Avalanche Safety Tips For Backcountry Skiers and Splitboarders

The Tahoe-Truckee region is the perfect playground for adventure-seekers, and the winter months bring endless opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts of all levels and abilities. While the ski resorts tend to draw the most crowds, there are many options in the pristine backcountry for adventure enthusiasts seeking exciting new objectives. 

However, leaving the safety and controlled environments of the resorts comes with many risks, including avalanches. Even with extensive knowledge and preparation, disaster can strike, and it’s essential to be prepared to ensure safety for you and your team.

Photo: Get AIARE certified before you tour the terrain. Photo Credit: Alpenglow Expeditions

Take an avalanche safety class before you head into the backcountry. Photo Credit: Alpenglow Expeditions.

Take Backcountry and Avalanche Safety Courses

Before you head into the backcountry for the first time, it's important to familiarize yourself with being in new terrain. The best advice I can give to you is to hire a guide or take an introductory course to backcountry safety. There are plenty of options in the region such as Alpenglow Expeditions, Tahoe Mountain School, and International Alpine Guides. These courses will cover everything you need to know to get started and help you get comfortable navigating the great outdoors. I even recommend taking courses through your progression, to expand your knowledge and prevent complacency. There is always something new to learn and guides to mentor you through your journey.

After you’ve familiarized yourself with the basics and beginner trails and feel ready and competent to expand your knowledge and experiences, it’s time to enroll in your AIARE courses. AIARE, short for American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, offers extensive courses to help you prepare for backcountry trips, identify avalanche terrain, learn about risk management and practice rescue techniques with hands-on training.

Alpenglow Expeditions offers extensive courses here for beginners to more advanced backcountry enthusiasts. I highly recommend treating it as a lifelong learning opportunity and taking as many classes as you can so you can be prepared as you advance your skills and start to embark on more challenging expeditions.

Be a Competent Skier or Snowboarder

The backcountry isn’t for beginners. It’s a hard truth to swallow, but your riding ability will drastically affect your success in the backcountry. Once you leave the controlled terrain and conditions of the resorts, you will face many new challenges. Once off-piste, there are no groomed trails, chairlifts, on-site terrain maps or ski patrol. This requires navigation skills, proper education and gear and having the riding abilities necessary to translate into the backcountry. It's important, at the very least, to be competent and confident on harder intermediates and advanced runs. That means being able to control your speed, turns and stops. 

It also means being experienced in uphill travel. Some resorts, like Diamond Peak, offer uphilling access, which I suggest trying before you enter the backcountry. This way, you can practice your skills and build your cardiovascular stamina and strength. I also suggest hiring an instructor or guide to go with you to help you train properly. 

Remember: Safety first, and fun times will follow. 

Make sure to actively check conditions as you plan. Photo Credit: Sierra Avalanche Center.

Monitor the Conditions

It’s important to have an idea of what the conditions look like before you plan your trip so you can ensure that you’re taking the safest routes and prepare for any possible hazards along the way. One great resource is the Sierra Avalanche Center, a nonprofit organization that provides real-time weather, snowpack, avalanche, observation and incident reports for the Greater Lake Tahoe region. 

After you decide which route to take, keep a constant watch for changes in conditions or potential hazards while navigating the trail. In the mountains, weather can rapidly and unexpectedly change, and it's important to be prepared. Have a backup plan, and when in doubt, head back. 

Go With a Group You Trust

The company you go with can make or break your experience, especially if disaster strikes. Make sure that the people you go with are ones that you trust, especially in life-or-death situations. Make sure you have plans of action before you go and that you are all aligned on the backup and rescue plans. 

On more challenging objectives, make sure that everyone in your group has taken the proper courses and possesses the knowledge, experience and humility to not only get out of hazardous situations, but also have the awareness to recognize danger and the humility to turn around. 

Go over plans and even do mock rescues before you head out. 

If you don't have a group of people that you feel comfortable with, there are plenty of guided tours and groups in the region that you can join and potentially make new friends with for future objectives.

Have Proper Equipment

Now that you have taken the backcountry and avalanche safety courses, it’s essential to have the proper equipment on you when you are touring. There are various shops in town that offer rentals or gear for purchase. While it is costly and quite heavy to carry, having the proper gear is imperative as it can save your life if disaster strikes. I like to think of it as an investment.

Not only is it essential to have the proper gear, but it's important to know how to use it. Ask your guides or instructors questions, keep up your education and train with your gear as much as you can so using it comes as second nature.

Here is a checklist for you to help you head into the backcountry fully prepared:

• Touring backpack 
• Beacon
• Probe
• Shovel
• Airbag pack
• Backcountry trail map
• Ski skins
• GPS/Garmin
• Water, snacks
• Extra layers and gloves
• Hat, sunglasses and goggles
• SPF
• Helmet
• Headlamp
• First aid kit