Hows everyone use the avy danger scale

[face-shot]

I’m just wondering how much stock people put in the scale as far as making a go/no go decisions. Does anyone have a cut off? Example you won’t go if its above moderate. I’m comfortable in moderate avy conditions (using safe travel techniques). Just curious

[Justin]

Depends on where when (and why sometimes). I've been out in the BC in "High" rating but with other knowlegable folks who also knew the area. We skied areas that wern't as prone to slides.

To be honest I get more nervous about winter slides at TUX more then just about anywhere else -- mostly due to the abnormally strange weather up there. It's not as cut and dry as "if the avy danger tips over moderate I'm out" sure the scale is a jumping off point but avy danger can change (considerably) over the course of the day...

[PWDR8S]

Like Justin says, it depends..... on where you ski and what you ski. It is difficult at best to label a certain condition to a region as large as TUX... now respective lines or chutes having specific warnings are worth noting. These warning levels have been honed and fine tuned for half a century now and they're pretty close to accurate. BUT, like Justin mentioned, the weather and conditions there are fickle and the advisory levels can change within a matter of hours. They should be used as a good benchmark for that respective time frame on that day.

I go anytime it's moderate or lower. I've been there at higher levels but I have had the avy training to my my own assessment for me. The danger scale they use is as is... no bones about it... it's not 'padded' or varied in any way. It is up to you to determine your comfort level based on that info.

[idahobobb]

the water activity below tux most of the time is what concerns me most---its unusual for me to find spots like that out west with flowing water almost all season

[yuckster]

I’m just wondering how much stock people put in the scale as far as making a go/no go decisions. Does anyone have a cut off? Example you won’t go if its above moderate. I’m comfortable in moderate avy conditions (using safe travel techniques). Just curious

I try to stick to the low end of moderate and I'll definitely avoid areas if the detailed forecast says "possibly upper end of moderate towards considerable."

Remember that MODERATE means that human triggered avalanches are possible. The majority of avalanche accidents where somebody gets caught in an avalanche happen when the forecast is "only" MODERATE.

[St.Dendrite]

Let's not forget to consider what the consequences of avalanche involvement are. For example, if the Lip, Bowl, and Sluice are all at Moderate, and connected by smooth consistent wind slab, that avalanche will be big and potentially have high consequences. Another scenario that could play out is like what happened the other day: a skier triggered on in the Sluice during Moderate conditions. That debris flowed right over Lunch Rocks, but wouldn't have been deep enough to fully bury someone. However, if you were napping at LR, you'd have had a rude awakening for sure.

The consequences are more involved than just saying "will I be buried." There are terrain traps, rocks, trees, people, etc to think about. And then there's also the possibility that you're sliding out of control for ~1000 feet at anywhere from 20-80mph with tons of snow behind you.

Point is, I don't think we should be making decisions based soley on whether it's Low, Moderate, or Considerable. Heck, I've been the only one in the bowl on a High day, with very little avy hazard. Why? The weather forecast was 180 degrees off from what was actually happpening. As soon as the weather began to turn, I hightailed it out of there. Was I taking unnecessary risks. I don't think so. But the two skiers who triggered slide this past month in the Lip and Sluice were.

Best bet is to talk to the snowrangers. Second best bet is the AMC caretaker. Third best is AMC at Pinkham, but they don't always have the best info. Last option would be to blindly follow the advice of someone I don't know.

Ahhh, tomorrow...
St.D