Backcountry Skiing and Snowsports Avalanche Safety Quiz

Backcountry skiing avalanche safety quiz.

INSTRUCTIONS: Please think briefly about each question and click your best answer. Be brutally honest, the process is totally anonymous. The idea is to get a general evaluation of how at-risk you are when recreating in avalanche terrain. This is NOT a quiz to check your knowledge level. The quiz is oriented to people who travel in avalanche terrain and have some knowledge of avalanche dynamics and safety. Your result will numeric from a low number up to 5,000. Your score will be one of 5 levels within that range, see below for details about each of the 5 score levels.

At this time we have no function for you to view a summary of your answers, though you can read an explaination of the questions and answers here. If you're concerned about your score, show the quiz to an experienced avalanche safety educator and ask them about the answers. Hint, many of the correct answers involve "human factor" issues and are somewhat counter intuitive. Also, please be advised that backcountry skiing in avalanche terrain is inherently risky, thus, the quiz will tend to score higher rather than lower. For example, the question about how many times a winter you ski is important to the overall score. But everything works together in the quiz and more of the good cancels out the bad. Lastly, we can easily edit the questions and answers so we can act on your feedback -- by no means do we think this quiz is the end-all be-all, it's just a start! To comment on this quiz please leave a blog comment here.

SCORES:

First, be aware that a higher numeric score = more risk.

Level one of five. You are at very little risk of dying in an avalanche. The only way to reduce your risk more would be by staying home. Note that ending up in this category requires a somewhat conservative style, as well as very few risk factors. Even fairly safe backcountry skiers will usually not end up in this score range.

Level two of five. Your risk of dying in an avalanche is fairly low, but you may be able to improve on a couple of things. Remember this quiz is more about behavior than knowledge, so the important thing is to look at the style of your backcountry travel -- after that work on your level of knowledge. Be advised that certain risk factors are somewhat or totally fixed. For example: your gender, the area you do most of your recreation, and the number of days you go out, so getting yourself from level two to level one may be difficult and is not important. What's important is to know that you're at more risk than some people, but much less then others, and that you can probably make a few improvements.

Level three of five. You're at about average risk but could probably improve in a a few areas that are easily changed. Study up on human factors. Remember this quiz is more about behavior than knowledge, so first look at the style of your backcountry travel if you want to improve, then work on your knowledge base.

Level four of five. You're in the Red Zone -- one level better than the most risky. Time to re-evaluate your personal philosophy of risk, and improve your act in numerous areas.

Level five of five. You are at the top level of extreme risk. If you want to stay alive do not travel in avalanche terrain before you do a complete revamp of your avalanche education, gear, style and decision making processes.