Backcountry and avalanche safety education | avalanche beacons, shovels, probes

International Avalanche Danger Scale

The following is the Canadian industry-standard scale used to describe avalanche danger for recreation. *

Danger Level

Danger

Safety Tips

Low

Natural avalanches very unlikely. Human triggered avalanches unlikely.

Travel is generally safe. Normal caution advised.

Moderate

Natural avalanches unlikely. Human triggered avalanches possible.

Use caution in steeper terrain on certain aspects.

Considerable

Natural avalanches possible. Human triggered avalanches probable.

Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain.

High

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.

Extreme

Widespread natural or human triggered avalanches certain.

Travel in avalanche terrain should be avoided and confined to low angle terrain, well away from avalanche path runouts.

* source for the avalanche danger scale: the Canadian Avalanche Association web site

Generally, the best way to avoid avalanches (to be burried by an avalanche) is to follow weather reports of the location you plan to go to at least seven days prior to your trip. Find out about the area as much as possible and try to get information about the snowfall and snowbase over the current season from reasonable sources.

If an avalanche terrain cannot be avoided when travelling use one of the avalanche tests to assess the danger. Also avalanche beacon, avalanche probe, and snow showel is recommended if travelling in such terrain.

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