If your partner gets buried, you don't have time to go for help!
- Yell to alert others. Watch the victim! Establish a last seen point.
- Make sure it is safe to search. Don't become a victim yourself.
- Establish a leader and make a plan.
- Look for and check surface clues: gloves, boots, helmet.
- Snowmobiles may end up near the surface and riders are often found within 20 feet
of their machine.
- Conduct a beacon search. Get close and probe BEFORE you dig.
You only have about 15 minutes for a good chance to recover someone alive. It
is critical to practice rescues before you're faced with the real thing!
Avalanche rescue gear should always be carried in a pack on your body, NOT on
your sled.
If you are caught...
- Try to get off the slab by gunning your machine and angling to the edge of slide.
- Stay on your sled as long as you can. Snowmobiles often end up on the surface of
the debris.
- If you get separated from your machine, attempt to roll on to your back with feet
downhill. Swim hard, grab trees, dig into the bed surface. FIGHT!
- As the avalanche slows, thrust some part of your body above the surface and, if
your helmet allows, attempt to make an airspace around your mouth.
- If completely buried, attempt to remain calm - your life is in the hands of your
partners.
You have completed an introduction to Avalanche Basics: 1) Kinds of avalanches, 2) Terrain, 3) Snowpack, 4) Weather, and 5) Safe Travel! Be sure to check out the following pages in
the "Learn How To" section for more detailed instructions on performing
an avalanche rescue: