Avalanche & Safety

As snowmobiles get more powerful and riders more skilled, the opportunities for exploring the backcountry grow. But before you head out in to the snow, you need to be aware of the possibility of avalanches.

Almost 90% of all avalanche accidents are caused by the people involved. That means avalanches rarely come roaring down from above with no apparent reason. You, or someone in your group, can trigger a slide just by being on a slope at the wrong time. That’s why it’s so important to be able to recognize avalanche terrain and realize when you and your friends are taking a risk. Avalanches can happen anywhere there is enough snow and enough incline. It doesn’t take much, 30 cm of snow on a 25º slope can do it.

Over the course of the winter, the snowpack and the avalanche conditions are always changing. There are times to go out and explore and there are times to limit your travel to mellow terrain !

As snowmobilers we must open our eyes to the reality and dangers of the terrain we choose to recreate in. Day in and day out we see or hear of our fellow snowmobilers making incorrect and uneducated decisions about the terrain they have chosen to ride in. No matter how big and powerful our snowmobile is, it will not save us from the extreme dangers of an avalanche.