Snow avalanches can have highly destructive consequences in developed areas. Each year, avalanche catastrophes occur in mountain regions around the globe and cause unnecessary fatalities and severe damage to buildings and infrastructure. In some mountainous regions, especially in the European Alps, technical avalanche defence structures are built to increase the level of safety for inhabited areas; however, new infrastructure such as roads, railway lines and tourist facilities cause new risk potential in hazardous areas. As a result, the demand is increasing for technical avalanche protection solutions. Avalanche defence structures and protection systems are used in most inhabited mountain regions worldwide. During the last decades, technical avalanche protection has evolved from a specialist field to an independent engineering branch that has gained importance in alpine countries such as Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland, as well as in other countries such as Canada, Iceland, Norway and USA. This work is the first comprehensive, English-language overview of technical avalanche protection and establishes state-of-the-art best practices in the field. It covers the fundamentals of avalanche protection technology and includes plans, dimensions, construction and maintenance of defence structures. The editors have collaborated with an international team of experts from Austria, Canada, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and USA to produce this landmark handbook.

Technical yet accessible, The Avalanche Handbook, 3rd Edition, covers the formation, character, effects, and control of avalanches; rescue techniques; and research on understanding and surviving avalanches. Illustrated with nearly 200 updated illustrations, photos and examples, the revised edition offers exhaustive information on contributing weather and climate factors, snowpack analysis, the newest transceiver search techniques, and preventative and protective measures, including avalanche zoning and control. It contains new information on the unique characteristics of alpine snow, snow slab instability, terrain variables, skier triggering of avalanches, and the nature of avalanche motion. Plus brand-new chapters on the elements of backcountry avalanche forecasting and the decision-making process.

With more and more people heading into the winter backcountry on skis, snowshoes, and snowmobiles, avalanche safety is of paramount importance. Allen & Mike's Really Cool Avalanche Safety Book distills the sometimes overly technical information of snow science into a user-friendly format with helpful illustrations and easy-to-understand text. With years of experience as NOLS instructors to draw on, Allen O'Bannon and Mike Clelland team up to give winter recreationists the information they need to stay safe in the backcountry, including how to prepare for your trip, proper equipment and how to use it, snowpack assessment, choosing safe travel routes, decision making, and rescue scenarios. Written for both aspriring winter backcountry travelers and experts alike, this book is a must-read for anybody who loves to experience the solitude and beauty of the snowy mountains.

Winter recreation in the mountains has increased steadily over the past few years, and so has the number of deaths and injuries caused by avalanches. Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain covers everything you need to know to avoid trouble in avalanche terrain: what avalanches are and how they work, common myths, human activities that lead to avalanche trouble, what happens to victims when an avalanche occurs, and rescue techniques. Provides step- by-step instruction for determining avalanche hazards, using safe travel technique, and making effective rescues.

The present mortality as a result of snow avalanches exceeds the average mortality caused by earthquakes as well as all other forms of slope failure combined. Snow avalanches can range from small amounts of loose snow moving rapidly down a slope to slab avalanches, in which large chunks of snow break off and destroy everything in their path. Although considered a hazard in the United States since the westward expansion in the nineteenth century, in modern times snow avalanches are an increasing concern in recreational mountainous areas. However, programs for snow avalanche hazard mitigation in other countries are far ahead of those in the United States. The book identifies several steps that should be taken by the United States in order to establish guidelines for research, technology transfer, and avalanche legislation and zoning.

12 panel laminated pocket guide Waterproof, pocket-sized, quick reference for evaluating and managing avalanche danger while you're in the backcountry. Full-color fold-out guide with the most critical quick info that skiers, snowboarders, and other mountain enthusiasts need while in the winter backcountry Carry-along complement to Tremper's best-selling Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain and Avalanche Essentials: A Step-by-Step System for Safety and Survival The Avalanche Pocket Guide includes quick and visual safety reminders: the 5 As and 2 Cs to consider when evaluating avalanche terrain; the trusty Tremper Terrain-o-Meter; a snowpack stability checklist; quick review of snowpack stability tests, low-risk travel ritual; a gear checklist; Avalanche Smart Card graphic that pulls it all together; beacon search tips; and more.

Essential reading for all outdoor enthusiasts who venture into mountainous terrain where avalanches are common. In spite of the increasing sophistication of avalanche hazard forecasting, an alarming number of people die every year in backcountry avalanche accidents. This updated edition of Backcountry Avalanche Safety contains the latest information on avalanche risk and focuses on the following vital topics: Mountain Weather Snow and Snowpack Types of Avalanches Avalanche Terrain Trip Planning Avalanche Gear Travel in Avalanche Terrain Riding Steep Slopes Companion Rescue Using colour photographs along with detailed charts, graphs and diagrams, the author clearly explains the importance of managing risk while enjoying backcountry adventure during the winter months.

ABCs of Avalanche Safety, 3rd Edition is still the handy pocket guide offered at a bargain price. And it is still loaded with the vital information you need to survive in the mountains: how to determine potential avalanche hazard, traveling safely in avalanche terrain, what to do if you're caught in an avalanche, and search and rescue techniques. A respected authority since 1961, this enduring classic has been updated with the very latest research in the field, including avalanche transceiver technology.

This is a handbook for anyone venturing above the snow-line in winter or summer. The writer explains how to avoid avalanche accidents through observation, recognition of avalanche terrain and good route-finding. This advice is reinforced by a variety of case histories from around the world. The second edition incorporates up-to-date techniques and equipment and also addresses the problem of stability evaluation for back-country telemarkers, snowboarders and extreme skiers.