Decision-making in avalanche terrain–How does assessment of terrain, reading of avalanche forecast and environmental observations differ by skiers’ skill level?

Abstract

The aims of this study was to determine how skiers' skill level concerning the assessment of avalanche risk affect how they judge avalanche terrain, how they gather information about avalanche risk, and what signs of danger they observe on a trip under considerable avalanche danger. We conducted a survey including 209 skiers, who participated in a seminar four days after several avalanches occurred in a popular ski area in Western Norway. Results showed that novices assessed the terrain for a specific site as less complex than experts, they weighted information in the avalanche forecast differently, and used different strategies to gather information about the snowpack on a trip. We also found a tendency for experts to observe more alarm signs than novices on the avalancheday. We conclude that expertise is important for making the best possible risk assessment in avalanche terrain. Management implicationsThe level of expertise fundamentally affect how backcountry skiers assess the severity of terrain, make use of the information obtained from the avalanche forecast, and their choice of strategies for collecting information from the environment during a trip. We propose to promote the development terrain assessment skills among novice backcountry skiers first as it allows them to control their avalanche risk based on more easily interpretable observations and develop the more challenging avalanche hazard assessment skills gradually through experience.