About Avalanche Safety: |
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It’s imperative that you are supplied with avalanche safety gear when you decide to venture out into the mountains and uncontrolled environments. We get it. It’s not pleasant to think of the worst possible thing to happen, but should the unthinkable happen, it’s best that you are fully prepared. Moosejaw carries a wide selection of avalanche safety gear and equipment to keep you safe against all the what-ifs.
You should always carry an avalanche beacon, probe and snow shovel. A beacon, also known as an avalanche transceiver, emits an electromagnetic radio signal that communicates with other beacons. In the event of an avalanche, your beacon will help establish the general location of someone buried in snow. Then comes in the avalanche probe. Rescuers use this to penetrate through the snow to find the buried person. Once pinpointed, a snow shovel is used to quickly and effectively dig someone out in those critical minutes after an avalanche ends. In addition to these critical safety supplies, avalanche airbag packs are quickly making a name for themselves as a must-have piece of safety gear. If you’re caught in an avalanche, pull the handle on the shoulder strap. This will deploy the airbag and will help keep you near the surface of the snow making it easier to find and rescue you. As important as it is to carry these avalanche safety items with you, it’s just as important that you understand how avalanches work. This will help you identify high-risk environments and avoid potentially life-threatening situations. |