{"id":6417,"date":"2022-03-14T10:50:48","date_gmt":"2022-03-14T16:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/?p=6417"},"modified":"2022-03-14T13:13:01","modified_gmt":"2022-03-14T19:13:01","slug":"an-ode-to-low-angle-terrain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.voile.com\/blog\/an-ode-to-low-angle-terrain\/","title":{"rendered":"An Ode To Low-Angle Terrain"},"content":{"rendered":"

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SKIING LOW-ANGLE TERRAIN IS STILL SKIING, AND SKIING IS THE BEST. PERIOD.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many avalanche classes and backcountry riding communities stress that \u201cthe decision to not go is never wrong,\u201d or some other such quip that values the ability to ski another day over the risk of life or serious injury in the event of an avalanche. In a world where there exists inherent allure to ski steeper, deeper, bigger, gnarlier avalanche terrain, and, in some circles, a competitive pressure to \u201cconquer,\u201d \u201cslay,\u201d \u201cdominate\u201d lines for reasons internal and external, it is important to vocalize that skiing low-angle terrain is still skiing, and skiing is the best, period. While skiing lines in avalanche terrain can be gratifying, intentionally not skiing in avalanche terrain offers gratification of its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an appreciation for low-angle terrain; Places where the gnarliest, experienced backcountry users can slow down and rest their decision-making brains. For newer users to practice gear use and make snowpack observations. A place where users of all levels can share space, knowledge, and community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My avalanche classes taught me that around 95% of avalanches occur in terrain that is 30-45 degrees<\/a>. So, the lower the slope angle below 30 degrees, the closer the risk for avalanche danger is, even in unstable conditions. Of course, “low danger ain\u2019t no danger”, but we can get pretty darn close. By bringing the slope risk factor closer to zero, you are freer to focus on human factors and to connect with the humans and ecological communities around you. You may find, like me, that doing this doesn\u2019t have to change the fun factor an iota.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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PERKS IN PRACTICE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of the skiing I do is with friends who have varied levels of avalanche education and rescue practice. I\u2019m sure this is the case for many more backcountry users given the increase of interest in winter backcountry access in the mid-pandemic USA. We also live in central Colorado where the snowpack is frequently unstable and there’s a higher probability for avalanches throughout the winter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The beauty of low-angle terrain is that you can still observe cracking, whumphing, wind loading, and other visual indicators of avalanche red flags in a snowpack with virtually no danger of being caught in an avalanche. This is helpful for someone just getting their chops as a backcountry traveler and for folks moving into roles of backcountry mentorship. Because we love a nearly 100% probability of not being caught in an avalanche, my group and I have used slope shading tools in CalTopo<\/a>, in addition to careful real-life observations, to identify several zones near the town where the terrain slope angle is never greater than 25 degrees and we never travel beneath slopes greater than 27 degrees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Two Zones Are The Same<\/h5>\n\n\n