Safety, a culture of doubt

Can we allow ourselves to be more ‘stupid’ today (though perhaps ‘less well-prepared’ would sound better?) than our predecessors, just because we have better self-rescue equipment or an airbag backpack to keep us afloat in an avalanche? How much stock should we place in self-rescue equipment? How much time should we invest in learning how to use it? How much should we invest in terms of time and money to prevent potential accidents?

Obviously these questions are meant to be provocative. And, to be honest, not very appropriate perhaps for a Buyer's Guide, whose scope is after all to provide info to help readers choose equipment. But I do think it’s important to underscore a concept: sure, self-rescue equipment is essential, but it’s not enough to just think that having it on the hill will mean you’ll be safe in the mountains in winter.

Can artificial intelligence help us?

AI, or at least machine learning, has already entered the world of avalanche forecasting and modeling, so it’s possible that we’ll start to see the first apps coming out in the next few seasons that will aid our decision-making in the snow, or even just help us plan our backcountry trips.

In September 2024 we tested ChatGPT 3.5 (the free version) to see how it fares on general concepts.

Despite some well-worn slogans, which are also used in institutional settings, we all know that when it comes to backcountry skiing very little is truly certain, except for the guaranteed uncertainty of the snowpack, the uncertainty of our assessments and the unpredictability of our behavior. So we can say that AI is much more human-like than we might think, and perhaps less objective than we would like it to be. So is ChatGPT useful for learning how to recreate safely in fresh snow? For now, the answer is a resounding no, but it could be a useful tool for preparing a final checklist/suggestions regarding equipment, or a reminder for actions to perform before we head out. We might have forgotten something, or AI might give us some extra food for thought. However, we always need to use a healthy dose skepticism and be wary of so-called AI hallucinations: the information might sound good, but may be partly wrong, or contextually inaccurate. Don't ask ChatGPT questions about snow science. For now, the answers are rather confusing and include some rather questionable expressions, such as sugary grains ...

Avoid being seduced by online material (and the feeling of complacency you get from watching a tutorial)

Avybites, ABC Avalanchas and similar pages offer interesting—and sometimes shocking—videos of real avalanche accidents. It's nice to share such stories, nod sagely, and declare you’d never have made that mistake. But let's remember that it's easy to judge with hindsight. How many times, more or less consciously, have things worked out OK for us? Just once? Or more than once?

Online tutorials are interesting and often provide food for thought. But until you really get out there and practice, everything remains in the metaverse, while avalanches themselves are all too real.

Learn, practice, experiment (cautiously), gather feedback... repeat.

Nope, it's not like school—it's much more exciting than that. The process of learning out on the snow is anything but obvious and far from boring. The major snag is the real exams happen when you least expect them to, and even small slips or oversights can have serious consequences.

You might then consider investing the money you save in a training course, and perhaps convince your backcountry buddies to do the same. When purchasing this equipment, it’s best to steer clear of second-hand devices, and seek out a competent dealer or ask for advice from an Alpine Guide.

Even lighter models are valid and durable if you want to save the grams. 240-260 cm is the standard length. Burials any deeper than this and you’re probably talking about needing the rescue services (especially considering the digging times). Talking about shovels, it's a case of size does matter: in an emergency a large shovel with an extendible handle can make the difference, as can the proficiency of the digger. Yes, digging is the phase of a self-rescue that takes the longest; it’s tiring and not as simple as it might seem. When was the last time you dug hard for more than 5 minutes? Any doubts? Get out and train. 

Probably the most significant study regarding the effectiveness of avalanche backpacks is The effectiveness of avalanche airbags, published in 2014 by Haegeli, Falk, Procter et al.

Their findings? If properly worn, charged and activated, it can halve avalanche mortality rates. From an average of 22% deaths for users without an airbag backpack, the rate drops to 11% for those who wear one and are able to deploy it. Rather disturbingly, the study also observed that approximately 20% of avalanche victims were unable to activate their device.

So yes, if you’re still unsure about your next Christmas present for the 24/25 season and are torn between the latest action-cam and an airbag backpack... well, the answer’s pretty clear. Then it’s just a matter of choosing the volume, model and activation mode that suits you.

And helmet choice mostly comes down to the latter. We’re skiing ever harder, and protecting your head is becoming a necessity as well as a smart choice, which should take priority over comfort, lightness, and ventilation— all factors that in any case should be considered. When it comes to skimo races, helmets must be certified in accordance with ISMF regulations, which are also implemented by FISI (the Italian winter sports federation) for races on Italian territory. For some years now, the CE EN 12492 standard, which relates to mountaineering, has no longer been adequate, and the CE EN 1077 standard which covers ski helmets has also been required. Many models are now certified to offer protection from lateral forces, penetration— like mountaineering helmets which are designed to provide protection from falling objects—and from impacts (dedicated ski helmets). This year too, the trend continues, with some products having a third certification to also cover cycling, which means they can be used year-round for multiple disciplines: they’re becoming lighter and better ventilated, albeit with some weight limits for purely mountaineering use. Even in this case we never tire of focusing on the details: space taken up in a pack, and an effective head torch holder that’s easy to operate when wearing gloves really make the difference on the snow.