Avalanches: The Other Winter Driving
It’s February, and for much of the Unites States this means hazardous winter driving. While this is still very, very, very true for the Great Lakes region and the eastern seaboard, the western states are experiencing unseasonably warm weather this week, bringing with it all manner of horrible things, like baby sea lions beaching themselves. Now that I’ve ruined your day, this is an article about avalanches. More specifically, how an indoor-enthusiast can survive one.
I live in Idaho at mile-high elevation, and for the past two days have been waking up to 50-degree weather, which is extremely unusual! The 40 or so inches of snow we had covering the ground is rapidly melting, and today’s forecast started with a little extra something special:
As a person who has spent the majority of my life at sea level, this is very exciting! Typical winter driving is just boring old black ice and drifting snow. Of course, once I clicked for details on the avalanche, I discovered that the danger is restricted to backcountry trails, and highways are not affected by the warning. Since my favorite outdoor activity is drinking on a patio, I’ll probably survive. In general, it’s very unlikely that I’ll ever have to think about what to do if I’m driving and an avalanche happens on the roadway, but in the interest of caution, I thought I’d look into what to do to survive avalanche season as an inside person. While so far in the 2014-2015 season none of the recorded accidents (4 as of this writing, all fatalities) have involved passenger vehicles on roadways), it does happen.
First, determine whether you are anywhere near a place that an avalanche could happen. I mean, if you’re in Florida, I’m flattered that you’re reading this, but you probably have something better to do. Avalanche.org has up-to-the-hour avalanche updates, so that’s a great place to start. Once you’ve determined where avalanche danger is present, don’t go anywhere near there. Your road trip can wait. You can eat that can of creamed corn. You didn’t want to see your in-laws, anyway.
OK, but you still really need to drive on that hazardous road! I don’t agree with your decision-making, but fine, do what you have to do. At this point I recommend telling everyone you know that a) you’re very foolish, and b) the road on which you’ll be traveling, what time you’re leaving, and the latest time you expect to arrive. If you don’t show up, tell them to assume you’re submerged under 8 feet of snow and to send help.
Before you leave, pack your vehicle with some essentials. I grew up in a wintry climate, so this is good general advice (you’re welcome!). We always make sure to have a set of winter boots, hat, gloves, and a blanket in the car. Don’t put these items in your trunk. Put them in the back seat where you can reach them. Since you might be waiting in your vehicle for a while, though, I suggest bringing some bottled water, energy bars, beef jerky, a probe, and a lighthearted magazine.
You will not be surprised to learn that there’s an app that works as an avalanche beacon. Several, actually. While this Outside Magazine article cautions against backcountry adventurers relying on their smartphones for avalanche safety and emphasizes that a real beacon is much more reliable, if you’re sticking to the road and therefore statistically very unlikely to be trapped, you have nothing to lose by getting an app for the drive. The average transceiver costs around $300, so just stick with a free app that gives rescuers an idea of where you are. Better yet, buy a plane ticket. There are no avalanches in the sky.
Back to the snow that’s trapping you inside your vehicle. While you’re waiting for help to arrive, stay calm! I don’t want to freak you out, because freaking out makes you breathe more heavily, which means you’ll use up your oxygen supply faster. Seriously, stop panicking! You’re making it worse! If your car is still running, shut it off since the tailpipe is almost certainly blocked, and you don’t want to asphyxiate yourself by accident. If possible, open your window a crack and see if you can shove your probe through the snow. If the snow isn’t too deep, maybe someone will see it, and maybe you’ll poke through to fresh air. You’ll probably be fine for a while as long as you’ve shut off the car, though. According to TheClymb.com, if a skier simply cups his or her mouth while being thrown around in an avalanche, this will create enough airspace for 30 minutes of breathing. This is for a person who is buried without the benefit of a big steel-and-glass exoskeleton (i.e., a car), so you’ve got a leg up when it comes to breathing time.
All that’s left at this point is to wait it out. Hopefully your friends have noticed that you’re late for the gala, and a rescue party is already en route. More information on avalanche safety by people who actually know what they’re talking about can be found at the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. I haven’t given up on you, though, so since you haven’t left yet, here are some more reasons to stay home:
As a person who has spent the majority of my life at sea level, this is very exciting! Typical winter driving is just boring old black ice and drifting snow. Of course, once I clicked for details on the avalanche, I discovered that the danger is restricted to backcountry trails, and highways are not affected by the warning. Since my favorite outdoor activity is drinking on a patio, I’ll probably survive. In general, it’s very unlikely that I’ll ever have to think about what to do if I’m driving and an avalanche happens on the roadway, but in the interest of caution, I thought I’d look into what to do to survive avalanche season as an inside person. While so far in the 2014-2015 season none of the recorded accidents (4 as of this writing, all fatalities) have involved passenger vehicles on roadways), it does happen.
First, determine whether you are anywhere near a place that an avalanche could happen. I mean, if you’re in Florida, I’m flattered that you’re reading this, but you probably have something better to do. Avalanche.org has up-to-the-hour avalanche updates, so that’s a great place to start. Once you’ve determined where avalanche danger is present, don’t go anywhere near there. Your road trip can wait. You can eat that can of creamed corn. You didn’t want to see your in-laws, anyway.
OK, but you still really need to drive on that hazardous road! I don’t agree with your decision-making, but fine, do what you have to do. At this point I recommend telling everyone you know that a) you’re very foolish, and b) the road on which you’ll be traveling, what time you’re leaving, and the latest time you expect to arrive. If you don’t show up, tell them to assume you’re submerged under 8 feet of snow and to send help.
Before you leave, pack your vehicle with some essentials. I grew up in a wintry climate, so this is good general advice (you’re welcome!). We always make sure to have a set of winter boots, hat, gloves, and a blanket in the car. Don’t put these items in your trunk. Put them in the back seat where you can reach them. Since you might be waiting in your vehicle for a while, though, I suggest bringing some bottled water, energy bars, beef jerky, a probe, and a lighthearted magazine.
You will not be surprised to learn that there’s an app that works as an avalanche beacon. Several, actually. While this Outside Magazine article cautions against backcountry adventurers relying on their smartphones for avalanche safety and emphasizes that a real beacon is much more reliable, if you’re sticking to the road and therefore statistically very unlikely to be trapped, you have nothing to lose by getting an app for the drive. The average transceiver costs around $300, so just stick with a free app that gives rescuers an idea of where you are. Better yet, buy a plane ticket. There are no avalanches in the sky.
Back to the snow that’s trapping you inside your vehicle. While you’re waiting for help to arrive, stay calm! I don’t want to freak you out, because freaking out makes you breathe more heavily, which means you’ll use up your oxygen supply faster. Seriously, stop panicking! You’re making it worse! If your car is still running, shut it off since the tailpipe is almost certainly blocked, and you don’t want to asphyxiate yourself by accident. If possible, open your window a crack and see if you can shove your probe through the snow. If the snow isn’t too deep, maybe someone will see it, and maybe you’ll poke through to fresh air. You’ll probably be fine for a while as long as you’ve shut off the car, though. According to TheClymb.com, if a skier simply cups his or her mouth while being thrown around in an avalanche, this will create enough airspace for 30 minutes of breathing. This is for a person who is buried without the benefit of a big steel-and-glass exoskeleton (i.e., a car), so you’ve got a leg up when it comes to breathing time.
All that’s left at this point is to wait it out. Hopefully your friends have noticed that you’re late for the gala, and a rescue party is already en route. More information on avalanche safety by people who actually know what they’re talking about can be found at the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. I haven’t given up on you, though, so since you haven’t left yet, here are some more reasons to stay home:
- Think of that $9 you’re spending on Netflix. Stop wasting it by leaving your house.
- Hot toddy recipe.
- Those board games in your closet aren’t playing themselves.
- Your cat is sleeping on your lap, so moving isn’t an option to begin with.
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