The AIARE Backcountry Decision-Making Guide
We’re beginning to think about the tools we’ll use for next year regarding avalanche avoidance. Consider this an open ended quest to find tools, checklists, and procedures that work for you and your partners, and keeping you coming home safe.
Last week, we published a piece by Billy Haas titled “A Thought on Trends in Skier/Rider Avalanche Involvements.” In it, Haas is clear in his line of thinking and focuses on terrain selection and use as areas of improvement regarding avalanche avoidance. He also writes, “We need to examine how we operate throughout the winter and what improvements we want to make next year.”
As an early June heat dome envelopes the PNW and sun cups, no doubt, form, it seems like a plausible time to designate now as “next year.” In other words, improving skills and decision-making should begin before your next tour.
I’ll start with a brief confessional.
I began the season eight months post knee surgery—I took on a rather aggressive rehab regime that had me skiing in November. For reasons of not wanting to hold anyone up, I did more solo touring than normal this year, probably on a ratio of 50:50. I want to think I made conservative decisions. On those days I toured with a partner; I’d also like to think our group decision erred on the side of safety and followed a logical sequence of planning, observations, and discussions. But is that true? I can think of a few instances (both solo and with a group) where maybe it wasn’t, and a false positive had me in a place I’d rather not be. Perhaps I got lucky a few times, and a beyond-30-degree slope held tight.
My “next year” reflection has me already considering the tools I’ll use to keep me focused and safe in the backcountry. For some, the AIARE Backcountry Decision Making Guide provides a fluid framework for one’s pre through post-tour debrief. The guide has been around in some iteration for years: we have an antiquated one sitting in the family snow study kit. The updated Decision-Making Guide correlates with the AIARE curriculum, and provides communication checklists, a decision making framework for reference, observation references, and pages for trip planning, detailing snow profiles, and debriefing your trip. New or old to the scene, at a minimum, the Decision-Making Guide is an excellent reminder of best practices—it will get you in a more focused mindset.
A study presented at the 2023 ISSW titled “The AIARE Backcountry Decision-Making Guide: An Exploratory Study of When, Where, and How it is Used” provides insight into how our community is and isn’t using this tool. Further, the findings will allow field book designers to make supplemental modifications to future versions of the guide.
Some basic findings from the research are:
- There were 622 respondents.
- A low number of respondents stated they were unfamiliar with the AIARE decision-making guide.
- 43% (267) of respondents completed an AIARE avalanche rescue course. 85% (530), 34% (210), and 9% (56) completed an AIARE Rec 1, Rec 2, and Pro 1 avalanche course, respectively.
- 67% (415) identified as recreationalists, while 19% (119) identified as snow, ice, or avalanche professionals, and 14% (88) identified as a “trained volunteer with leadership…responsibilities.”
The paper’s authors then include a results section highlighting when and where the AIARE guidebook is used:
- Nearly 50% of respondents reported using the guide 60-100% of the time “before traveling in avalanche terrain (during preparation or planning).”
- Over 50% noted using the guide 0-50% before travel.
- However, most respondents recalled referring to the field book very little, if at all, during travel.
- Most respondents reported rarely referring to it after travel.
Findings on use when familiar/unfamiliar with terrain:
- 65% of respondents are likely to use the book in new or unfamiliar terrain.
- 50% of the respondents claim to use the guide in familiar terrain at least 50% of the time.
Findings on forecasted danger rating (Low, Moderate, Considerable, High, Extreme) and use of book:
- 52% of respondents stated the daily forecast was “very” or “extremely influential” regarding their book use.
- 21% claimed the forecast had no influence.
- 50% of respondents were likely or extremely likely to use the field book with danger rating categorized as moderate, considerable, high, or extreme.
- 47% of respondents were unlikely or extremely unlikely to use the book when the danger rating was low.
The pattern is evident. The fidelity to this specific tool, which many in the community are either familiar with from formal AIARE-specific courses or spending time in the avalanche education scene, is, perhaps, not what it could be. Glass half full, the findings, which you can glean more of here, reveal we are capable and willing to use avalanche avoidance tools like the AIARE field book.
I do not use commercial avalanche-specific apps for my routine data collection and planning. I do spend time on relevant avalanche forecasting sites, looking at recent observations, and contacting friends who may have been in the field. Further, my pre-trip discussions/planning and post-trip downloads with partners are less formal, which means I do not use a template like I might find in the AIARE field book. However, reviewing the AIARE field book, I am reminded to formalize my planning and debriefs, and make use of it.
Consider all this an ongoing conversation. As we think forward to “next year,” we’d like to learn more about the guides, checklists, and tools you and your partners use to remain engaged, focused and prepared when the potential for entering avalanche terrain exists.
