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A Word on Safety from the President of the American Avalanche Association

By Halsted “Hacksaw” Morris

Skiing the backcountry this season? Stay safe.

The American Avalanche Association (A3)—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to keep people safe in avalanche country through education, professional development, outreach, and research— oversees professional avalanche education in the United States and sets recreational avalanche course guidelines. A3 should be considered a resource for all backcountry users and encourages everyone who recreates in avalanche terrain to pursue life-saving education and training.

Staying safe in the backcountry starts with using professional resources. | PHOTO: John Paul


With COVID-19 threatening to disrupt the North American ski season, thousands of new backcountry users are expected to venture into the backcountry—many with little experience or avalanche training. On average, 27 people die in avalanche accidents each year in the United States, and avalanche professionals worry that multiplying usage coupled with many new and inexperienced and untrained skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers, could lead to a sharp increase in backcountry accidents.

We are asking for your help this fall to get the word out and keep people safe in the backcountry this winter.

Backcountry Skiing is More Popular Than Ever

After the 2019/20 ski season ended abruptly in March with resorts across the United States and Canada shutting down, backcountry gear sales and usage soared. For example, in San Juan Country, Colorado, trailheads became so crowded with skiers, snowboarders, and snowmobilers, that backcountry recreation was officially prohibited at one point, due to insufficient emergency services.

Backcountry gear sales continue to be strong, and the glut of backcountry usage is expected to continue this season. If mountain resorts are able to operate at all, they will operate at limited capacity, and with restricted amenities. This, combined with the already rapidly growing popularity of backcountry recreation, relative ease of social distancing in the backcountry environment, and widespread need for healthy outdoor activity, means that more people than ever are expected to spend time skiing and riding in the backcountry.

Riding at closed ski areas is not completely avalanche-free. Skinning up closed ski areas is just the same as going into the backcountry since the ski patrol is not doing any avalanche mitigation work as they would normally do.

avalanche course
AIARE Level 1 courses are offered in ski regions across the country, from New England to Washington.

Know Before You Go

As a result, avalanche education has never been more important. Recreational courses include Avalanche Awareness, Avalanche Rescue, Level 1, and Level 2 Avalanche curriculums. Unguided backcountry users are strongly encouraged to pursue all educational avenues to become more proficient in avalanche risk assessment and terrain management. Avalanche course providers exist in virtually all mountain communities, and course providers approved by A3 instruct using the most current educational guidelines. A list of approved course providers is available at www.avalanche.org.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) issues FREE daily weather and avalanche forecasts ( https://avalanche.state.co.us ). CAIC is the great resource that all Colorado backcountry riders should use daily.

Please contact A3 today with questions about avalanche education, the projected growth in backcountry usage this winter, or other related topics. Thank you for helping us spread the word and keep the backcountry safer this winter!

See more alpine touring insight in our Ultimate Guide to Backcountry Skiing

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