We’ve taken notice. “PWL,” or persistent weak layer, has populated many an avalanche forecast and the socials. From words like “touchy” to “spooky” to statements like “….avalanches may fail in a persistent weak layer and be up to 6′ deep,” caution is in the air.
You know the drill—if you live where the forecast raises these concerns, meadow skipping, nordic skiing, and yeah,…skimo-ing may be in order (not necessarily in this order).
One idea we have been mulling is a list of resources to keep you temporarily away from the freedom of the hills. But we figured you know how to do you. For the bibliophiles, grab a book and find a quiet space. Cinephiles do the same—find what interests you and keeps you from poking the bear in the mountains.
For more avalanche-specific resources, many companies now have free avalanche education resources that can be a starter for some and a refresher for others. The resources here are not comprehensive, so if you have a resource we should include, hit us up in the comments.
MAMMUT has a text and video-based platform called “Avy Hub.” Avy Hub can connect you to the Know Before You Go (KYBG) program, a great starting point for those new to the backcountry scene.
AVY HUB also includes three narrative videos specific to the topic, which we will embed below.
EP. 03: Four Meters Deep
BCA (Backcountry Access) has released a second season of their BCA [EDGE]ucation series. The series presents bite sized video nuggets that get straight to the point.
The latest episode is titled: Avalanche Group Search vs “Guide Scenario” Search. You can find the series of videos at this link.
Thanks for reading The High Route and have a safe weekend.
