Snow Sense: A Guide to Evaluating Snow Avalanche Hazard

A winter backcountry classic. If more skiers and riders read it and followed its guidance my job as a volunteer Search and Rescue team member in Colorado would be a lot easier. In my seven years of responding to avalanche missions, NOT a single one has been for "rescue" of a living person; they've ALL been for "recovery" of the body. NEVER go into the winter backcountry alone, and ALWAYS carry an avalanche beacon, probe pole, and metal-bladed shovel with you, ensuring that EVERYONE in your party does likewise. Perhaps most importantly, ensure that everyone ... you, too ... knows how to use them. Best that you never get caught in an avalanche, but if you are, your best (sometimes your ONLY) chance for survival lies with your friends' ability to quickly find you and to dig you out before you freeze or suffocate, assuming, of course, that you weren't already dead because you were smashed into a tree or a boulder during your "ride" downhill.

An outstanding, small and concise handbook which succeeds in giving the reader a sound, step by step understanding of the avalanche phenomena. Methods to assess the snow and avalanche conditions are clearly explained. Tips to best understand the risks and danger in traveling through avalanche terrain are explained, as is how to conduct an avalanche self or party rescue. The authors unparalleled experience in the study and teaching of avalanches and their consequences makes this handbook a necessity if you are new to the game, and a very worthwhile addition to the experts' library. There is not a word wasted!

This book has always been recommended in any snow, avalanche or rescue training courses I have attended. There are good reasons for the recommendation. It works well to prep you for a course or as a refresher to pull out before the snow season. Much of it is common sense but then common sense is not so common anymore. Belongs on the shelf(and needs to be taken off and used) of every winter backcountry user regardless of your mode of transportation.

This book was a recommended text for an Intermediate Backcountry Skills course at Saratoga, California's West Valley College. It discusses physical and psychological hazards in winter backcountry travel. You'll learn what to look for (stay away from cornices and lee slopes if possible), and how best to travel. The book could use an index. I found myself making subject-page number notations on the backs of the covers and frontispieces. No book is all-inclusive on this subject - nothing substitutes for instruction and lots of personal experience - but Snow Sense and Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills together will point you in the right direction.

A potentially life-saving, authoritative classic. Also a small book (which you can't really tell from the listing), so it's a quick read. If you live in or near potential avalanche terrain, you should read this, even if you don't think you need it.

This book is a great entry level guide to understanding how snow pack affects travelers. The weather conditions, people traffic, and terrain all contribute to avalanche factors. How will you plan an outing- snowshoeing, snowboarding, skiing, sledding etc.? Are you and the people in your group prepared for conditions, and ready in case of an emergency? Do you practice rescue techniques in case on an emergency? All this and more is cover in this book to prepare for back country snow travel in avalanche zones.

My friend told me to read this book before going into my avalanche classes. this book really gave me a head start on my courses and helped me understand very valuable info. I would recommend this book to anyone who is going into avalanche classes or starting to ski or snowboard in the back country. Very valuble info

Well written, easy to read for a novice snow man. I purchased this after an avalanche course and it has expanded my respect for the mountains. I live in the flat lands of iowa, so it is important to learn what I can to be safe in the mountains where I vacation in the winter.