Whether you are an avid mountaineer, a backcountry skiing enthusiast, or just starting to get exposed to high mountains and adventures in the snow, it is vital to take the necessary precautions to stay safe. While the outdoors promise amazing experiences and unforgettable wonderlands, they can also pose a risk, and being informed regarding what these risks can be, how and when they can happen, and what you should do in the case of an emergency can potentially determine your survival in some cases.
Stats show that there is a global increase in mountain accidents of around 223% since 2005. Many of these accidents can be avoided by going on outdoor adventures with a certified guide that is trained and knows the region and conditions well, and also by acquiring adequate knowledge and mountain skills before setting off on an adventure. Understanding how as humans we can actually trigger avalanches or expose ourselves unnecessarily to dangerous situations can lead us to prevent them in the first place, and learning to use rescue equipment (such as airbags, DVA, probe, shovel, etc.) properly can substantially minimize the consequences of an accident in the worst case scenario.
Photo courtesy of WEMountain
In this article, we will give you an overview of avalanches, rescue equipment, general mountain safety, and we will also point you in the right direction if you wish to train and acquire extra skills for your adventures, which we highly recommend. You can acquire online avalanche training, attend a short avalanche course near you, or learn safety skills on a more extended, comprehensive program, and this will be of great added value to you on your guided adventures in the mountains. Read on and stay safe!
What is an avalanche?
Avalanches are great masses of snow, rock, and/or ice that can come down a mountain at a given time. They occur when the snowpack, which is made up of different layers of snow, is disturbed, usually by an additional load on its surface. There are different causes and types of avalanches, and being able to evaluate weather, topographic conditions, and snow are vital for risk assessment and prevention.
Climatic conditions including visibility, temperature, and wind are one aspect to consider. In terms of topography, terrain, slope aspect, and slope incline come into play. Finally, you should be able to evaluate snow. This includes a) the intensity of a snowfall, b) whether the snow is wet, or dry and loose, or dry and cohesive (and what this implies in terms of effort and effect), and c) the snowpack, which consists of three layers – a base, formed by the first snowfalls of the season; the middle, which is formed by all the layers between the base and the surface, and the top layer of recent snow, or surface, which is where you will be skiing.
Avalanche Causes
- Wind scours the surface of the snowpack and transports snow, weakening its bond to the snowpack. Wind-deposited snow increases the load on the snowpack. Wind creates irregularities, wind slabs, and cornices.
- Precipitation, including rain and snow, affects the cohesion of the snowpack and its stability.
- Slope aspect, i.e. the orientation towards-away from the sun, can affect the snow quality and snowpack structure.
- There is also a higher risk of avalanche on steeper slopes, so the slope incline is another factor. Avalanches typically occur on inclines between 25° and 45°.
- Human activity including the weight of a skier can affect the snowpack, as can the vibrations of snowmobiles and other vehicles.
- Geological vibrations and movements and terrain-related aspects such as summit slopes, glaciers, open slopes, rolls, among others, increase the probability of an avalanche. To this effect, it is important to know where you can ski safely and where you are exposing yourself.
- Temperature rises that cause snow to melt and alter the cohesion and stability of the snowpack.
Types of Avalanches
Photo courtesy of WEMountain
- Loose snow avalanches: also called “sluffs”, these avalanches are typical of fresh snowfalls, or on steep terrain when the snowpack is not very solid. They can also occur after a temperature rise and consist mostly of dry powder snow.
- Slab snow avalanches: these are the most dangerous types of avalanches. They are caused when a compact layer of snow (slab) is lying on top of a weak layer of snow and a small fracture in the bottom layer expands due to a natural or human “trigger”, causing the slab to slide down the slope.
- Powder snow avalanches: usually result from slab snow avalanches and can cause powder clouds and come down at very high speeds.
- Wet snow avalanches: these commonly occur in Spring, when there is a change in temperature, a lot of sunshine, or rain which results in the presence of liquid water in the snowpack that weakens the snow binding.
- Gliding avalanches: similar to slab snow avalanches, gliding avalanches also derive from a fracture with the difference that the whole snowpack is generally released and they are not triggered by humans. They typically occur when the snowpack forms over a smooth base such as a pasture or rock slab.
Levels of Avalanche Danger
Avalanche Equipment:
Photo courtesy of guide, Josh
The standard set of avalanche rescue equipment consists of a beacon, probe, and shovel. However, knowing how to pick the right ones, and actually using them properly is essential to their effectiveness.
- Avalanche beacon (or transceiver): a 457 kHz radio transmitter and receiver that is used to locate the person if they are buried under snow.
- Avalanche probe: an aluminum or carbon rod used to probe through the avalanche debris to pinpoint the exact location of a victim and determine how deep they are buried.
- Avalanche shovel: a shovel used to dig out a buried victim.
Avalanche survival gear is used by the person caught in the avalanche and consists of an airbag and an avalung.
- Avalanche airbag backpack: survival rates are much better among victims that are not buried by the snow, and this is where the avalanche airbag comes in. When activated, these backpacks increase floatability and keep you at or near the surface through the principle of inverse segregation.
- Avalung: a complementary device that allows you to breathe fresh air directly from the snowpack when buried by an avalanche. However, it is difficult to find the mouthpiece when caught in the avalanche.
Other equipment you should also have includes a helmet and padding as they can protect you from bangs against trees and rocks. Keep in mind that having the proper equipment in general, including skis, boots, poles, clothing, and even the right sunglasses, will give you better mobility, insulation, visibility, and overall protection, and should also be taken into account in terms of comfort, adequacy, and safety. Additionally, you should familiarize yourself with the equipment options and make the right choices to increase the effectiveness in case of an emergency.
Basic Avalanche and Mountain Safety Protocols:
Photo courtesy of mountain guide, Jeff
- Know yourself and learn to moderate the tendencies that lead you to expose yourself unnecessarily. Gauge your stress levels, your motivation, your response to fear, and other emotional and psychological factors that could put you at risk.
- Be well prepared physically. This includes nutrition, hydration, training, and rest.
- Have clear objectives, well-planned out routes, and good overall prep. work. Be willing and able to adapt those plans to the conditions you are faced with when you actually go out on your adventure.
- Check the right information sources (such as the avalanche bulletin), and use the right decision support tools (GRM, Nivotest, 3*3 method, smartphone apps)
- Use comfortable, warm, adequate equipment and be familiar with it before you go out on the mountain. Test everything before your trip.
- Follow adequate mountain and group protocol and respect distancing, safe places to stop, and other essential rules.
- Communicate adequately regarding routes and expectations and have emergency numbers handy.
- Learn what you should do if you are carried away by an avalanche or if you are a rescuer.
- If you don’t know the terrain, or you don’t have experience in the mountains, go with a certified mountain guide.
- Keep in mind that the vegetation protects against avalanche and erosion and should not be tampered with. This goes for all wildlife.
Train Before You Go: The Habit That Changes Your Entire Winter Adventure
Setting off on a winter expedition with Explore-Share means choosing to explore the unknown with expert support, experienced guides, itineraries designed to inspire, and one unchanged promise: the freedom to glide down untouched slopes on a freeride, splitboarding, or ski touring adventure.
But between the desire to go and the moment you clip into your skis or splitboard in the mountains, there is one step that is too often overlooked, yet can make a decisive difference: preparing online with WEMountain.
This is not just an administrative formality. It is what can transform a winter mountain adventure into an experience that feels more controlled, comfortable, safe, and ultimately far more enjoyable.
A successful adventure starts before the trip
We often imagine that the adventure begins with the first turn through fresh powder. In reality, it starts much earlier, in both the mind and body of the traveler.
The best-prepared freeriders and ski tourers are not necessarily those with the best equipment. They are the ones who understand why they are carrying it, how to use it, and how to interpret what the snowpack is telling them.
That is exactly the purpose of online training before departure: to give travelers the tools they need to understand the winter mountain environment before they even set their skis on the snow.
Avalanche Training and Mountain Safety Courses:
Avalanche Training with WEMountain
Photo courtesy of WEMountain
Since 2022, Explore-Share has begun to collaborate with WEMountain, an education platform (PaaS) for skiers and snowboarders interested in learning about mountain safety. Through the WEMountain platform, you can take online courses, then put what you learned online to practice by joining on-site experiences, receive exclusive rewards, and be part of a community that is conscious of mountain risks.
The courses are interactive, offer certifications, and can be done in English or French. They follow the A2R system, which centers around avoiding risk (first and foremost), reacting positively, and managing a successful rescue, with a focus that is not only technical but also behavioral using the Mountaineering Human Factor system (MHF). This approach will not only teach you more about avalanches and safety, but also about yourself, and how you respond to risk, to ego, and to fear.
The WEMountain courses are designed by industry leaders, professional skiers, and guides. All Explore-Share users can access their courses with a 20% discount (by entering the code saferwithE-S in the coupon section).
WEMountain expert, Dominique Perret, shared his motivation behind this project and the collaboration with Explore-Share:
“At the end of a beautiful and long Freeride career that took me beyond my expectations, I realized that I had lost nearly 30 friends during the past 3 decades! Few sports have such a poor record… I thought it was time to give back to this passion that brought me so much and that’s how I came up with the idea of creating, in collaboration with the large network of experts that I had the chance to build over time, this international training program for riders from all over the world and it is quite naturally that a partnership with Explore & Share was born, they were the only ones to offer organized adventures with a very high level of competence around the world! The cooperation was obvious”
Boost your safety skills with the online courses of WEMountain
Having an online training platform designed with this level of expertise is definitely an asset for the skiing and mountaineering community that perfectly complements onsite training and guided adventures. Make sure to sign up today!
Physical and mental preparation: the invisible but decisive advantage
Physical preparation cannot be improvised the day before departure, and neither can mental preparation, especially when heading into off-piste terrain.
A well-designed online course makes it possible to approach both areas methodically.
- Physically, it helps you assess your level against the demands of the trip, including elevation gain, altitude, and snow conditions, and adapt your preparation beforehand rather than discovering the challenge halfway through the climb.
- Mentally, it builds a solid sense of confidence when dealing with uncertainty in avalanche terrain. Someone who understands the challenges involved approaches the slope with calm and clarity rather than anxiety or, at the other extreme, excessive confidence. This clearer mindset directly influences the quality of decisions made when facing a potentially hazardous slope.
This is exactly the philosophy behind the A2R method, Avoid / React / Rescue, developed by WEMountain.
Safety in snow-covered mountains never depends solely on equipment. It also depends on the level of preparation of the individual, including energy levels, sleep, psychological state, and the ability to assess risk clearly.
These human factors are brought together in the MHF, Mountaineering Human Factors, self-assessment tool. They can make the difference between a controlled descent and an accident, particularly because a large proportion of avalanche accidents are triggered by the victim or another member of their group.
Comfort and enjoyment start with understanding
A successful freeride or ski touring day is not only about endurance or technical ability. It is also about peace of mind.
Understanding in advance what to expect, the rhythm of climbing with skins, the demands of an off-piste descent, and the actions to take when conditions become uncertain, frees up your attention and allows you to enjoy every turn instead of simply coping with the experience.
Online training means arriving already familiar with:
- The pace and logistics of the outing, helping you anticipate both the physical effort of the ascent and the concentration required during the descent.
- Essential technical skills that can first be learned calmly at home, without the pressure of being in the mountains.
- Good habits for comfort, including hydration, nutrition, sleep management, and protection from the cold, all of which can make a major difference over the course of a winter expedition.
The result is less unnecessary fatigue, less stress, and much more enjoyment on every descent.
Preparing your equipment: saving time and improving safety
Avalanche rescue equipment that is not properly understood is equipment that may not be used effectively when it matters most.
Online training allows you to:
- Understand how to use your avalanche transceiver, shovel, and probe before departure, rather than simply knowing that you need to carry them.
- Learn the basics of how an avalanche airbag works.
- Avoid forgotten equipment and unpleasant surprises once you arrive.
- Save valuable time during the guide briefing, allowing guides to focus on the specific characteristics of the route rather than basic equipment instruction.
When one traveler arrives well prepared, the whole group can move more efficiently and respond more quickly if a rescue becomes necessary.
Understanding the winter environment: the key to avalanche prevention
This is perhaps the most important benefit of completing online training before departure: learning how to read the snow-covered mountain environment.
A freeride or ski touring adventure exposes you to variables that can only be properly anticipated through knowledge.
- Weather: Recognize warning signs of changing conditions, such as wind, recent snowfall, or warming temperatures, and understand how they can affect avalanche danger throughout the day.
- Snow science: Understand how the snowpack forms and develops, identify weak layers, and learn how to interpret avalanche bulletins rather than simply read them.
- Topography: Learn how to read the terrain, identify potentially hazardous slopes based on aspect, gradient, and terrain traps, and understand why a guide may choose one ascent route or descent line over another.
- Terrain management: Understand the chain of decisions that helps a group progress safely, from selecting a route to managing spacing between participants on exposed terrain.
- Local flora and fauna: Learn about species found in mountain environments, adopt responsible behavior, and travel with respect for fragile alpine ecosystems, including during winter.
This is precisely the approach WEMountain has developed together with more than 50 international avalanche risk management experts.
The training is structured around approximately 80% prevention and avoidance, the Avoid component, with only 20% dedicated to responding during an incident and managing a rescue, the React and Rescue components.
The reasoning is simple: many accidents in snow-covered mountains are linked not just to the terrain itself, but to how people interpret and manage that terrain.
Understanding your winter environment means reducing exposure to risk long before you ever need to activate an avalanche transceiver.
Easy, fast, and accessible: there is little reason not to train online
Completing a course before your Explore-Share winter adventure requires neither previous expertise nor a major time commitment.
- Easy: Modules are designed to be understandable for everyone, from beginner ski tourers to experienced freeriders.
- Fast: A few sessions are enough to cover the essentials of snow science and avalanche safety, at your own pace.
- Accessible anywhere: Learn from your sofa, your office, or your phone, even before packing your bags.
- Useful for a lifetime: The skills and habits you develop are not limited to a single trip. They can support you throughout every future winter season.
In just a few hours, an adventurer can significantly improve their level of preparation and, as a result, increase their comfort, enjoyment, and safety throughout a freeride or ski touring trip.
Winter adventures belong to those who prepare for them
At Explore-Share, every trip is an invitation to push your limits in the snow while respecting the mountain environment and the professionals who guide you through it.
Training online before departure does not take away from the spontaneity of adventure. Quite the opposite, it gives you the tools to experience it more fully and with greater confidence, alongside guides who know that one of the strongest combinations in the mountains is a well-prepared traveler and an experienced professional.
Preparing for your adventure is already part of living it.
Before your next freeride, splitboarding, or ski touring adventure with Explore-Share, take a few hours to complete online training in snow science and avalanche safety.
It is a small investment of time that can make a major difference to your enjoyment, comfort, and safety in the mountains.
Top Avalanche Training Courses around the World
Putting knowledge to practice on the terrain and in the mountains is essential to complete any theoretical training, and we have plenty of programs around the world to help you perfect different skills that are essential to staying safe. Below you will find a small selection, but there are plenty of options, and surely one that is suited to your preferences and needs.
Photo courtesy of guide, Mathias
Europe
- Austria: Kitzbuhel guided avalanche safety course
- Bulgaria: Bansko splitboarding introduction course
- France: Backcountry skiing and avalanche training weekend in Val Cenis
- Iceland: 3-day avalanche training course
- Italy: Avalanche course at Tre Cime di Lavaredo
- Slovenia: Avalanche safety workshop in the Julian Alps
- Switzerland: Avalanche training for beginners around Zermatt
North America
- Canada: Avalanche training in Calgary and Banff
- United States: 3-day avalanche safety course in Utah
South America
- Argentina: Mountaineering and glacier course in San Juan
- Chile: Basic winter mountaineering skills course near Santiago
Asia
- Kyrgyzstan: Introduction to mountaineering course in Ala Archa Gorge
- Nepal: Alpine mountaineering course in the Himalayas
Staying safe in the mountains is essential. Enjoy your adventures with a certified guide and educate yourself to make sure that your experiences are both exhilarating and joyful!
