If you are skier, snowboarder, climber, hiker or anyone that relies on the North American Avalanche Danger Scale to make decisions prior to heading out into in the backcountry, now is the time to provide valuable feedback to the folks at the American Avalanche Association and the US Forest Service National Avalanche Center. Its a quick 8 question survey designed to help understand how the audience understands and uses the North American Avalanche Danger Scale. Here’s an example of question:
“Your feedback is invaluable in making avalanche risk information clearer and more effective.”
While information like the North American Avalanche Danger Scale is an excellent resource to stay safe in avalanche terrain, the first and foremost line of defense is a proper avalanche safety education. Please take the survey HERE and begin or continue your avalanche safety education HERE.
The North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale (NAPADS) is a system that rates avalanche danger and provides general travel advice based on the likelihood, size, and distribution of expected avalanches. It consists of five levels, from least to highest amount of danger: 1 – Low, 2 – Moderate, 3 – Considerable, 4 – High, 5 – Extreme. Danger ratings are typically provided for three distinct elevation bands. Although the danger ratings are assigned numerical levels, the danger increases exponentially between levels. In other words, the hazard rises more dramatically as it ascends toward the higher levels on the scale.
The North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale (NAPADS) is a system that rates avalanche danger and provides general travel advice based on the likelihood, size, and distribution of expected avalanches. It consists of five levels, from least to highest amount of danger: 1 – Low, 2 – Moderate, 3 – Considerable, 4 – High, 5 – Extreme. Danger ratings are typically provided for three distinct elevation bands. Although the danger ratings are assigned numerical levels, the danger increases exponentially between levels. In other words, the hazard rises more dramatically as it ascends toward the higher levels on the scale.
