Searching for avalanche clues — An exploratory comparison of professional and recreational use of snow, terrain, and group factors

Abstract

The fast-growing pastime of backcountry skiing in snowy mountain terrain has raised safety concerns, particularly in avalanche-prone areas. Key to mitigating such risks is the ability of recreational skiers to make informed decisions about avalanche dangers. While avalanche professionals have developed consistent approaches to assess avalanche problems, it is unclear how well recreational skiers’ decisions align with these approaches.

Here we report a survey study of recreational skiers who had embarked on self-selected backcountry trips in a popular backcountry skiing area, near Tromsø, Northern Norway The survey, adapted from Landrø et al. (2020a), was designed to examine decision-making processes in avalanche terrain, with a subset of participants also using GPS tracking devices to contrast their decisions with slope-specific assessments by a commissioned avalanche professional.

The study aimed to identify key decision-making factors utilized by non-professional skiers in avalanche terrain. We analyzed the influence of group coordination, planning strategies, and snowpack assessments on decision-making at the self-identified most critical decision point in the skiers’ trips. Participant responses were also compared against expert avalanche hazard assessments to evaluate the accuracy of their risk awareness.

Our findings, based on 193 survey responses, indicate that while participants engage in thorough planning and group management, their use of snowpack assessment factors (i.e. cues) does not vary significantly with different environments or conditions. The study offers valuable insights into the decision-making patterns of recreational skiers in avalanche terrain, highlighting areas for potential improvement in safety and risk assessment strategies.

Management Implications

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  There’s a critical need for more focused education aiming to enhance recreational skiers’ ability to apply snowpack assessment cues effectively.
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  Development of safety measures need to align more closely with the needs and skills of recreational skiers, emphasizing real-world application of decision-making frameworks.
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  Identifying knowledge gaps can help in crafting targeted awareness campaigns.
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  Insights from the study can drive policy enhancements within the tourism sector to safeguard recreationists and improve safety standards in avalanche-prone areas.

These targeted insights are aiming toward optimizing educational strategies to improve the preparation and safety of backcountry recreational skiers.