Colorado Mountain Club Welcomes You to the Backcountry Ski Touring School (BSTS)
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December 5, 2017 Colorado Mountain Club welcomes you to the Backcountry Ski Touring School (BSTS) Lecture Agenda: 6:30 Introduction Joan Rossiter, BSTS Director 6:40 Avalanche Safety Introduction Linda Lawson 7:10 First station 7:40 Second Station 8:10 Third Station 8:40 Meet your instructor 8:55 End (See handouts for additional information on conditioning, winter survival, waxing, etc.) Equipment information – What to rent, tips for the shop: § Getting equipment reserved in December will ensure a good time skiing in January! § Before leaving the shop, try on boots, have them show you how to attach and release the boot to the binding and how to adjust the pole straps. First field day - Breckenridge Nordic Center. January 6, 7, 9. § Light touring skis or backcountry skis without metal edges, appropriate for skiing the track at Breckenridge Nordic Center. Waxless. (Equipment is available for rent at the Nordic centers at a discounted rate of $15.) The trail fee for the Breckenridge Nordic Center trail is included with your registration. Second field day – January 13, 14, 16 – Chosen by your instructor. (If you are going to a ski area bunny hill, you will need a lift ticket., at no cost to you) § Backcountry skis with metal edges. Ski leashes required at all downhill resorts. (Not telemark ski gear, no skins.) Waxless preferred. Third field day – January 20, 21, 23 – On a backcountry trail unless directed by instructor § Backcountry touring skis with metal edges. (Not telemark gear, no skins.) Waxless preferred. Field Day #1 – Bring food, water and clothing layers Meeting Location for the First Day: Wooly Mammoth lot Park ‘n Ride (North end across from the Conoco Station) at the Morrison exit off I-70. If you take I-70 westbound and exit onto Morrison Road, turn right and then immediately left. The lot will be on the left. Your instructor will provide the specific section letters designated to meet. Saturday and Sunday Students: § Meet at 6:15 a.m. We will form carpools and leave for the Breckenridge Nordic Center by 6:30 a.m. § Alternatively, you can meet your instructor at the BNC at 8:30 a.m. if confirmed in advance. Tuesday Students: § Meet at 7:30 a.m. We will form carpools and leave for the Breckenridge Nordic Center by 7:45 a.m. If you are able to drive, let your instructor know and please come with your ski rack on your car. Questions? Problems? Please call your instructor. 1 BSTS Handouts Table of Contents Cross Country Ski Rentals ………………….…………………… 3 Avalanche Education ….………………………….….…………… 4 Nordic Clothing …...…………………..………………….……...… 7 Pack Gear …………………………………………………..…........ 9 Ski Equipment ………………………………….………………….. 11 Personal Hygiene .…….……………………….………………….. 12 Additional Backcountry Ski Touring School Handouts are posted at – https://www.hikingdenver.net/schools/backcountryskitouringschool or http://bit.ly/2AUYdXM 2 Cross Country Ski Rentals First Day: - Breckenridge Nordic Center Rentals at Nordic Center - $17 - OR - REI (see details below) Second and Third Days – REI (Reservations are strongly advised) REI – Flagship Location REI.com 1410 Platte Street, Denver (303) 756-3100 (Note: the Lakewood REI location no longer rents cross-country skis) Nordic Package Rentals (skis, boots, and poles) (includes pick-up and return days): • Traditional Equipment for Track Skis (First day only – Nordic Center) • $24 per day REI Member /$32 per day Non-REI Member • Backcountry Equipment with Metal Edge (backcountry and downhill days) • $32 per day REI Member /$40 per day Non-REI Member o Policies: • Pickup equipment on Friday and return on Sunday = 1 day rental charge (skis may be rented for additional days at substantially lower costs for the additional days). • Mention you are with the CMC School. • If you are going to a downhill area on day 2, make sure you let them know you need leashes for your skis – they should supply binding that allows you to leash your skis and the leashes. • REI recommends making reservations in advance. We recommend you make your reservations in December and call to confirm your reservations on the Monday before the pick-up date. 3 AVALANCHE EDUCATION BACKCOUNTRY SKI TOURING SCHOOL BSTS 2017/2018 Sources: AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course, CAIC Website 1. What is an avalanche? Avalanches come in a variety of shapes, sizes, depths and the term includes loose snow slides, slab avalanches, wet avalanches, ice avalanches and cornice collapses. No matter the term used, an avalanche is a mass of snow or ice released from point and traveling down slope. Slab avalanches cause the most accidents due to size.. 2. What causes an avalanche? Avalanches require 3 components: - Terrain - Snow pack - Weather The 3 components of an avalanche need a” trigger” which can be humans, animals or environmental. Not all avalanches are hazardous. An avalanche that does not damage life, property or terrain is not hazardous. 3. Where do avalanches occur? Terrain slopes of 25 – 45 degrees avalanche most frequently because as the weight of the snowpack increases, whether by new snowfall or by wind blown snow on previous snow layers, the slope is unable to hold the weight of the snow pack. Generally, slopes above 45 degrees are too steep to hold the snow pack and those below 25 degrees are not steep enough to release. But, under the right conditions any slope can slide. The most prevalent slope angles on which avalanches have occurred are 30 – 45 degrees with 38 degrees being the slope angle on which most slab avalanches have occurred. Avalanches can occur naturally or can be triggered below tree line, at tree line or above tree line; however, avalanches tend to release above tree line and “run” down slope into tree line and take out trees, forests, buildings and can gouge terrain. Avalanches are described by both size relative to the path of the avalanche (R value) and destructive nature (D value) R 1 – very small R2 – small 3 – medium 4 – large 5 – major/maxium D1 – too small to injure or bury a person, 2 - could bury, injury or kill a person, 3 – could bury or destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a small building and break trees 4 – could destroy a truck, railway car, several buildings and a forest up to 10 acres 5 – could destroy a village or a forest of 100 acres or more The direction the slope is facing is termed “aspect”. The avalanche forecasts will use this term indicating avalanche danger is greater on a particular aspect. Look above you when traveling to determine the slope and aspect that may pose danger. 4 4. When do avalanches occur? Avalanche danger increases with snowstorms, warming temperatures and winds loading slopes with snow. Avalanche activity in the past 48 hours signals instability in the snowpack in the area. Indications of recent avalanche activity include old crown lines (top of the area where avalanche started), debris (large blocks of snow/ice or lumpy mounds of snow at toe (end) of avalanche run out path. Whumpfing sounds or shooting cracks from underfoot, or under a snowmobile, occur when a weak snow layer collapses under additional weight. 5. What are clues to “unstable snow pack”? Fresh avalanches in the area indicating there have been unstable snow, terrain and weather conditions and a trigger for the avalanches to take place. Some of the clues to non-cohesive snow pack are listed in the response to Q4: whumpfing sound, cracks shooting out from under foot or from under a snowmobile. Digging a snow pit is no longer considered a stability test, but an educational test to understand how the actual layers over time are referred to in an avalanche bulletin. Looking at the back side of trees to see if limbs have been broken by past avalanches is also a message that avalanches have taken place in specific terrain. The snow pack around rock bands can become more unstable because the sun will heat the rock and the warmth of the rock will melt the snow resulting in less stable snow pack around the rock. 6. Can I keep from getting caught in an avalanche? By educating yourself through reading, on-line videos and schools you should be able to avoid avalanches by recognizing avalanche prone terrain and avoiding it. Travel in non-prone avalanche territory (ridges, slope angles less than 25 degrees, where there are dense forests, and no cornices). There is inherent risk in all sports. If you decide to travel in avalanche prone terrain using specific techniques your risk will be diminished but not eliminated: Climb, descend or cross avalanche areas or areas where avalanche prone terrain is above you by crossing one participant at a time. Each participant crosses fully and gets to non-prone avalanche terrain and only then does the next participant start across the path. Climb or descend a slope at the edge of a slope where there are trees if possible. Turn back if you observe avalanche risk factors along your route or find an alternative route. Use a trip plan to establish your trip and identify and agree upon “no go” zones prior to the trailhead arrival. 5 7. What action should be taken if I find myself caught in an avalanche? The first action is to try to get to the edge of the avalanche path, close to large trees where you can grab onto a tree or a rock. It is recommended that those caught in an avalanche use a swimming motion in an attempt to stay on top of the avalanche. Having your hands in the ski/snowshoe pole straps would hinder swimming motion therefore it is recommended you try to rid yourself of the poles. Once the avalanche stops moving those caught should try to reach the surface and make an air pocket in front of their face.