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发帖数: 17993 | 1 http://www.powdermag.com/avalanche-education/human-factor/
Sean Zimmerman-Wall is a full-time ski patrolman at Snowbird, an avalanche
educator, and an Andean mountain guide. Check in on Tuesdays for resources
and education that will help you have a safe and good season exploring
terrain beyond the boundary line.
In Evidence of Heuristic Traps in Recreational Avalanche Accidents (2002),
researcher and engineer Ian McCammon identified six different types of
mental shortcuts that were present in a study of 600 different avalanche
accidents in the United States. His findings indicated that people were more
likely to take risks if they were operating under one or more of the
following six shortcuts:
Familiarity: Unstable conditions exist regardless of whether the slope is in
your own backyard or not. Being familiar with a certain area and thinking
you know everything about a particular slope is common amongst many
backcountry skiers. The reality is that you likely haven’t seen the area at
its worst and you’ve gotten away with skiing it in the past. Areas
adjacent to ski areas are notorious for luring in avalanche victims because
familiar surroundings tend to make people feel safer.
Acceptance: In light of the prevalence of social media in our society and
the pervasive nature of personal video equipment, being accepted by one’s
peers has become extremely important. The thought of being the next YouTube
sensation or POWDER magazine cover shot is exciting and it entices people to
do things they wouldn’t otherwise do. Trying to impress the members of
your group is dangerous and ego should be left at the trailhead. You get a
lot more respect in the mountains by making calculated decisions.
Commitment: Being a skier is more of an identity now than it has been in the
past. The thought of going pro or scoring some free gear because of your
backcountry exploits is quite powerful. It is important to understand that
your skier status revolves around being alive. Backing off from an objective
because conditions are sketchy shows restraint and professionalism. Plans
are great, but contingencies are better. Feeling your way through the
mountains and paying attention to the Indian signs is a good way to avoid
escalation of commitment and come home to ski another day.
Expert Halo: There are plenty of people in the backcountry these days that
claim to be experts. Some are, but most only talk a big game. Recognizing
the dynamic of your group is important. A default leader is usually someone
who is the oldest, coolest, most skilled skier, etc. But these people don’t
necessarily have the avalanche smarts to get a group through the mountains
safety. Often their risk tolerance is different then their teammates. At any
rate, the mountains don’t care if you are an expert or not, they will
strike you down if you make a mistake.
Scarcity: Better equipment and more publicizing of the awesomeness that is
skiing has led to a crowded backcountry. Urban areas in close proximity to
big terrain further add to the problem. Everyone wants to get their face
shot and a chance to experience the incredible feeling of the perfect turn.
However, this has led to a competition for resources and more people pushing
the limits of safe terrain.
Social Proof: Bruce Tremper, Director of the Utah Avalanche Center, calls
this the “herding instinct.” It boils down to people relying on safety in
numbers. But as Tremper points out, more people on slope means more triggers
and more people caught. People in larger groups are also more apt to take
greater risks (risky shift). Remember that instability exists whether you
are one person or twenty. | O****e
发帖数: 3290 | 2 Good to read these advice from time to time. |
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