Showing posts with label Avalanche. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Avalanche. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Research shows beacons have issues with multivictim searches

Problems may be more prevalent with older models of beacons
The issue is that some beacons will mask another beacon. If two victims with beacons are buried in close proximity then you may only see the one victim.
The article and issues are complex and are still be investigated, however if you are a professional or possibly use your beacon in multivictim situations you should read the article.
What do you think? Leave a comment.
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Avalanche Center Newsletter #01


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New!Recurring donations: I would like to donate: 100.0050.0020.0010.005.00 every 1234 MonthsWeeksYearsDays

An Update from the Avalanche Center
Featuring:
Quick Links:
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Introduction, From the Director
This is our first newsletter of the season. It is relatively short, one of our goals being to send something out every 7-10 days and not have any of them be too long with accumulated news. Unfortunately it is a stretch to even run this project at all so we do not have a great track record in this regard, having resorted to infrequent and lengthy newsletters. However, once again we will try.
Halloween is rapidly approaching and few things are as scary as an avalanche. Not necessarily in every context but certainly in recreation. We have never thought much of the approach some instructors and programs use of scaring people out of having fun, but Halloween has a lighter side than that. Perhaps somebody can come up with an avalanche costume. You can take that as a challlenge, and if you come up with something post some photos on our Facebook Page!
As always, it is essential to comment on our budget situation. We don't like having to constantly ask for donations but nobody has found a magic alternative to this. Which is why you endure radiothons for community radio and television and receive direct mail requests. It does seem that these things work, even in difficult times. A number of recent radiothons announced record breaking results and in the US a couple of the Forest Service operations have held record breaking fundraisers. We can't do quite the same things but please consider supporting this non-profit project. Even a small automatic monthly contribution can make a bit difference and there is more on this option below.
While this first newsletter will not dwell on our budget the final details for last season (ending September 30) are available on the website. Some links need to be updated to go to this most recent information but it can be found in the "About Us" section.
Store Sale - 25% or more off!
There isn't any need to write much about this, except that all the details are on the website store and that it ends on November 6. Any order which includes at least one beacon is eligible for 25% off, just contact us after ordering and let us know where you heard about the sale and we will refund the 25%. If you mention our Facebook Page and have Liked it we will give you 30% off!
Another way to get 30% off any order right now is to log in as a member. If you do that the shopping cart will automatically deduct 30% whether or not the order includes a beacon.
We found, through a customer report, that our shopping cart had some problems. We think everything is fixed now and the customer was able to order successfully, but if you encounter any problems in the store let us know so we can check them out and fix things. We only know there is a problem if it gets reported for the most part.
Purchasing gear through our store means supporting our non-profit safety related work rather than contributing to the profits of a business. And it doesn't cost any more, we'll even match anyones pricing. The sale pricing actually has more to do with helping our early season cash flow than making anything.
Store Blog - Backcountry Access Product Line Update
We will use the store blog to cover changes for this season in the various product lines we carry. There is still quite a bit of updating to do but we have completed the BCA line. The blog describes what is new, what is changed, and any other information about this seasons products.
Auction
There will be a fundraising auction again this season. How successful it is will depend on how much support we get from industry and how many people participate in the bidding. We recently sent out an initial fax seeking product donations but for the most part it is still early to have any news on results.
We did get one initial response rather quickly and are happy to announce that Revolution Snowboards is donating a custom board! They are the first ones to contribute something this year, and it is the first auction they have supported. Hopefully there will be some other industry supporters following suit.
The actual auction dates will be Dec 7th to Dec 15th. We will be making more announcements and updating the auction page between now and the event.
Recurring Contributions
We finally have recurring contributions set up! You can choose an amount and an interval and the appropriate contribution will be made each month (or week, or whatever). This is an easy and effective way to support the avalanche center. A monthly contribution of $10 is very significant over the course of a year, yet less than many people spend on coffee in a week or beer in an evening.
This method of donating to the avalanche center is available on the home page as well as the Contribute! page.
Recurring donations help keep us going all year. One reason for the big fall sale is that we hope to generate some cash flow. There are basic operating expenses all year yet very little income in late spring through fall. It is November or December before contributions and store sales pick up and the auction occurs. Your recurring contribution, even if it's very modest, will be a big help in the slower parts of the year.
Another way to make contributions, including recurring ones, is through the American Express Just Give program. AmEx administers that and sends any donations on to us. It may offer some advantages if you are an active AmEx customer.
Social Media
Be sure to look for us and follow us on Facebook and other sites. We have a Facebook Profile with about 1200 friends and a Facebook Page with just over 50 followers. Obviously we need to promote the page more, and it is likely to have more useful information during the season than the profile. Be sure to be a friend of the Avalanche Center and to Like our page. We are also on Twitter.
Facebook has made changes which result in their deciding what you want to see. Some things are provided with a lot of visibility while others are buried. The user has much less choice in the matter than they used to. We were using Networked Blogs to post blog updates to Facebook but in addition to having major problems of its own Facebook has decided not to include anything at all from that app on news feeds. You can help us get our posts out most effectively by liking them, commenting on them, and sharing them. And "retweeting" them in the case of Twitter.
Also, have you suggested our profile or page to any of your friends?
Remember:
This has been an early season update as we try to get things underway. We do have more to include that is on hold for next time, such as a 2010-11 incident overview, additional product line updates, educational information and resources, and more. For now please consider contributing if you can, spread the word about the fall sale, and help us out on the social media front. Your support in any of these ways is appreciated and helps make out work possible and effective.
Jim Frankenfield
Executive Director





Our mailing address is:
Avalanche Center
3939 S 6th St 172
Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603


Copyright (C) 2011 Avalanche Center All rights reserved.





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Avalanche Center · 3939 S 6th St 172 · Klamath Falls, Oregon 97603

Thursday, October 6, 2011

It's that time of year. Time to re-up for your CAIC Avalanche Forecasts


CAIC: Colorado Avalanche Information Center

Statewide Avalanche Conditions

CGS: Colorado Geological Survey

Issued: 06/06/2011 8:11 AM by Ethan Greene
Expires: 10/31/2011 12:00 PM 2 2
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is a program within the Department of Natural Resources.
Highlights
The staff at the CAIC are starting to follow weather patterns and it looks like winter is on its way. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for the central mountain zones and a winter storm warning for the San Juan Mountains on October 6th so winter is about to arrive. More winter like weather looks to linger into the weekend. We will resume our weather products on November 1, 2011 and our regular avalanche and snowpack forecasts around mid-November..

Even though we are not issuing advisories, we are still collecting information. Please send us your observations and we'll keep the list of Field Reports and Avalanches current.
Weather Discussion
A couple of smaller storms moved through the state in September which left some snow down to treeline. Most of this snow melted off, but some did linger on north aspects and on old summer snow fileds. A vigourous low pressure trough and a strong jet stream were forecast to move into Colorado the first week in October. Winter is knocking on our door and it won't be long until fresh slabs begin to develop across the high country. Strong winds and significant snowfall are in the forecast so start thinking avalanche if you have plans to travel into the high country.

If you're headed into the high country this fall use our Weather Stations by Zone page to check wind, temperature and precipitation numbers. You can use our Weather Stations by Zone page to monitor past and present weather conditions too.
Snowpack & Avalanche Discussion
Fall and Early Winter Avalanche Safety

Although no avalanche incidents have been reported so far, one natural avalanche was reported from Bear Creek near Telluride during the last week in September. There have been avalanche fatalities and accidents in Colorado every month of the year. With snow already settling into the high country it is time for us to start thinking about mountain weather and snowpack. It is not unusual for avalanche incidents and fatalities to make headlines in our state long before most of us are thinking about the consequences of an early season encounter.

The CAIC has already begun to monitor the 2011-2012 snowpack. No avalanche incidents have been reported yet. However, it should come as no surprise that once snow begins to accumulate, avalanches, both natural and triggered, can be expected. It is common for us to see reports of people caught in avalanches every year in October. An early season encounter with an avalanche will often come with a ride through rocks, downed timber, stumps and other obstacles which can quickly bring an end to your riding season. Always think of what consequences are possible if you were to get caught and take a ride in an avalanche.

Across many areas of the state over a foot of new snow is expected for the first week in October. Strong winds associated with the jet stream will move this new snow into sheltered lee pockets and onto old summer snow fields. Temperatures have shown a steady decrease over the last couple weeks meaning a shallow snow cover will begin its annual faceting process and begin to form future weak layers. Until daily public forecasts begin, here are a few things to think about as the winter snowpack develops.

°  Fall and a taste of winter have returned to Colorado’s high country. Snow began to stick on the higher terrain by mid-September. Every season people have encounters with wintertime slab avalanches as early as August or September.  Anyone traveling in the mountains, including hikers, hunters, sledders, skiers, riders and ice climbers, needs to be aware of the avalanche threat as soon as snow starts to accumulate on steep slopes.
  
°  People are often misled when they see grass and brush sticking out of the snow surface. You should start thinking about avalanches any time you have snow resting on a steep slope. Remember, all you need is a slab resting on a weak layer of snow. The ground can easily act as a bed surface, even if it’s only a few inches below the snow surface.
  
°  Old summer snow fields can act as the perfect bed surface too. Hard frozen old snow with new snow on top are common culprits in early season avalanche incidents.
  
°  Early in the snow season there is not much snow on the ground. This means that rocks and stumps are near the snow surface. If you get caught in an avalanche you might get tumbled through rocks, stumps, and downed timber. These obstacles can do great bodily harm to backcountry users traveling through them at high speeds. Knee pads, helmets and full body armor may not be a solution to this problem. Even a very small slide can cause great harm if the terrain is unfriendly.Don't let an early-season injury ruin your winter!
  
°  Wind drifts will create thicker slabs. Strong winds can take a three inch snowstorm and quickly build an 18” wind slab. Areas with shallow snow may be very close to deep drifted areas. It may be quite easy to move from a very safe area to a very dangerous area without traveling very far. Wind drifts will be denser than the new snow and thick hard snow on light fluffy snow is a great setup for avalanching.
  
°  Once the sun returns after a storm cycle and warm temperatures cause the new snow to melt, look to see where the pockets of snow remain. The snow that lingers in sheltered areas and shady slopes could be the weak layer after the next snowfall. These areas could also become recurring problem areas throughout the winter depending on how the winter snowpack develops.
  
°  Pockets of instability can develop quickly above early season ice climbs. Climbers should know the terrain above their route as rapid warming or heavy wind loading can quickly work to build slab or loose snow avalanches which can nudge a precariously perched climber into a bad fall.
  
°  Hunters traveling across the high country need to exercise greater caution on steep terrain (steeper than 30 degrees with accumulated snow) when crossing ridges from one valley to another.

You can use our Weather Stations by Zone page to monitor past and present weather conditions.

Have a safe fall and even before we start issuing regular products, travel with all the right gear, and think avalanche.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Luck, hand of god, either way it is not a good way to deal with Avalanches


53 year old professor survives 45 minutes of burial.
Pistehors.com has an article titled "Hand of God" saves college prof which tells the story of a 45 minute burial in an avalanche. His skiing partner could not get a beacon signal, so he called for assistance. A helicopter flew over (probably using the Recco system). The spotted something which turned out to be a glove. When a rescuer grabbed the glove, it contained the hand of the victim.
He was dug out of the snow after 45 minutes, hypothermic but alive. He celebrated his 53 birthday in the hospital.