McCammon & McNeil put forward within their newly released paper that after analyzing nearly five decades of avalanche fatalities, trauma now accounts for nearly 50% of all fatalities.

McCammon & McNeil put forward within their newly released paper that after analyzing nearly five decades of avalanche fatalities, trauma now accounts for nearly 50% of all fatalities. Photo: Will McKay

 

New research finds that 50% of avalanche deaths result from trauma.

 

It’s not that often that a new study as impressive as the Risk Management Trends in U.S. Backcountry Avalanche Accidents: Skiers and Snowboarders, published by Ian McCammon & Kelly McNeil, gets put into the ether. But when it does, there is no real surprise that both McCammon’s & McNeil’s names are attached to it.

 

 

20% No More

For years, nearly twenty, avalanche professionals across North America & beyond have been referencing the mythical twenty percent number. That twenty percent is representative of the amount of folks that succumb to traumatic injuries in avalanche accidents. What does a traumatic injury in an avalanche accident look like? Well, it’s not pretty. It can amount to severe spine & head injuries, internal bleeding as well as external arterial bleeds. While this is a large component of avalanche fatalities, it’s only second highest in terms of the sheer ranking.

Atop the rankings is death by asphyxiation or better known as the precursor to suffocation. When buried, the victim only has so much time below the snow surface until breathable oxygen has been depleted within the immediate area. After the oxygen has been used up, suffocation ensues. Until recently, this method of expiration held a firm grip as the leading cause of death among skiers and snowboarders.

McCammon & McNeil put forward within their newly released paper that after analyzing nearly five decades of avalanche fatalities, trauma now accounts for nearly 50% of all fatalities. This, in theory, puts asphyxiation and trauma on similar levels of likelihood. And that is actually quite a big deal.

While trauma was never officially an after thought when it came to avalanche accidents, it was definitely not the main point of focus during recreational and professional avalanche courses. I’d wager that almost all students could rattle out, off the cuff, that avalanche victims have at best 15 minutes till they run out of air. Could any of them reference that twenty percent of victims die from trauma? It’s possible but much less likely.

 

What Does This Change For My Immediate Risk Management In The Backcountry?

Plain and simple? Nothing. Skiers and snowboarders that are exposed to avalanche hazards should still and forever utilize avoidance as their main means to risk management. It’s unlikely for a backcountry user to be involved in an avalanche if they are not exposing themselves to the hazard in the first place.

But why do so many folks get avalanched every year? Because so many folks expose themselves to the hazard.

Within the world of ski patrol, the primary form of risk management is through explosive control work. And while that would be a pretty cool perk to backcountry skiing, it’s not legal for the everyday user, especially on public lands. So it’s encouraged to look towards the mountain guides for mitigation tactics which is almost strictly done through avoidance, except in some very specific scenarios.

But the new fifty percent number does reinforce some already known ideas. First off, skiers and riders need to be ready for medical scenarios. This can be as simple as wrapping a tweaked knee in an ace bandage to as potentially critical as putting a tourniquet on somebody that is bleeding out. So instead of buying that sick new pair of skis with a different top sheet, invest in yourself and sign up for a Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder course. Buying your ski partners one of these courses is a great holiday gift.

Secondly, make sure that your medical kit & rescue materials are up to date. Are you only able to offer up moleskin (for blisters) to a friend that just fractured their leg? That’s a bummer. Don’t be that person. Instead, make sure you have an up to date medical kit that is appropriate to your level of training. Additionally, be sure to carry the correct amount of rescue supplies for the day. For the Montana and Alaska riders out there, that can mean something starkly different compared to what I’d bring for skiing in the Central Wasatch of Utah. Consider shelter materials and rescue sleds for those further out locations.

Thirdly, this outlines that macro level communication tools are even more important. Sure, an avalanche victim that was buried under the snow is at a greater risk for hypothermia and an immediate rescue is always preferred. But for a victim that is currently bleeding (a lot) or potentially has a severe spine injury, an immediate rescue is required, not preferred. This can look like personal satellite devices such as the Garmin InReach or longer range handheld radios.

And finally, this means we should really be encouraging wearing helmets more. I am writing this while also directing it toward myself. I fall into the trap of saying “it’s mellow skiing” or “I don’t have enough room in my pack” too often. Those weren’t valid excuses before and they definitely are not now. You can die from a head injury in an avalanche but you can’t die by asphyxiation from skiing into a tree.

There are a ton of really great insights littered through the rest of the study that I recommend folks read up on but the new trauma percentage stood out to me the most. This should, and I believe will, be reflected in educational delivery from avalanche professionals beginning with this 2024/2025 winter season.

 

You can find more of McKay’s writing and avalanche education resources at the Mountain Training Center.