Safety Gear
Avalanches Causes
Types of Avalanches
Fun Facts
Vocab
100

Emits a radio signal so others can find you if buried or in trouble.

Avalanche Beacon.

100

Natural Causes.

Earthquakes, Winds, Snowfall.

100

A thick layer of snow breaks away.

Slab Avalanche.

100

What hockey team is named after a avalanche?

Colorado Avalanche.

100

The upper part of the slope where the avalanche breaks away.

Starting Zone.

200

A collapsible pole deployed to find the depth a buried victim.

Avalanche Probe.

200

Causes snow layers to weaken and not stick together.

Temperature.

200

Starts at a single point and spreads out, common in fresh, dry snow.

Point Release.

200

The pressure inside a massive powder avalanche can reach up to...

20, 30, or 40 tons.

200

The path the avalanche follows down the mountain.

Track.

300

Used to excavate a buried victim.

Avalanche Shovel.

300

Human activity. 

Skiers, Hikers, Snowmobiles.

300

The entire Snowpack slides as a unit on the ground.

Gliding Avalanche

300

An avalanche can accelerate from a complete standstill to...

80, 160, or 200 kph in 5 secs.

300

The lower area where the avalanche slows down and deposits debris.

Runout Zone.

400

Inflate to float you towards the snows surface.

Avalanche Airbag Backpack.

400

The terrain/angle.

Avalanche Slope.

400

Compact snow formed by wind.

Wind Slab.

400

What percent of all fatal avalanche accidents, the slide is triggered by the victim.

50, 70, or 90%

400

The sound and physical feeling of the snowpack collapsing.

Whumpf.

500

Used to find weak points and instability.

Snow Study Tools.

500

Built up layers from multiple snow storms.

The Snowpack.

500

Caused by a deep, weak layer that remains active for weeks or months.

Persistent Slab.

500

Avalanches can also happen in...

The ocean, the matrix, or mars.

500

The vertical fracture line or wall left behind at the top of a slab avalanche.

Crown Face.