Avy savvy—that is what Main Jet Motorsports in Nelson, B.C., and Polaris Industries would like for their people. In their first ever joint effort, Main Jet and Polaris offered a free avalanche awareness seminar to anyone and everyone who wanted to participate. It took place on November 12, 2012, at Main Jet. Amber Wood from Triggerpoint Snow Services lent her expertise and shared her wisdom in a down-to-earth type of humour that really got her message across.
Wood is one of us, a sledder, so she knows how we think. She knows our tendency to push boundaries, as well as our tendency to become caught up in the adrenalin of fresh, white pow. When you know better, you have to do better, she believes. Out on the hill is no different. Wood will go out of her way to reach out to riders who may be in harm's way, even if they will tell her to “pound sand.” Strong lady, methinks!
Our class consisted of about 27 people, who ranged in age from about 10 to 60-something. There was something for everyone in that class.
One of the most memorable moments was when Wood got us to run around the building while listening to some wicked tunes. I sang as I ran, “Oh oh, sometimes, I get a good feeling.” When she figured we’d had enough, we stopped to breathe through a teeny tiny coffee stir stick straw. Holy, there wasn’t a whole heck of a lot of air going through that thing. While we were trying to breathe, we watched a video of a man from a point-of-view camera who was buried beneath the snow. It was completely eye-opening—few of us could maintain our breathing for the duration of the time it took rescuers to uncover this rider. That got everyone thinking.
Wood stresses the importance of understanding avalanche bulletins. It’s important to know what the colours mean and how to interpret what is written, as well as how to identify signs in nature that are warning signs of potential danger.
After the class was over, most wanted to participate in an Avalanche Skills Training – Level 1 (AST 1) class. It is all about knowing before you go.
