FREE ESSAY ON AVALANCHES

AVALANCHES

Avalanches are massive downward and outward movements of snow and ice as well as soil and
rocks. Three main factors that determine whether avalanches are likely to occur are the
weather, the snowpack, and the terrain. The weather is the most important factor in
determining if an avalanche will occur, but the other two factors need to be taken into
consideration as well. Since ninety percent of all avalanches involve human subjects that
trigger them, they are a major threat to life (McCafferty 38). Avalanches can leave death
and destruction in their path and pose a great threat to the skiing industry.
Most ski resorts in the western part of the United States try to prevent avalanches. They
acquire specially trained personnel to toss grenade like explosives or shoot a bazooka
like shell into the slope. The gun they use to shoot these projectiles is a
105-millimeter recoilless rifle (Cone 148). The explosives trigger the avalanche. They
fire them into the mountain early in the morning so that the risk of having an avalanche
during ski hours is lowered but even though they do this, it is not a definite that an
avalanche could not happen. By studying the mountain the avalanche patrol learns where
avalanches normally occur. These are called sweet spots. Avalanches often follow the same
tracks year after year because they get funneled into the same valleys. In these areas,
trees do not grow because they keep being removed by the avalanches. The shooting of
these explosives is very successful and fortunately no one has ever been injured or
killed (Goodwin 42).
Avalanche experts offer these recommendations for skiers to follow so they can avoid or
deal with avalanches. Their first rule is to know your terrain. Most avalanches occur on
mountainsides where the slope is thirty degrees or greater. Secondly, do not ski alone.
Only a few avalanche victims survive without help from others. Another recommendation is
to know what to do if you are caught in an avalanche. You should try and dart to the side
of the slide and if possible try to grab a tree. If you are carried down hill, swim with
the avalanche so that you will stay on top. Finally, skiers should carry the appropriate
equipment. Some things that backcountry skiers should carry are an avalanche probe, snow
shovel, and an electronic avalanche beacon or transceiver (Fish 28).
The experts also give you advice on what to do if you are buried. First, keep one hand in
front of your face and try to clear and maintain an air pocket. Second, try to maintain
space for chest expansions by taking and holding a deep breath. Finally try to avoid
panic and conserve energy. Your companions are probably searching for you (Sisson 103).
Ski resorts have recommendations on what to do if you witness an avalanche. First, mark
the point of entry where the victim has entered or where the victim was last seen.
Second, check for further avalanche danger. Third, fan out in a line above the last place
where the victim was seen and walk downhill, probing with sticks or ski poles. Next,
unless your party is large do not send back for help until you have searched for at least
an hour. About half of all avalanche victims suffocate within the first thirty minutes
and most rescue attempts from town end up being a body search (McCafferty 38)
Many ski resorts give a daily avalanche report. Although it does not apply for the
majority of the alpine skiers it applies to the backcountry skiers. These are people that
ski in ungroomed parts of the mountain. Ungroomed snow has a higher risk of starting an
avalanche because it is loose and has not been compacted.
Some mountains have search dogs that can do incredible work. These dogs can do the work
of twenty-five human ground searchers. Since there are so many deaths from avalanches the
National Ski Patrol demands for search dogs. A few dogs are on full time duty. It takes
about a year to train them, but for them to stay attentive and on focus they need
constant practice (Finkel 28).
Western states have Skier Safety Acts which skiers need to obey. When certain ski study
areas are closed skiers need to follow the rules. The Ski Patrol could set off a slide on
top of violators or the trespassers could set a slide on top of the patrollers. The
violators are fined and have their ski passes suspended (Sisson 102).
Snow avalanches are a major danger in high mountain areas. In the Dolomites of Italy
during World War I, six thousand troops were killed in a single day by avalanches. This
is just one of the major disasters that avalanches have caused over the years (Cone 148).
In the 1992-1993 year the number of avalanche deaths soared to an all time high. There
were twenty-six deaths and eighteen of them were skiers or snowboarders, the others were
snowmobilers, snow climbers, hunters, and mountain climbers (Finkel 28).
Since snow slides down mountains at speeds of two hundred miles per hour it can cause
death and destruction to towns, cities, and roads. When the snow comes down the mountain
at this extremely fast speed it levels everything in its path including humans, roads,
and buildings. It also cost the government a lot of money to clean up after the wall of
snow, or avalanche, settles. Heavy machinery is needed to remove the snow and debris out
of the towns or off the roads and this takes many hours to do and is extremely
expensive.
In avalanche country the focus is on prevention, not first aid. The truth is that
avalanches are deadly and you always need to be precautious of them. They claim the lives
of seventy percent of their victims (McCafferty 38). In avalanche territories there are
so many centers, programs, and other facilities provided for human safety against
avalanches. Avalanches are a major threat to the skiing industry and will cause death and
destruction if they are not prevented.
Bibliography
Cone, Patrick Ready, Aim, Fire! Sunset January 1993: 148
Finkel, Michael Six Feet Under Skiing October 1993: 28-30
Fish, Peter Avalanche Sunset January 1995: 28
Goodwin, Peter. Landslides, Slumps, and Creep. New York: Franklin Watts, 1997
McCafferty, Kieth Avalanche Field and Stream February 1996: 37-38
Sisson, Dan. Grandpa and the Kid. Field and Stream October 1992: 54+