KETCHUM, Idaho — It has been a tragic few weeks in the mountains of the Western U.S., with a deadly avalanche near Lake Tahoe in California killing nine people, three deaths in Utah, and one fatality near Island Park in eastern Idaho.
The avalanche conditions near Galena Summit and the Eastern Mountains got downgraded from high to considerable on Thursday, but much of the west continues to see dangerous conditions in the backcountry.
Check out the video to see the conditions and hear from Scott Savage of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center
We caught up with the director of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center to learn how to avoid avalanches, what is causing these dangerous conditions, and what people can do to prepare themselves if they want to recreate in the backcountry.
"The key thing is you can eliminate avalanche hazard if you stay off of or out from below slopes that are steeper than 30 degrees," said Scott Savage. "That is like a steep intermediate run at Bogus, so if you are staying off the steep terrain and below it, you are not going to have any avalanches."
Every day, Scott Savage's team at the Sawtooth Avalanche Center provides a forecast for several regions, and the Payette Avalanche Center does the same around McCall. Before anybody goes out in the backcountry, they should check this information, as the conditions were high on Wednesday.
But why? The weird winter in the west can help explain the current avalanche danger.
We didn't see very much snow in January and February, so the wind, the sun, and the elements created a persistent weak layer prone to sliding with the weight added by the winter storms over the past two weeks.
"So that is like the perfect recipe for an avalanche," explained Savage. "You have a thick slab on top of really weak snow, and you put that on a steep slope— add a snowmobiler or a skier— and you have an avalanche."
Savage suggests that people check the forecast, get educated on avalanches, and make sure to have the right equipment. That includes a beacon, a probe, and a shovel, and it's important for everybody in the group to know how to use that equipment.
Beacon parks can help people practice those skills, and they are located all over our region, from ski areas to trailheads to parks. There are also many ways to take avalanche courses, classes, and seminars to learn more about the dangers and signs to watch out for.
"When you are out skiing or snowboarding in the backcountry, there are some obvious indicators that conditions are unstable," said Savage. "If you see fresh avalanches, that's a bullseye, and right now we are seeing a bunch of avalanches that are releasing on their own."
Savage told me that if you see the snowpack crack, that's another indicator you found a slab.
He says if you hear a wooomph, that is also an indicator that the snowpack is collapsing. Noticing these indicators could save your life, and that's why Savage recommends getting more knowledge if you want to venture into the backcountry.
"Take an avalanche class, you will learn all sorts of great information that won't make you an expert, but it really helps you accelerate your learning, and you will learn some basic stuff to keep you out of trouble," said Savage. "Just by taking a level one avalanche course, you will be able to get into more terrain safely."
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