Conclusion
Interests in backcountry recreation are exploding! The idea of entering the backcountry at your own risk and being able to play with one of natures finest toys… snow, is truly remarkable. Putting yourself in avalanche terrain is very rewarding but has definite consequences if you do not give attention and respect to the power our mountains can withhold. Avalanche fatalities in USA and Canada are increasing each year; this can be accounted for by an increase in:
Because of the increase in avalanche fatalities, we encourage awareness, education and experience. Team Depth Hoar’s purpose of this project, would like people to see our website, and leave their computer concerned with the number of increasing fatalities in USA and Canada. This added concern will hopefully transform winter recreationists attitude and change the way they think about avalanches. Our harsh winter terrain is fun but can be consequential without proper awareness and safety.
Another concern we have is that avalanches are not on the federal government’s list of natural hazards in Canada. This is because it is felt that they are almost insignificant in terms of death and damage in all of Canada. This makes it difficult for receiving federal support for public avalanche safety and awareness programs from Eastern Canada. (Gaspe Avalanche Forecast Centre (GAFC) in Ste-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec.)
As a conclusion, once avalanche fatalities get recognized as a natural hazard in Canada, we agree with the CAC, Canadian Club of Canada that there should be one specific federal department working on avalanche issues. With the way our numbers are increasing, there must be an increase in funding to promote and publicize avalanche awareness.
The Royal Society of Canada issued a report for the International Decade on Natural Disaster Reduction on all natural hazards in Canada, David McClung wrote the following report on introduction of avalanche hazards: CNR Geological Report
We hope our research and analysis will encourage winter recreation awareness in avalanche terrain and help to contribute to the existing avalanche resources and knowledge base while still encouraging safe backcountry usage.
Although we provide some important information on our website, this analysis is not meant to direct you to where you can recreate safely. Rather, this analysis is only to display where and when avalanche fatalities have previously occurred.
Updated Dec 9, 2005- Webmaster- Nicolas Teichrob