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Use of Avalanche Gear While Ice Climbing and Mountaineering
Monday, December 23, 2013
Peter Tucker, Executive Director and Marc Piché, Technical Director

Given that the ACMG's prime directive is the protection of the public interest, we are looking to advocate for a significant change in best practices for travel in avalanche terrain. The ACMG is promoting the use of avalanche safety gear for waterfall ice climbing as well as for summer mountaineering when avalanche hazard may be present. In the last few years, the instructors of waterfall ice guiding and alpine guiding courses in Canada and a number of European countries have started to embrace the logic behind using avalanche safety gear in the same way as in their ski programs. The common practice in the past while ice climbing, both for guided and recreational activities, has been to travel in avalanche terrain without avalanche safety gear. The ski industry had a similar evolution in the early 80's. Some of this was driven by cost, availability, and practicality associated with training people. Eventually, the backcountry skiing industry embraced avalanche safety gear, and now it is the norm virtually all the time when in avalanche terrain.

Some guides have been proactive in using avalanche gear for many years while ice climbing. Over the past few years, at least one large adventure guiding company has made the shift to providing avalanche gear for waterfall ice climbing trips. They have successfully worked through the logistics of training in the same way as when guiding skiers.

The Boyd et al. study on avalanche fatalities from 1984-2005 suggests that 58% of those involving ice climbers were due to asphyxia.(Footnote 1.) The number was even higher for mountaineering (80%.) Following incidents involving climbers in avalanches, media generally ask why they had not been carrying avalanche gear. The simple, although difficult to justify answer, is that this has been the common practice. We believe this needs to change.

There are some logistics to work through, but none are insurmountable. Modern avalanche gear is light, robust and easy to use. In addition, discussions need to take place around such things as:

• Appropriate training for clients (in a guiding situation) or recreational partners
• Which climbs warrant the use of avalanche equipment
• Whether to bring the gear up the climb or leave it at the base.

Avalanche safety equipment is of course, not intended to take the place of good decision-making and terrain selection. As we all know though, regardless of experience, it is possible to be wrong with avalanche hazard assessment, so best to err on the side of safety.

There is a cultural shift taking place and the mandate of the ACMG places us at its forefront. We hope you will embrace this change in your personal and professional practices, and advocate for it whenever you are in a leadership role or have a teachable moment opportunity.

1 Boyd, Jeff, et al. "Patterns of death among avalanche fatalities: a 21-year review." Canadian Medical Association Journal 180.5 (2009): 507-512.