Avalanche Safety Basics

Remember that avalanche danger rating levels are only general guidelines. Most avalanche accidents are caused by slab avalanches which are triggered by the victim or a member of the victim's party. However, any avalanche may cause injury or death and even small slides may be dangerous. Always practice safe route finding skills and be aware of changing conditions. Learn how to use, and always carry, avalanche beacons, probes, and shovels. You must be able to carry out a rescue in the event of a burial as time is critical. If you must go for help in a back country setting, it is generally considered that help will arrive too late. Learn to recognize avalanche terrain and understand snow stability evaluation techniques to help minimize you risk. Distinctions between geographic areas, elevations, and slope angle are approximate. Transition zones between dangers exist. No matter what the current avalanche danger there are avalanche safe areas in the mountains. Seek out the information needed to locate these areas and make educated decisions.

Avalanches don't happen by accident.
Most human involvement is a matter of choice, not chance.

United States Avalanche Danger Descriptions
Danger Level (and Color)		Avalanche Probability and Avalanche Trigger	Degree and Distribution of Avalanche Danger	Recommended Action in the Backcountry
WHAT		WHY	WHERE	WHAT TO DO
LOW (green)		Natural avalanches very unlikely. Human triggered avalanches unlikely.	Generally stable snow. Isolated areas of instability.	Travel is generally safe. Normal caution advised.
MODERATE (yellow)		Natural avalanches unlikely. Human triggered avalanches possible.	Unstable slabs possible on steep terrain.	Use caution in steeper terrain on certain aspects (defined in accompanying statement).
CONSIDERABLE (orange)		Natural avalanches possible. Human triggered avalanches probable.	Unstable slabs probable on steep terrain.	Be increasingly cautious in steeper terrain.
HIGH (red)		Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.	Unstable slabs likely on a variety of aspects and slope angles.	Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Safest travel on windward ridges of lower angle slopes without steeper terrain above.
extreme extreme extremeextreme
e	EXTREME (red with black border)	Widespread natural or human triggered avalanches certain.	Extremely unstable slabs certain on most aspects and slope angles. Large destructive avalanches possible.	Travel in avalanche terrain should be avoided and travel confined to low angle terrain well away from avalanche path run-outs.
extremeextremeextremeeextreme

Avalanche Safety Basics

United States Avalanche Danger Descriptions

WHAT

WHY

WHERE

WHAT TO DO