The Avalanche Handbook


Book Description

CLICK HERE to download the chapter on "Backcountry Forecasting & Decisions" from The Avalanche Handbook * Information on the unique characteristics of alpine snow, snow slab instability, terrain variables, skier triggering of avalanches, and the nature of avalanche motion * Chapters on the elements of backcountry avalanche forecasting and the decision-making process * This is the text used by search and rescue professionals, ski patrol groups, and outdoor education programs Technical yet accessible, The Avalanche Handbook, 3rd Edition, covers the formation, character, effects, and control of avalanches; rescue techniques; and research on understanding and surviving avalanches. Illustrated with nearly 200 updated illustrations, photos and examples, this updated edition offers exhaustive information on contributing weather and climate factors, snowpack analysis, the newest transceiver search techniques, and preventative and protective measures, including avalanche zoning and control.




The Avalanche Handbook, 4th Edition


Book Description

More than 75,000 copies sold of previous editions New chapter on risk management Includes new photographs and updated illustrations The Avalanche Handbook needs no introduction. For this new fourth edition of the course-adopted and internationally recognized book, David McClung has completed an in-depth review and update of the entire text, as well as consulted outside experts in explosives, search and rescue, and other key topics. Comprehensive sections cover the formation, character, effects, and control of avalanches; avalanche terrain and forecasting; safety and rescue; risk management, preventive and protective measures; and more. Technical yet accessible and with extensive photos, illustrations, graphs, and charts throughout, The Avalanche Handbook will continue to be essential reading for avalanche professionals and serious winter backcountry adventurers.




Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain


Book Description

The more you know about snow stability, the better your travel and rescue skills. And the sharper your decision making, the better you’ll be able to avoid avalanche danger and have more fun in the winter backcountry. In Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, 3rd Edition, acclaimed snow and avalanche expert Bruce Tremper provides easy-to-understand avalanche safety tips and skills, including the latest snow research and techniques for evaluating snowpack, as well how to rescue companions in the event of an avalanche. Other topics include: How to evaluate terrain and decide whether it's safe or dangerous How avalanches work How to test snow stability How to control your exposure and lower your risk Safe travel techniques What to do if you're caught in an avalanche Search-and-rescue strategies Managing the human factors that contribute to accidents This fully revised and updated third edition of Bruce's best-selling book is organized according to the structure of American Avalanche Association classes, and all topics have been updated and reviewed by peer experts. This edition also features a wholly new chapter in which Bruce pulls all the pieces together to create an organized, step-by-step system for making decisions off, and on, the mountain. As Rocky Mountain News proclaimed, "No one who plays in the mountain snow should leave home without having studied this book." Clear, comprehensive, and engaging, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain shares everything skiers, snowboarders, and other backcountry travelers need to know to stay safe in the mountains.




Wilderness Medicine E-Book


Book Description

Quickly and decisively manage any medical emergency you encounter in the great outdoors with Wilderness Medicine! World-renowned authority and author, Dr. Paul Auerbach, and a team of experts offer proven, practical, visual guidance for effectively diagnosing and treating the full range of emergencies and health problems encountered in situations where time and resources are scarce. Every day, more and more people are venturing into the wilderness and extreme environments, or are victims of horrific natural disasters...and many are unprepared for the dangers and aftermath that come with these episodes. Whether these victims are stranded on mountaintops, lost in the desert, injured on a remote bike path, or ill far out at sea, this indispensable resource--now with online access at www.expertconsult.com for greater accessibility and portability-- equips rescuers and health care professionals to effectively address and prevent injury and illness in the wilderness! This textbook is widely referred to as "The Bible of Wilderness Medicine." Be able to practice emergency medicine outside of the traditional hospital/clinical setting whether you are in remote environments, underdeveloped but highly populated areas, or disaster areas, are part of search and rescue operations, or dealing with casualties from episodes of extreme sports and active lifestyle activities. Face any medical challenge in the wilderness with expert guidance: Dr. Auerbach is a noted author and the world's leading authority on wilderness medicine. He is a founder and Past President of the Wilderness Medical Society, consultant to the Divers Alert Network and many other agencies and organizations, and a member of the National Medical Committee for the National Ski Patrol System. Handle everything from frostbite to infection by marine microbes, not to mention other diverse injuries, bites, stings, poisonous plant exposures, animal attacks, and natural disasters. Grasp the essential aspects of search and rescue. Respond quickly and effectively by improvising with available materials. Improve your competency and readiness with the latest guidance on volcanic eruptions, extreme sports, splints and slings, wilderness cardiology, living off the land, aerospace medicine, mental health in the wilderness, tactical combat casualty care, and much more. Meet the needs and special considerations of specific patient populations such as children, women, elders, persons with chronic medical conditions, and the disabled. Make smart decisions about gear, navigation, nutrition, and survival. Be prepared for everything with expanded coverage on topics such as high altitude, cold water immersion, and poisonous and venomous plants and animals. Get the skills you need now with new information on global humanitarian relief and expedition medicine, plus expanded coverage of injury prevention and environmental preservation. Get guidance on the go with fully searchable online text, plus bonus images, tables and video clips - all available on ExpertConsult.com.







NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering


Book Description

This updated edition of the popular NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering reflects the most current practices, equipment, and risk management in mountain climbing.




The Technical Avalanche Protection Handbook


Book Description

Snow avalanches can have highly destructive consequences in developed areas. Each year, avalanche catastrophes occur in mountain regions around the globe and cause unnecessary fatalities and severe damage to buildings and infrastructure. In some mountainous regions, especially in the European Alps, technical avalanche defence structures are built to increase the level of safety for inhabited areas; however, new infrastructure such as roads, railway lines and tourist facilities cause new risk potential in hazardous areas. As a result, the demand is increasing for technical avalanche protection solutions. Avalanche defence structures and protection systems are used in most inhabited mountain regions worldwide. During the last decades, technical avalanche protection has evolved from a specialist field to an independent engineering branch that has gained importance in alpine countries such as Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland, as well as in other countries such as Canada, Iceland, Norway and USA. This work is the first comprehensive, English-language overview of technical avalanche protection and establishes state-of-the-art best practices in the field. It covers the fundamentals of avalanche protection technology and includes plans, dimensions, construction and maintenance of defence structures. The editors have collaborated with an international team of experts from Austria, Canada, France, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland and USA to produce this landmark handbook.




Sustaining Rocky Mountain Landscapes


Book Description

Prato and Fagre offer the first systematic, multi-disciplinary assessment of the challenges involved in managing the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (CCE), an area of the Rocky Mountains that includes northwestern Montana, southwestern Alberta, and southeastern British Columbia. The spectacular landscapes, extensive recreational options, and broad employment opportunities of the CCE have made it one of the fastest growing regions in the United States and Canada, and have lead to a shift in its economic base from extractive resources to service-oriented recreation and tourism industries. In the process, however, the amenities and attributes that draw people to this 'New West' are under threat. Pastoral scenes are disappearing as agricultural lands and other open spaces are converted to residential uses, biodiversity is endangered by the fragmentation of fish and wildlife habitats, and many areas are experiencing a decline in air and water quality. Sustaining Rocky Mountain Landscapes provides a scientific basis for communities to develop policies for managing the growth and economic transformation of the CCE without sacrificing the quality of life and environment for which the land is renowned. The book begins with a natural and economic history of the CCE. It follows with an assessment of current physical and biological conditions in the CCE. The contributors then explore how social, economic, demographic, and environmental forces are transforming ecosystem structure and function. They consider ecosystem change in response to changing patterns of land use, pollution, and drought; the increasing risk of wildfire to wildlife and to human life and property; and the implications of global climate change on the CCE. A final, policy-focused section of the book looks at transboundary issues in ecosystem management and evaluates the potential of community-based and adaptive approaches in ecosystem management.




Protective Forests as Ecosystem-based Solution for Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR)


Book Description

Protective forests are a key component to reduce natural hazard risks in mountain areas by preventing or decreasing the frequency, magnitude and/or intensity of snow avalanches, rockfall, landslides, floods, and debris flows. This book summarizes the state-of-the-art knowledge and introduces methods and decision support tools to facilitate the use of protective forests for Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) as part of an integrated risk management in the Alpine Space. Moreover, it highlights how translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions can only be achieved by an active and iterative exchange with practitioners and policy makers, and a common understanding of applied concepts and definitions. Only then can protective forests be managed sustainably under constantly changing climate and socio-economic conditions.