Avalung usage

I picked up an avalung this last spring as part of my slow and steady acquisition of gear. I was wondering if anyone else would be using one. I have tried it on and have practiced having the mouthpiece handy, so I can just dip my head down and grab it without using a hand. Hmm.. well, we'll see.<br><br>I have also gotten used to wearing a helmet from skiing groomed runs.<br><br>As much as I think I am pretty good at avoiding avalanche scenarios, I know that even a sixty foot hill can fall on you.<br><br>Seems to me that it's the most experienced skiers that get into the most trouble with avalanches, so I am a little safer there.

<br>Seems to me that it's the most experienced skiers that get into the most trouble with avalanches, so I am a little safer there.

<br>I wish that were true.

I own one (2 actually - picked up cheap at REI garage sale) but I have never actually worn it. I'm thinking that I will start wearing it at least on some days.<br><br>I know there is some disagreement as to whether the mouthpiece would make into the mouth in time. Hard to say, I guess (I tend to think that it could be done in most cases). I do think that an Avalung or an ABS backpack would have given my friend Erik at least a chance last January.<br>

<br>Seems to me that it's the most experienced skiers that get into the most trouble with avalanches, so I am a little safer there.

<br><br>I hope I can expound on this further in the future.<br>Many good avalanche training books and journals will state that the highest risks fall into two catagories the newbies and the experts. Less problematic are the folks in between. And as we all know there are no avalanche experts..... they are all dead.<br><br>I therorize that you can break two groups into seperate catagories. <br>1) Beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert -Talent of skiing and boarding skills.<br>2) Beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert -Skills of backcountry terrain-snow knowledge-travel skills Mental psychology.<br><br>One can possess both sets of experience at many levels. <br>Therefore a beginner skier with advanced levels of BC skills (because they snowshoed since they were 5 and just got into skiing at 35) may have better chance of keeping out of avalanches way than an expert gate basher skier who has beginner BC skills. <br><br>I would be rated an Expert skier and Advanced BC Player. I have taken a few rides and work at preventing myself from getting sucked into the problem areas again. It is not just avoiding what I did wrong in the past that created those problems. But what are the effects of the current state that can lead to a problem. Can I recognize them and rule out the possiblities and still have peace of mind for a great tour?<br><br>So the Avalung stays on the shelf at the store. I agree with Greg, when I'm yo-yoing the lifts and intermediate BC I have seen more avalanches than when I choose to methodically work my way up a hill observing the conditions as I go. I would hate to enourage others to follow my thoughts, but I can only carry so much stuff. I just can't imagine me having such a controlled state of mind in a slide that I could operate the Avalung without choking to death anyhow. So it highlights the Ron's ABS bag link as easier to access for survival gadgets.<br><br>I don't usually compare religion with avalanches. And though I'm not a religious man-The Exponential factors are: The bigger the slide you are in the more religous you become. I personally approach avalanche terrain forcasting like a Buddist Monk. Humble, aware and grateful.<br>Joe<br><br><br>

My personal avalanche safety equipment includes a transceiver,an avalung, the lightest shovel (Viole XLM- 1 lb), an avalanche rescue dog (except where prohibited, of course), a competent partner, and a helmet (superlight Grivel). I have decided that I will have an ABS backpack for this season. I am fortunate to have a lot of ski days, and try to remember the statistics and the possibility of avalanche entrapment.<br><br>Although I have the licensure, I cannot lawfully take explosives to the backcountry (the best safety measure for avalanche hazard mitigation, unfortunately, unless I would happen to own the land). I do practice regular hazard mitigation on my favorite ski tour by ski cutting and regular compaction of a few key avalanche starting zones.<br><br>In spite of all of this, my belief is that one must behave in a manner believing that being caught is not acceptable or necessarily survivable with any equipment. One has a very significant risk of being killed mechanically if caught in an avalanche as a result of the forces of the avalanching snow, vegetation v. motion and force against the body, or trauma from collision with rocks or hard snow or a fall over steep terrain.<br><br>My wife and I have used Avalungs since the non-vest model appeared, and after there were about five confirmed saves attributed to use of an avalung. Many accounts are out there of avalanche victim's (live and dead) mouths being packed with snow, and thinking of this causes me to put my Avalung mouthpiece in my mouth when I am in a dicey situation (rarely), or when in a starting zone when significant potential exists (regardless of the "rating"- experience and literature give many illustrations of "surprises"). On a couple of epic deep powder days, I have used my Avalung as a "snorkel." Having ridden two (relatively small) Size 2 avalanches to partial burial, I feel that I can keep the Avalung mouthpiece in my mouth if I am caught in an avalanche. More importantly, I have a real fear of the forces involved and not only do not ever want to again experience entrapment in a Size 2, but shudder at the thought of riding anything larger (Russian roulette, in my view).<br><br>I think a helmet may help prevent injury from avalanche entrapment. My study of the literature illustrates that avalanche victims have, sometimes along with other injuries, brain injury. It is not conclusive as far as I know whether or not the brain injury is solely from anoxia or from trauma. The avalung is intended to reduce the possibility of anoxia, the helmet to reduce the possibility of traumatic brain injury. Even if not a life and death issue, non-fatal brain injury may affect the remainder of one's life. Helmet use is my thing in regard to preventing injury from avalanche entrapment, as far as I know, but I think it makes sense. <br><br>Safe terrain is the only absolute, and survivable terrain (routes) is perhaps sometimes overlooked.The mechanical forces of avalanching, given modern safety measures, is much more frightening to me than burial. <br><br>Video of a demonstration of an inflatable avalanche backpack in the Alps was shown in 1994 at the International Snow Science Workshop. This was around the time that the idea of discarding your backpack when caught in an avalanche was replaced by the idea that a backpack would perhaps provide flotation and back protection.The ABS now appears to have been demonstrated as practical and effective- 30+ saves attributed. In my view, this may be the best safety measure yet that may allow a victim of avalanche entrapment to avoid injury and burial<br><br>Without a lot of bla bla elaboration, I will say that I have experienced much in regard to active avalanching, avalanche hazard mitigation, and witnessed or had personal involvement in avalanches, and have taken the training and studied the literature as well. The thing that I see in the general public (non-avalanche workers) is a focus on snowpack evaluation and rescue gadgets and rescue technique- endless animated discussion of stratigraphy, snow crystal metamorphism, electronic gadgetry and the size of one's...shovel (all important). What I see as missing in common understanding is terrain and aspect effects and safe routes/ areas, and the results of avalanche entrapment by mechanism other than burial (trauma). And even in regard to burial, I believe the first documentated live recovery of a victim buried deeper that about 5 ft. occurred last season (see the linked article above) in Europe after the witnessed burial of a skier wearing an Avalung. There are accounts in the literature of avalanche professionals performing quick transciever pinpoints followed by tragic and heroic attempts at live recovery while digging through the huge volumes of snow involved in a deep burial. In some deep burials, it matters little the discussions and study of snow, the performance of electronic gadgets, and the size of your shovel. Try a practice search and recovery of a transceiver buried about four ft. deep, on a relatively flat area similar to an avalanche catchment zone to experience the difficulty.<br><br>I write this in the hope that something here may be helpful. My conclusions are 1) Use all of the proven safety equipment and measures and follow the "rules." My take is that most recent avalanche entrapments have occurred on days that the avalanche forecast indicated the strong possibility.  2) Never get entrapped in an avalanche.<br> 3) Learn to evaluate for safe terrain, and think of what if scenarios that would allow you to survive and escape avalanche entrapment. 4) Know what avalanche potential that you are facing. The bs theory of one's personal acceptance of risk is a crock, if you're caught you're caught. For example, I have measured the slope angles of the my favorite powder ski runs and I track and know the entire ongoing history of that snowpack. I also know the history of avalanching in the area over several years. My favorite powder runs include planned escape points, hiding places, and transitions or shelfs of terrain that break up a continuous slab and provide support. Without applied explosives, I will not risk exposure to a big inescapable hazard; in stable conditions I will ski serious terrain, but not without an escape route. 5) An advanced measure is to perform hazard mitigation. This is fun, but can be hazardous. A rope may be a good safety measure as a belay when ski cutting. Snow Rangers 60+ years ago did this before the advent of explosives use. <br><br>Bla, bla- I feel fortunate to have been injury free after 26 years of ski touring on avalanche terrain, and only hope that any of this commentary would be helpful to others.

Joe - good insights. I've noticed when we've toured together that you were paying attention.<br><br>Randonnee - very nice treatise on avy safety. Your experience and serious study certainly shows. <br> <br>I'm curious, though, did you just forget to mention your avy probe? <br>Or do you have a specific reason for not carrying one? <br> <br>If the latter is the case, I would be interested in hearing your reasoning on the matter.