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The Avalanche Hour Podcast

Deep Snow, Deeper Lessons – The Origins of Avalanche Safety with Chris Stethem and Grant Statham (Part 1)

Jan 24, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, Chris Stethem, a retired avalanche consultant, and Grant Statham, a legendary mountain guide, delve into the pivotal moments that shaped avalanche safety practices. They recount the Granduc Mine Avalanche, exploring the urgent need for improved risk assessment. They reminisce about the early days of avalanche management, the evolution of communication methods, and the introduction of avalanche beacons. Their insights on snowpack changes and mentoring within the industry foster a deeper appreciation for the complexities of navigating snowy terrains.
01:32:20

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The Granduc Mine Avalanche incident highlighted the urgent need for improved risk assessment and communication within avalanche safety protocols.
  • The evolution of avalanche control methods since the 1970s illustrates the importance of adapting strategies based on research and field experiences.

Deep dives

Avalanche Risk Management Insights

A significant insight into avalanche risk management highlights the complexity of making sound decisions in the field. It is established that terrain constitutes about 60-70% of decision-making, snow stability about 20%, with luck comprising the remaining 10%. This ratio illustrates how vital understanding the terrain and its features is when assessing potential avalanche risks. For instance, early discussions surrounding the history of avalanche control at Whistler reveal the foundational role of terrain evaluation in establishing effective safety procedures.

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