Avalanche basics: what you need to know

An average of 100 people die in avalanches in the Alps every year. The sad reality is that most of these accidents could have been avoided. Not through expensive equipment or years of experience, but through solid basic knowledge.

This guide covers the fundamental avalanche basics that everyone heading beyond secured pistes in winter needs to know. From avalanche types and avalanche forecasts to emergency equipment and the right behaviour in the mountains.

Not every avalanche is the same. Its type determines its speed, destructive force and likelihood of being triggered. Three types are particularly relevant for ski tourers:

Slab avalanche: the most dangerous type

A cohesive layer of snow releases on a weak layer and breaks away as a slab. It can be recognised by its characteristic fracture line.

• Speed: 80–300 km/h
• Trigger: Usually people
• Risk: 90 per cent of all fatal avalanche accidents
• Typical terrain: Steep slopes of 30–45 degrees, wind-packed snow

Loose snow avalanche

Individual snow crystals release at a single point and pull more snow with them, like an overturned hourglass.

• Shape: Pear-shaped, starts small
• Risk: Usually small, but can grow large
• Typical terrain: Very steep terrain, after fresh snowfall

Wet snow avalanche

Water-saturated snow loses its cohesion and slides away.

• Timing: During daytime warming, in spring
• Speed: Slower, but with enormous mass
• Risk: Difficult to survive if buried, but highly destructive

The avalanche forecast is your most important planning tool. It is issued daily by avalanche warning services and describes the current hazard situation.

The 5 danger levels:

• Level 1 – Low: Snow cover is generally well bonded
• Level 2 – Moderate: Snow cover is poorly bonded on some steep slopes
• Level 3 – Considerable: Snow cover is poorly bonded on many steep slopes
• Level 4 – High: Snow cover is poorly bonded on most steep slopes
• Level 5 – Very high: Unstable snow cover, spontaneous large avalanches are likely

What you absolutely need to consider:

• The danger level does not equal safety: most accidents happen even at level 2
• Check altitude bands: levels often differ at different elevations
• Consider aspect: where is the main danger?
• Understand avalanche problems: wind-drifted snow, old snow, wet snow
• Check the trend: is the situation improving or worsening?

Important avalanche warning services:

• Austria: lawinen.report
• Switzerland: slf.ch/lawinenbulletin
• Germany/Bavaria: lawinenwarndienst-bayern.de
• South Tyrol: lawinen.report
• France: meteofrance.com/meteo-montagne

Standard emergency equipment for ski touring consists of three components. All three are essential, with no exceptions. But beware: equipment alone does not save anyone. Only those who know how to use it have a chance in an emergency.

Avalanche transceiver

Transmits and receives electromagnetic signals at 457 kHz. Everyone wears a device on their body in transmit mode. After an avalanche, searchers switch to receive mode.

• Range: 40–60 metres with modern devices
• 3 antennas have been standard since 2000
• Annual functionality check required
• Change batteries regularly

Avalanche probe

A collapsible rod used to pinpoint the exact location after a transceiver search. Without a probe, you are digging blind.

• Length: 2.40 m minimum, 2.80 m is better
• Material: aluminium or carbon
• Diameter: at least 11 mm for stability
• Markings: depth measurements every 10 cm

Avalanche shovel

A sturdy shovel with a metal blade. On average, a buried person lies beneath 1 tonne of snow. Without a proper shovel, there is no chance.

• Blade: aluminium or stainless steel, never plastic
• Volume: shovel blade of at least 2.5 litres
• Shaft: telescopic or sectional
• Weight: 600–800 g as a compromise

Training is essential, not optional

Owning the equipment does not mean you know how to use it. In an avalanche accident, every second counts:

• After 15 minutes, the chance of survival drops below 50 per cent
• After 35 minutes, it is below 20 per cent
• Professional rescue services often take 30–60 minutes to arrive

You and your group are the first responders. An avalanche course takes 2 days and is the most important investment you can make. You will learn:

• Fast, structured transceiver searches
• Efficient digging using strategy rather than brute strength
• Probing without wasting time
• Teamwork and communication
• First aid for burial victims

Before the tour:

• Read and understand the avalanche bulletin
• Plan your route with alternatives
• Consider weather and temperature trends
• Check your equipment with a transceiver test
• Brief the group: who leads? Where are the critical sections?

During the tour:

• Keep your distance: in critical sections, only one person should be on the slope at a time
• Watch the slope angle: danger begins at 30 degrees, with 35–40 degrees the critical range
• Recognise windslab: wind-packed snow sounds hollow and fractures in slabs
• Whumpfing sounds and cracks: turn back immediately, the snowpack is unstable
• Maintain spacing: 10 m uphill, 30–50 m downhill
• Meeting points: wait in safe places after key sections

Take warning signs seriously:

• Recent avalanches, even small ones
• Whumpfing sounds while walking
• Cracks forming in the snowpack
• Windblown snow plumes on ridges
• Rapid temperature rise

If you are caught in an avalanche:

1. Shout loudly so others know your last known position
2. Release your skis or board if possible to prevent lever injuries
3. Make swimming movements to try to stay on the surface
4. Create an air pocket: in the final phase, place your hands in front of your face to make breathing space
5. Stay calm: panic uses up oxygen

If someone is buried:

1. Remember the last seen point: watch exactly where the person disappeared
2. Call emergency services on 112 while you search, not beforehand
3. Start the transceiver search: switch everyone to receive mode, carry out a systematic signal search, then fine search and pinpoint search; use the probe once the signal is clear
4. Dig strategically: not directly from above, but uphill in a V-shape
5. Give first aid: clear the airways, keep them warm and prepare for rescue

The first 15 minutes are decisive:

• 0–15 min: 90 per cent chance of survival
• 15–35 min: 30 per cent chance of survival
• 35+ min: below 20 per cent chance of survival

You are the only realistic rescue. Professionals arrive too late.

This knowledge is a start, but it is no substitute for practical training. An avalanche course teaches you the skills that save lives when it matters.

What you will learn on a basic course:

• Interpret the avalanche bulletin
• Assess terrain: slope angle, aspect and warning signs
• Understand snowpack structure
• Transceiver searches in realistic conditions
• Shovelling and probing techniques
• Strategic digging
• Group management and communication

Course providers:

• Deutscher Alpenverein
• Österreichischer Alpenverein
• Schweizer Alpen-Club
• Private mountain schools and mountain guides
• Ski touring providers

Cost: EUR 200–350 for 2 days, the most important investment you can make.