Each year snowmobile riders are able to venture further into remote terrain once nearly impossible to reach in winter. As a result, the number of riders caught and buried in avalanches is rising. Nationwide, more than 100 snowmobile riders have died in avalanches in the past 10 years.

Avalanche safety training is a critical tool for snowmobile riders in Montana today, from the extreme sport enthusiast to the family rider.  

There are simple things every rider can and should do—for example carry a shovel, probe, transponder and other regulation safety equipment.

Another important step is for a snowmobile rider to be aware of the unique risks built into their sport.

Imagine for a moment trying to focus on snow crystals as you’re zipping through the winter woods at 30 miles per hour, fully suited with a darth vader- style helmet on. It is difficult to have anything but tunnel vision, with a focus on avoiding trees and other riders.

The speed, required gear, and weight of the machine combine to make it tough for a snowmobile rider to notice common avalanche warning signs, such as weak or un-bonded layer of snow eight inches under the surface, that signal’s skiers to be cautious. It is also difficult to communicate with fellow riders as conditions change from one area to the other, unless you all stop frequently.

To compensate for these risks, riders can adopt a few simple behavior changes that will substantially lower their chances of being caught in an avalanche.

1. In Montana, over half the people killed in avalanches would be alive today if only one rider at a time was exposed on a slope. This one precaution saves lives.

2. If all snowmobile riders carried rescue gear and knew how to use it, the number of fatalities would be significantly reduced. There is nothing more devastating on an accident scene than finding someone dead from a shallow burial where a transceiver may have saved his or her life.

3. Avalanches are all about timing. There are times when snowpack is stable and others when it is unstable. Learn to recognize the signs of recent avalanche activity and unstable snow conditions and avoid traveling in that terrain.

Last winter the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center alone taught 56 education programs to 2,700 people—over 500 of them snowmobile riders.

This avalanche training will help a snowmobile rider to make decisions based on real data instead of wishful thinking. To put this training to use, some riders must realize that:

* Snowmobiles cannot outrun an avalanche,

* Snowmobile riders are seldom found next to their sled in an avalanche,

Any slope can slide and create an avalanche.

Sitting on a powerful snowmobile provides a false sense of invulnerability. The reality is that if you are snowmobiling in avalanche terrain you need to be prepared, continuously assess the risks and take the simple steps that have been proven to make a difference in whether you live or die.

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