It's nice to see someone actually talk about if they would ski or not. The problem with all the avy videos and writing is they never tell you when you should or shouldn't ski. While I get people don't want to risk saying it's safe or not but most people I see digging pits have no idea when or if they should be going or not.
RU-vid algorithm should make this video viral. After skiing 7 years in resorts, I am bringing my 10 and 13 year old boys into multi day hut to hut ski touring. This video is as close as you can get to the real course about snow tests and should be watched multiple times prior to taking any courses. Nice trick with the rope, carrying saw and test snow kit is way to much weight and space in the backpack. Only one minor remark about your trick with adding a bit of snow for the shoulder taps: I would personally not do it, because it "takes" away a lot of force from the shoulder tap... thus introducing additional inaccuracy to the test. Great video! Thank you very very much for creating it.
Preach man, we'd definitely appreciate the exposure and we're glad you like the video! Honestly, we're just out there skiing everyday and wanna bring a bit of that experience back to get more people shredding in the outdoors.
Great video. Love to see you opt not to ski higher, riskier conditions/terrain in favor of lower/safer terrain. As others have said, it's often skipped.
Good job on the video! Iv been skiing for years and have been caught in an avalanche and triggered avalanches. This is great simple clip to understand the signs.
This is great!!! Thanks so much, I would love to see more content like this and how to interpret different types of pit test results. E.g. how many taps is okay, what type of slab make it more or less okay, and how that relates to risk tolerance. Maybe just describing your personal rules for yourself as all people will have different rules based on their risk tolerance. Like some ppl may not want to ski a slope at all if they think there’s a 10% chance it would slide, but others are willing to risk it if they think it would be a smaller slide and use tools like the “safe zone” and shoulder look that you described. Thanks again for the video!
Hugely appreciate it man, ngl we kinda stopped working on the channel for a bit but it'd be a dream to make this channel full time. We will be back this season with regular videos hopefully!
Heyo, sorry been running all over for winter. We have a full backcountry guide up on the channel that Jordan did and I have a ton of videos in the pipeline. It's really hard to find time for personal videos when client work takes most my time but if you have any specific topics you want covered let me know and I'll make them my next priority.
One reason we avoid saying something like that is because there is no hard and fast rule. Additionally failures happen in a variety of ways, compression, separation, propagating, nonpropagating. I've skied a slope that failed on 5 with non-propagating collapse of the top layer, and I've refused to ski a slope that broke at 27 with a deep weak layer. I've also been in an avalanche where the test didn't fail. Common sense and caution is the hard and fast rule. Nothing else will keep you alive.
Don’t try to learn this material from a RU-vid video. Go take an AIARE course to learn how to manage risk in the backcountry; it is a vast topic and pits are one of the last things you need to learn (if ever). Pits are never a go/no-go decision maker. They are used EXCLUSIVELY to compare to what you are expecting to see from your pre trip planning. Pits can only close terrain, never open it. Again, if you value your safety, don’t try to get your avy training from an uncertified RU-vidr. Take a course.
After you make your Snow Pit Wall and your going to use your shovel, after you put your shovel vertically straight down DO NOT BEND YOUR SHOVEL TO AN ANGEL, USE 2 HANDS(one at the very top and top and the other just above the blade)AND KEEPING THE SHOVEL SHAFT TOTALLY VEHICLE AND WITH BOTH HANDS SOMEWHAT PULL AND FORCE THE ENTIRE SHOVEL TOWARDS YOURSELF TILL THE ENTIRE BLOCK OF SNOW COMES COMPLETELY OUT THAT WAY YOU GET A TRUE SQUARE BREAK.
