By Steph Yin
Scientists have a good grasp on how weather and terrain contribute to avalanches. Research suggests avalanche forecasts have about an 80 percent accuracy rate. But human activity is a huge — and unpredictable — factor in avalanches.
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From survey responses, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Hendrikx have found that groups that preplanned routes and made communication a priority made better decisions. People who dug pits to assess snow characteristics or looked for recent avalanche activity before going down a slope sometimes changed routes to avoid danger.
The researchers hope their findings can help improve avalanche education. They also believe their research can help others who traverse tricky terrain in their work, such as wildland firefighters and military personnel.
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