Staying alive in avalanche terrain
SPART members, partnering with the U.S. Forest Service, the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC), and the Cascade Backcountry Ski Patrol, have placed signs at popular winter trailheads. The signs educate the public about risks of traveling in snowy terrain and where to get a forecast and essential gear.
This work was presented by members Scott Waller, Andy Hill, and Dick Willy at the 2012 International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) in Anchorage, Alaska. Details appear in the proceedings: New Public Avalanche Awareness Opportunities — Are You Beeping? (MSU Library, ISSW 2012 proceedings).
Are you beeping?
We have installed signs at several common trailheads that display avalanche safety information and include an automatic avalanche transceiver checker. As people walk past, the device tests whether their beacon is actively transmitting a rescue signal. It is not a substitute for a full beacon check (it does not test search mode), but it is a strong awareness tool for people who may have forgotten to turn on their beacon or switch it to transmit. The technology was originally developed by a former SPART member and is now being designed and built by Erik Olson.