Assessing Avalanche Danger: Backcountry Touring & Snowmobiling
The very real downside of backcountry use is avalanche danger is high. Here’s a few steps and tools you’ll need for a safe journey.
Snowshoeing: A Beginners Guide to Avalanche Safety
The basics to recognizing avalanche terrain.
What Every Snowshoer Needs to Know About Avalanche Safety
Snowshoeing makes an excellent winter activity. Here’s how to go about it safely.
Backcountry Basics: How to Use Your Beacon, Probe & Shovel
Because efficiency is key.
A Day in the Life of an NWAC Avalanche Observer
What he’s thinking about in the field and how he translates his findings for the avalanche forecasting center.
Backcountry Basics: Recognizing Avalanche Terrain
How to analyze the winter terrain around you.
Gear Archives: The Evolution of MSR Avalanche Probes
MSR was founded on mountaineering and snow safety, and our new MSR Striker™ probes not only continue that legacy but also deliver on our founding promise to build better, more reliable and easier-to-use gear. Vastly different from the MSR probes of 40 years ago, the Striker probes’ unique construction and features meet the needs of everyone from mountaineers and professional guides, to backcountry skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers. Here’s a brief look at past and present MSR probe innovations. The history: MSR Avalanche Probes
Fine-Tuned Forecasts: Northwest Avalanche Center Launches New Website
Story by Kate Hourihan / photos courtesy of NWAC Between all 20 Avalanche Centers in the U.S., and many others worldwide, no two organizations deliver a daily avalanche forecast in exactly the same way. While there are many overlaps in language, iconography and general structure, each avalanche center ultimately has its own format. And because of this, as research evolves in understanding how to best to keep people safe from avalanche danger, avalanche centers have the ability to fine-tune how information is delivered to users through forecasts. In December 2013, the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC) launched a new website. In addition to a visual face-lift, new mobile capabilities, and a more user-friendly interface, significant changes were made to how the daily avalanche forecast is broken down and presented to users. The…