Canadian Avalanche Association
The chance of dying in an avalanche is probably a lot less than you think. by GEORGE KOCH * photos by GRANT GUNDERSON * in December 2017 issue Can you put a number to your chances of surviving your next backcountry skiing adventure? Should mountain guides deliver mathematical certainty in their risk assessments and terrain selection? … More »
Naughty or nice, Leslie Woit will whip your winter of 2015 into shape with some snowbound thrills. 1. Do it with a group Join a group lesson to improve your style and raise your social capital. Adults-only, intermediate plateau-er or powder perfectionist, sharing is the new independence. 2. Order a bedtime story Tantalizingly torpid after looking lovely … More »
For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamt about flying or falling anyway (in a sky-diving sort of way). I also regularly dream about skiing, but the scenario quickly morphs into a lot of flying above treetops, lift towers, mountain peaks and so on. Frustratingly, only occasionally are my skis touching powder, never under … More »
The carnage is everywhere. A mass of snow and debris cover the runout zone of an avalanche path on Observation Mountain in Banff National Park. Martin Papillon, a ski patroller from Sunshine Village on backcountry skis, is the first on the scene. Within seconds, his seven partners are busily unpacking shovels, probes and tuning their … More »