Avalanche Safety for Snowmobiles

Snowmobile riding is a thrilling winter sport that attracts many enthusiasts to the mountains and slopes where they can race down pristine snowy hills. But anyone who heads up the mountains should be wary of avalanches. Snowmobilers in particular are at a much higher risk of being trapped in an avalanche because their snowmobiles, if operated on treacherous snowpack, can dislodge snow and cause it to break apart. 

Many fatalities occur due to lack of preparation, not having the proper gear, taking undue risks and general reckless behavior. To help educate you on the risks that avalanches pose to snowmobile riders, Dunfords of Havelock has created this guide to avalanche safety specifically for snowmobiles. Make sure that you’re prepared before you hit the slopes!

Safety Class

First, there are plenty of snow and avalanche safety courses that you can take at a variety of places, like ski resorts, snowmobile manufacturers and dealerships, forestry centers and even online. Simple awareness classes present the dangers of avalanches while more courses will help you with the intricacies of avalanche safety, such as how to properly equip yourself, good riding practices, how to analyze snowpack and mountain conditions, how to assist in rescuing others and what to do if you are trapped in an avalanche. Taking a safety class is a great way to learn more and prepare yourself for riding the slopes without incident.

Weather

Variations in weather conditions can severely affect the likelihood of an avalanche occurring in the area where you’re snowmobiling. Check the forecast before you head out, both for general weather and temperature conditions as well as more specific avalanche forecasts and warnings for your region. Rising temperatures and sun exposure on a mountain can loosen snowpack and make it more fragile, since snow loses its strength as it warms. Rainy conditions can also make a particular area more prone to avalanches. Knowing in advance what the conditions are and what the likelihood is for an avalanche can help you determine if you still want to proceed with your trip, and if so, what precautions and adjustments to your riding style you can take to minimize your risk.

Gear

Having the proper equipment is essential for any powersports endeavor. There are a few pieces of equipment specific to avalanches that you’ll want to have on hand. An avalanche transceiver is a device worn on your body or embedded in your snow suit in some cases. This device sends and receives radio data, acting as a beacon to others if you’re trapped under snow. Some higher quality models even transmit your vitals so that others know if you’ve survived.

Everyone in your party should also carry a shovel and a probe in their backpack in case they have to rescue someone else. You won’t have time to call for help as people trapped by an avalanche have a limited oxygen supply and ability to survive the cold, so the best chance for a rescue is one performed by members of your snowmobiling party. An avalanche airbag on your snowmobile should be properly maintained and charged up, to be deployed if you sense that conditions are about to turn for the worst.

If You're Caught in an Avalanche

If you realize the snow beneath or around you is starting to slide, you’ll want to act quickly to reduce your risk of being caught under snow. Snowmobiles are prone to triggering avalanches, particularly if riders are performing dangerous moves like high-marking or riding over steep slopes. Yell “Avalanche!” to alert those around you to the danger so they can also get to safety.

Move sideways if you can to get out of the way of the avalanche’s main path, where snow will be heaviest. Aim for higher ground and grab trees if you can reach them. If you can’t get away, divest yourself of as much equipment as possible so it doesn’t weigh you down, but keep your small pack with you. Create an air pocket in front of your face with your hands and begin trying to swim a backstroke with your feet pointed downhill and arms constantly pushing snow away from you to keep you near the surface. Move with the falling snow instead of trying to get uphill. 

If buried, create an air pocket around you. You can cup your mouth with your hand as you’re being thrown around to give yourself a little more air, and expand your chest as much as you can to fill your lungs. Your avalanche beacon will have been activated and members of your party will be searching for you, so try to remain calm.

Being The Rescuer

If one or more of your party is caught in an avalanche and you’ve escaped, you now must figure out how to rescue as many of them as quickly as possible. 

If there’s more than one person free, appoint a leader to take charge and, if there are several people free, have one of them call for help. 

Determine if there’s a risk of further avalanche and how to escape it if so. Perform a head count to figure out how many people are missing and establish where each person was last seen by using your memory and clues like tracks in the snow. Set transceivers to receive signals and use these to pinpoint where your trapped party members are. 

Begin digging as soon as you figure out where someone is, and go for the closest people to you first. There’s a very high chance of survival if avalanche victims are freed within about twenty minutes of the event, so work as quickly as you can. You’ll need to assist freed victims and signal for help if they are injured or incapacitated, so it’s good to know basic first aid and CPR skills, as well as how to prevent hypothermia and frostbite.

Now that you’ve got some avalanche awareness under your belt, you may want to investigate some snowmobile models. Come to our Havelock dealership to see our wide array of new and used snowmobiles for sale. Dunfords of Havelock additionally serves the cities of Peterborough, Belleville, Kingston, Kawartha and Oshawa, Ontario.