EXUM Level I Avalanche Course
L->R: Travis and Anna (our guides) Colby, me, Mike, Brad, Fred, and Dan.
This past weekend, I took part in a
Level I avalanche course offered by Exum Utah
Adventures. I had originally thought that by posting pictures and
explanations from the weekend, I would provide information for people, and at
the same time, review the key concepts I learned. However, I will try to refrain
from this because I believe that I can not cover the vast amount of information
adequately, that most of the learning is from experience and hands-on work in
the field, and I do not want to give the impression that avalanche safety can be
learned from a few pictures and sentences.
I would recommend to anyone going out in the backcountry (snowshoers, snowmobilers, hunters, included) that they take a Level I course and practice their skills. The most important lesson I learned is that using an avalanche beacon is more difficult than I had ever imagined. Another very important lesson I came away with is the human factor. I need to be careful not to rationalize my way into danger.
The Level I course is divided into 3 days, and many hours in the classroom. Here we viewed slides of past avalanches, reviewed previous accidents, and tons about weather, temperature, snowpack, human psychology, rescue, and preventing accidents. I will post the curriculum, to give you an idea of the completeness of the course:
Friday, January 20, 2006 – REI
6:00pm Introduction
6:30pm Avalanche Statistics
6:40pm Types of Avalanches
7:00pm Break
7:15pm Mountain Snowpack
9:00pm End of Lectures
Saturday, January 21, 2006 - Alta Library
8:00am Rescue
8:45am Stability Tests
9:15am Break and Dress for Touring
9:30am Field Sessions
Beacon Searches
Rescue Scenarios
Brown Bag Lunch on the Go
Snow Pits
Stability Tests
4:00pm Return to the Alta Library
4:30pm Review of Field Sessions
5:00pm Weather
6:00pm Brown Bag Dinner Break
6:30pm Terrain
8:00pm End of lectures
Sunday, January 22, 2006 - Alta Library
8:00am Human Factor
8:30am Avalanche Hazard Evaluation
9:15am Break and Dress for Touring
9:30am Field Sessions
Backcountry Tour
Route Finding
Brown Bag Lunch on the Go
Hasty Tests
3:00pm Return to Alta Library
3:30pm Review of Field Sessions
4:00pm Final Project
5:00pm End of Class
In addition to the lectures, we spent 2 full days in the field:
skinning out for day 1 sessions.
our instructor Pat is explaining induction lines. Pat was great. Very professional, motivated, energetic, and fun to ski with. I thought that all the guides were very professional and courteous. However, they did not pretend to forget that their passion is the outdoors. They were equally the responsible guide and powder addicted gravity junkie; they wanted to share their passion while imparting caution and survival skill. They were not afraid to admit that adrenaline, peer pressure, 3 foot dumps, and bad decisions have been in their past. I found this extremely honest, and in a way, I think it facilitated a bond between the students and the teachers.
when
all you have is 15 minutes to find 3 buried friends, time, efficiency,
leadership, and a calm head is everything. In this simulated rescue, the group
has split into two teams: one is digging on the left (for a strong beacon
signal), and the other is spreading out to find the 3rd victim on the right. We
simulated the burial of 2 people with beacons and a 3rd person was represented
by a beacon-less backpack. Let me tell you, finding a beacon-less backpack with
avalanche probes and shovels is almost a futile effort. This exercise really
drove home the importance of wearing a beacon, knowing how to use it, and how to
establish leadership and communication in a search. Knowing how to use your
equipment to the fullest extent prevents panic and frustration, 2 killers when
time is critical.
here, we are digging a snow pit. That's Brad's smile on the left and Dan in the green jacket. Why am I not shoveling you ask? ;-)
Pat is demonstrating how to do a test for surface stability.
After this full day, we had a quick decent to the car in all the fresh pow pow that was falling around us. It was soooo worth it!
The next morning was a beautiful blue-bird day. This is looking west at Little Cotton Wood Canyon from Alta ski resort. Mt. Superior is the obvious peak to the left. Our ascent brought us to the saddle seen in the right, and our last decent brought us down the face underneath the highest peak seen on the right.
skinning up to Cardiff pass (or telephone poll pass, as it is sometimes called...)
Looking back down to Alta
I saw my first avalanche, a small wet surface slide on a southerly aspect.
Cardiac Ridge from the top of Cardiff pass, as we wait to descend into Cardiff Fork below.
Anna is pointing and teaching while Colby learns. She was an awesome guide, very funny and professional. She is originally from NZ, and brought back great memories from when I was there in the winter of 99' with my snowboard brethren.
Our initial descent into Cardiff Fork! The snow was PERFECT!! Incredible turning conditions!!
Travis is stoked after the turns but secretly (or not so secretly) wishes to be in the Toledos seen directly behind him (his right, basically the sun-shadow line).
The group (notice Eric on the right now. He was in the trees for the earlier picture!)
climbing back up...
On our way out, we ran into these guys shooting a movie. Notice the cliffs band to their right...
See the knoll on the bottom right? if you follow the shadow line to the left, you may see 2 little dots, right at the sun-shadow interface. Those 2 dots are 2 extreme skiers that dropped the biggest lines I have ever witnessed.
This is a low-res blow up of the cliffs in the picture above. The 2 skiers individually went for double jeopardy and dropped the top cliff, which has got to be around 20 feet, then BOOSTED over the lower cliff bands. The 2 skiers put down the only lines seen on this cliff band. The lower gap must have been around 80 feet wide, with a 40-60 foot drop. It was amazing.
Sun, shadows, and stars.
At the end of the day. Looking back from where we came. The snow was awesome. The education and experience are irreplaceable and I look forward to heading out into the bc with new found friends. I highly recommend the Level I course by EXUM.
I would recommend to anyone going out in the backcountry (snowshoers, snowmobilers, hunters, included) that they take a Level I course and practice their skills. The most important lesson I learned is that using an avalanche beacon is more difficult than I had ever imagined. Another very important lesson I came away with is the human factor. I need to be careful not to rationalize my way into danger.
The Level I course is divided into 3 days, and many hours in the classroom. Here we viewed slides of past avalanches, reviewed previous accidents, and tons about weather, temperature, snowpack, human psychology, rescue, and preventing accidents. I will post the curriculum, to give you an idea of the completeness of the course:
Friday, January 20, 2006 – REI
6:00pm Introduction
6:30pm Avalanche Statistics
6:40pm Types of Avalanches
7:00pm Break
7:15pm Mountain Snowpack
9:00pm End of Lectures
Saturday, January 21, 2006 - Alta Library
8:00am Rescue
8:45am Stability Tests
9:15am Break and Dress for Touring
9:30am Field Sessions
Beacon Searches
Rescue Scenarios
Brown Bag Lunch on the Go
Snow Pits
Stability Tests
4:00pm Return to the Alta Library
4:30pm Review of Field Sessions
5:00pm Weather
6:00pm Brown Bag Dinner Break
6:30pm Terrain
8:00pm End of lectures
Sunday, January 22, 2006 - Alta Library
8:00am Human Factor
8:30am Avalanche Hazard Evaluation
9:15am Break and Dress for Touring
9:30am Field Sessions
Backcountry Tour
Route Finding
Brown Bag Lunch on the Go
Hasty Tests
3:00pm Return to Alta Library
3:30pm Review of Field Sessions
4:00pm Final Project
5:00pm End of Class
In addition to the lectures, we spent 2 full days in the field:
skinning out for day 1 sessions.
our instructor Pat is explaining induction lines. Pat was great. Very professional, motivated, energetic, and fun to ski with. I thought that all the guides were very professional and courteous. However, they did not pretend to forget that their passion is the outdoors. They were equally the responsible guide and powder addicted gravity junkie; they wanted to share their passion while imparting caution and survival skill. They were not afraid to admit that adrenaline, peer pressure, 3 foot dumps, and bad decisions have been in their past. I found this extremely honest, and in a way, I think it facilitated a bond between the students and the teachers.
when
all you have is 15 minutes to find 3 buried friends, time, efficiency,
leadership, and a calm head is everything. In this simulated rescue, the group
has split into two teams: one is digging on the left (for a strong beacon
signal), and the other is spreading out to find the 3rd victim on the right. We
simulated the burial of 2 people with beacons and a 3rd person was represented
by a beacon-less backpack. Let me tell you, finding a beacon-less backpack with
avalanche probes and shovels is almost a futile effort. This exercise really
drove home the importance of wearing a beacon, knowing how to use it, and how to
establish leadership and communication in a search. Knowing how to use your
equipment to the fullest extent prevents panic and frustration, 2 killers when
time is critical.
here, we are digging a snow pit. That's Brad's smile on the left and Dan in the green jacket. Why am I not shoveling you ask? ;-)
Pat is demonstrating how to do a test for surface stability.
After this full day, we had a quick decent to the car in all the fresh pow pow that was falling around us. It was soooo worth it!
The next morning was a beautiful blue-bird day. This is looking west at Little Cotton Wood Canyon from Alta ski resort. Mt. Superior is the obvious peak to the left. Our ascent brought us to the saddle seen in the right, and our last decent brought us down the face underneath the highest peak seen on the right.
skinning up to Cardiff pass (or telephone poll pass, as it is sometimes called...)
Looking back down to Alta
I saw my first avalanche, a small wet surface slide on a southerly aspect.
Cardiac Ridge from the top of Cardiff pass, as we wait to descend into Cardiff Fork below.
Anna is pointing and teaching while Colby learns. She was an awesome guide, very funny and professional. She is originally from NZ, and brought back great memories from when I was there in the winter of 99' with my snowboard brethren.
Our initial descent into Cardiff Fork! The snow was PERFECT!! Incredible turning conditions!!
Travis is stoked after the turns but secretly (or not so secretly) wishes to be in the Toledos seen directly behind him (his right, basically the sun-shadow line).
The group (notice Eric on the right now. He was in the trees for the earlier picture!)
climbing back up...
On our way out, we ran into these guys shooting a movie. Notice the cliffs band to their right...
See the knoll on the bottom right? if you follow the shadow line to the left, you may see 2 little dots, right at the sun-shadow interface. Those 2 dots are 2 extreme skiers that dropped the biggest lines I have ever witnessed.
This is a low-res blow up of the cliffs in the picture above. The 2 skiers individually went for double jeopardy and dropped the top cliff, which has got to be around 20 feet, then BOOSTED over the lower cliff bands. The 2 skiers put down the only lines seen on this cliff band. The lower gap must have been around 80 feet wide, with a 40-60 foot drop. It was amazing.
Sun, shadows, and stars.
At the end of the day. Looking back from where we came. The snow was awesome. The education and experience are irreplaceable and I look forward to heading out into the bc with new found friends. I highly recommend the Level I course by EXUM.
Posted: Mon - January 23, 2006 at 09:15 PM
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