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Making Decisions in Avalanche Terrain

Slide 2 of 10
Three Stages of Decision Making. Photo: Colin Zacharias
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Three Stages of Decision Making

This series of 10 slides follows a fictitious group headed to Rogers Pass to ski tour in the Connaught Creek basin for the day. They plan to ski up to the popular Ursus Bowl. We'll track their progress through pre-trip planning to on-slope assessments to evaluate how successful they are at making decisions in avalanche terrain.

The group is using the acronym STOP to remind them of questions to consider while they gather information. The process is highlighted by three information-gathering stages that occur at different points during the trip.

  1. Know before you go: Prep STOP
  2. En route: Check STOP
  3. In the terrain: Pit STOP

Snowpack & Weather

What are the trends and critical indications to consider?

Terrain

Can the slope produce an avalanche? Is it likely to avalanche today?

Options

Can we commit to more than one route option?

People

What is the experience, rescue skills and decision making ability of the group?

Whether you have team members of different fitness, skills, and ability, make a commitment to gather as a group and review all the information at hand.

Preparing for Avalanche Terrain


Terrain choices are the result and consequence of each backcountry winter traveller's personal hazard forecast. The backcountry traveller must consider recent or past avalanche activity, snow conditions and stability, the weather forecast, the people in the group, and then choose a ski route or slope appropriate for the given day.

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