Current Projects

This project aims to better understand the decision-making process of professional ski guides and develop tools to support that process. We worked closely with expert guides to conceptually map their decision-making process and build machine learning models based on real world data. The models are intended to capture the historic decision-making practices of guiding operations to support future decisions and provide a common understanding of risk management practices amongst the guiding team.

SFU is collaborating on an Avalanche Canada project to build a centralized, searchable online database of all recorded fatal avalanche accidents in Canada, designed to improve data accessibility, support research, and strengthen public safety and prevention efforts.

Uncertainty is a major factor in avalanche forecasting and decision-making, yet it has received remarkably little attention in research. The objective of this project is to increase awareness and comprehension of uncertainty’s role in public avalanche forecasts.

The primary goal of this research project is to develop research methods that can produce low-cost and large-scale avalanche terrain maps to support backcountry recreationists making informed avalanche risk management decisions. These maps can assist with identifying avalanche start zones, runout zones, and classifying the terrain based on the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) to provide objective and consistent decision support tools.