a Morrison, cus i now hes a better and more experienced BC skier than damn near all of you.
 
yea, this stuff is great if u take the time to read it and really get into it. but the truth is, only an avi course can really prepare u. u really dont need to get certified every year either, just refresh every ~two years to stay strong. the important part isnt the cert. but the knowledge and hands-on experience u get with it.
 
I went to a school that lost 7 kids in an avalanche, and my other school lost 4, I can't stress ENOUGH how important it is to not only study things like this, but also going out and taking at least an RAC course offered at most mountaints. There was a fund started at my high school in memory of those 4 lost students, and for $40 we had 2 days skiing, an RAC course as well as 2 nights accomodation. Thanks for posting this up.
 
don't teach yourself either...go with people you know and trust and have them show you the ropes. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS stay on the side of caution, if in doubt, just go back the way you came. Backing off a run after a 2 hour slog up the mountain may just be the best decision you ever make!
 
thanks for the link man i'll spread it around. I don't understand why people take the BC so lightly. riding at Mt baker has given me a whole new respect for the BC and what it is capable of. I've talked to numerous people who have had to dig their friends out some made it some didn't its pretty rough. and still every week i talk to people who went in the BC with know idea.

Just yesterday i was talking to a guy in one of my classes he said him and his friends hiked and skied mt herman (near the mt baker ski area) and when i asked him how the avi conditions were he said "fine i guess we checked the snow before we started our hike and we had a bunch of shovels and ice axes and my friend has a tranciver so i stayed close to him"

WHAT THE FUCK!? how can people think that this is safe? they checked the snow pack at the bottom and not on the way or the top where conditions will be considerably different, no trancivers one will do you no good at all its just a $300 blinking light at that point. and with out probes they wouldn't find them anyways.

I just really wish more people would start taking the BC seriosuly
 
ya man...people don't realize you need the whole shabang to get someone out. Beacon, shovel, probe, partner, know-how. Take one out of the mix and everything else is useless. You won't find your buddy without it ALL.
 
I want to take an avalanche course this year so if I am ever in a situation like that I would know what to do.
 
i dont mean to bash on this but dont let this link make you over confident. There is alot to learn about avalanches and this is good info, but not enough. There are books you can buy that help, but a level one class will let you get a hands on experience of how to dig pits and look at snow layers, how to use a transiever. It has been said that info like this is sometimes more dangerous then not giving the info because it gives people too much confidence. Just keep that in mind and continue to educate yourself in avy awarness
 
^ level one is th really expensive course, people should at least take an RAC course to start off, and take level one when they can afford it. and always go out in the b/c with people more experienced than you.

I passed this link on to 400+ people in my university ski and snowboarding club, recommending that they use this as a stepping stone to raise their awareness, remind them of what they know if they've already taken RAC or level one, and to definitely take an RAC before going out in the backcountry.
 
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