Bruce Tremper, the author of Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain and Avalanche Essentials was recently interviewed in a video by Black Diamond. There he talks about risk in avalanche terrain.
Though Bruce has a lot of excellent wisdom in this video, there are two moments that really stand out. The first is when he says, "I will never be as confident in my avalanche skills as I was in my early twenties." And the second is when he says, "the whole extreme thing has gotten out of hand."
It is possible that the two comments are connected. People in their twenties are also those who are pushing the limits in the backcountry. Unfortunately, they are also often the ones who die out there. There's a lot to be said about ratcheting back your risk taking behavior so that - as Bruce says - you can enjoy your sport for a long time to come...
--Jason D. Martin
Very good! It is important be aware about the risks of high altitudes. I was in Bolivia and the locals recommend coca leaves to avoid "soroche" effects (mountain sickness). You can check my post at
ReplyDeleteGood vibes!