5 Avalanche Safety Tips From A Zen

The snow excitement has been building with big snowstorms moving across the western United States. On the iSki App for my iPhone I have noticed new snow popping up everywhere, good news for the ski resorts out west….it’s about time.

With all the new snow we thought it would be good to share some avalanche safety tips. We have asked Snowfinders Zen Powder Master to give us some advice.

Powder Master is a registered Zen in at least five states, with a long history of backcountry experience. He spent over 15 years as a ski patroller on one of the world’s most famed resorts in Park City, UT. He now operates a successful Snowcat skiing business, the Park City Powder Cats. With an average of 400 inches of fluffy white stuff a year, avalanche safety is high priority for these guys.

Here are some tips from a Zen:

1. Check the slope. Is the slope steeper than 30°
2. Dig in. Is there a newer slab on top of a weak layer?
3. Look around. Are there any other avalanches that have occurred in the same area recently?
4. Know your surroundings. What are some of the human factors that could contribute to an incident?
5. Know the weather. Is the weather contributing to the current hazard?

2.      Keep these tips in mind while you are on the slopes especially in the backcountry. Have fun. Be safe. Know your snow. For more avalanche information for your area visit http://www.avalanche.org/