The Research: Risk Management Trends in U.S. Backcountry Accidents

Managing risks is key regarding safe backcountry travel. As we head into winter, which means more snow and changing variables, let’s pause and reflect on some new research relating to risk management.

This fall, researchers Ian McCammon and Kelly McNeil presented an interesting paper at the 2024 ISSW titled “Risk Management Trends in U.S. Backcountry Accidents: Skiers and Snowboarders.” Before you scroll past, recreationalists can easily learn from and apply this type of research. While we won’t break down the study’s nuances, we will distill the findings into some salient points. The authors were motivated to discover how “avalanche education and safety messaging affect U.S. fatality rates” and “understand these effects and identify opportunities to improve safety messaging.”

We’ll aim to keep it simple and focus on the author’s outcomes so we can think about our best practices while traveling in and around avalanche terrain.