Description

Certain terrain is more dangerous than others for a person in an avalanche. Deep burial and trauma are two major sources of morbidity and mortality in avalanche victims. The prudent person learns to avoids these areas under potential avalanche conditions.


 

Terrain

Danger

obstacles such as trees, thick brush, rock face or large rocks

trauma if direct impact

precipice such as cliff, icefall, crevasse

fall injury

open water (unfrozen river, other)

hypothermia or drowning

gullies or areas of abrupt flattening

very high risk for burial

large avalanche paths

greater risk of burial

 


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