BushwalkBushwalk
In July I opened my news feed to an article on two missing snowboarders on Mt Bogong. My heart sank as I feared the worst. As a lover of the mountains it's valuable and necessary to reflect on the disaster, and what Australian mountain adventurers can learn and be challenged by.
BUT AVALANCHES DON’T HAPPEN IN AUSTRALIA! OR DO THEY?Geoff Mallinson
24 | BWA August 2014
What does this tragedy mean for Australian backcountry travelers?
We expect avalanches when overseas and in the backcountry such as above on Mt Washington in the White Mountains, but overlook their danger when home in Australia.
1. Avalanches do happen in Australia every year
Australia has the wind, snow and slopes to produce avalanches in the backcountry. I was in the Australian mountains when the two Victorian men went missing and knew first-hand the large snowfalls we'd had leading up to then plus the strong winds - a recipe for an avalanche. I'd seen a large cornice on Mt Kosciuszko early in the season and immediately suspected that both experienced mountain men were likely caught in an avalanche.
2. Backcountry travelers need to understand the causes, risks and how to stay safe
We need to educate ourselves about slope angles, snow pack conditions leading to a weak layer, weather conditions (and its history) and triggers for an avalanche. Many
of us have seen the large cornices that form on the Main Range, and keep well clear, such as the south ridge of Kosciuszko or around Blue Lake. Some people also see slab avalanches which can funnel into gullies, as may have happened on Bogong.
Outdoors people use information about what may have gone wrong as a personal lesson, and also feel a kindred spirit with others who understand the drive we have to head into the wilderness. I wasn't on the mountain with them (I was north on the Main Range) so it's not my place to speculate on the details. Hopefully, more will come to light that we can endeavour to make our adventures as safe as possible.
We know that avalanches do happen in Australia - and they are deadly.
Blue Lake Avalanche where a skier died in 2008
3. Wilderness travel can be dangerous
It's important to remember the names of the men who lost their lives - Daniel Kerr and Martie Buckland. They are sons, brothers, husbands and dads. People who loved and were loved. Their deaths are tragic but we also understand the base drive for wilderness that puts us in potentially risky places.
Skier Tom Carr Boyd lost his life at Blue Lake in 2008 when a cornice collapsed. I first noticed something was wrong when we heard the helicopters circling overhead. I was just over the ridge heading down from Mt Twynam back to Guthega after a great few days out. It had been snowing for the week prior to the incident and strong winds, causing a big snow loading and large cornices. On the morning of the accident the wind stopped and the sun came out. Conditions were perfect for an avalanche, even without the added weight of a skier on the cornice, as the snow pack temperature rose.
BWA August 2014 | 25
4. Our wild places are amazing and still worth visiting
After an incident we can overreact and convince ourselves that it's simply too dangerous. We may become overwhelmed by all of the possible dangers and so take the easy option and stay away. With the right knowledge and gear we can minimise risks. Experience is important. Take the time to acquire skills, carefully monitor your surroundings, act accordingly, and be prepared.
Matt (aka Wildwalks) and I have developed a way to see the common slope angles where avalanches may occur. This shows an overlay in Google Earth of slopes with moderate risk, over 25 degrees (orange). Higher risk slopes over 36 degrees are in red. This tool doesn't take into account any wind loading, or snow pack conditions; it only will tell you slope angles that you can feed into your preparations. You may be surprised at how much is covered and where. This tool does not show you where specific risks are, much more detailed analysis is needed, but it gives you a sense of the scale of potential
avalanche areas. This map does not mention other risks such as cornices or when snow turns to ice (when crampons and ice axes are required).
Questions we should ask ourselves as backcountry winter travelers
Is the risk worth it?
Does the party have the right knowledge to diagnose and avoid dangerous areas?
Does the party have have the right equipment?
Where can I obtain good information about the area?
Why do we not take seriously our mountains and their danger?
What cultural changes need to take place in Australia?
What can we do keep safe the growing numbers of new people heading backcountry?
26 | BWA August 2014
They died doing something they love. I can't mentally make sense of the dichotomous absolute love of the mountains and need to go there. I have coupled with the risk involved and leaving loved ones behind if I die or am injured.
On one hand it's not just a hobby to us. It's a basic drive we have to head into wild places, connect with nature and ourselves. It's a spiritual experience. For most it's not about being an adrenaline junkie, taking risks or being extreme. For me it's about exploring wild places, places that give me life and bring perspective to life. Places I spend most of my waking and sleeping life dreaming about and planning to go or visiting.
On the other hand, there are risks involved. As stories about people going missing and dying in the mountains can't be ignored, I try and take as many sensible precautions as I can. I know that I can't do everything to avoid all risks. Some things aren't practical, or the chances of something happening are low enough not to warrant the implementation (and sometimes hassle). For example, many wilderness travellers take
large amounts of “emergency” gear such as spare hot meals, extra clothes, lots of extra fuel and other redundant gear all adding up kilograms of extra weight in your pack. This slows you down and increases your chance of injury or taking too long, causing that very emergency you're trying to prevent.
My approach
For now all I can do it to minimise every risk I can. I'll continue to travel and take my family into the backcountry. I can teach them about cornices, how they form and how to avoid them. We can make sure we stay well clear of them and avalanche zones for slabs. We'll watch the weather in the weeks and days leading up to a trip and talk to locals about conditions. We'll do all that we can “right”, but go making no promises that everything will be okay.
More information
Click here to see "NPWS media release 'Enjoy Kosciuszko but respect the snow and conditions"
and link to their alpine safety page.
BWA August 2014 | 27