Backcountry users and risk communication

Snowshoers and winter hikers are a growing backcountry user group, but little is known about their avalanche awareness and risk management practices. In this project, we talk to more than 500 snowshoers and winter hikers to learn more about their practices and how to better communicate to them about avalanche risk.

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.