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The Avalanche Hour Podcast

Reading the Signs: Avalanche Risk and Decision-Making with Ian McCammon

Feb 20, 2025
Ian McCammon, the godfather of human factors in avalanche education, shares his journey from engineering to avalanches. He discusses the tragic loss of a friend that propelled him into studying decision-making in risky conditions. Key topics include his FACETS acronym, highlighting common cognitive errors, and the Personal Disaster Flags (PDFs) for self-assessment. Ian emphasizes the need for reflective practices and developed the ALPTRUTh algorithm to aid in risk evaluation. His insights underline the balance between emotion and analysis in high-stakes environments.
01:18:36

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Ian McCammon emphasizes the importance of understanding human factors in avalanche decision-making to prevent fatal risks despite previous experience.
  • The introduction of Personal Disaster Flags (PDFs) helps individuals identify biases in their decision-making processes during avalanche assessments.

Deep dives

Human Behavior and Decision Making in Avalanche Contexts

Exploring the intersection of human behavior and avalanche decision-making reveals critical insights into why experienced individuals may still take risks in hazardous conditions. The speaker reflects on a personal loss that sparked an interest in understanding how decision-making processes can fail, especially when under pressure or in familiar territories. Concepts like heuristic traps illustrate how pre-existing mental shortcuts can lead individuals into dangerous situations, as they might underestimate risks based on past experiences. This introspective approach encourages avalanche educators to integrate lessons on human factors into their instruction to better prepare students for real-world scenarios.

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