Supplementary material to "Deriving customized terrain classes for avalanche risk management in mechanized skiing operations from operational terrain assessments"

Abstract. An in-depth understanding of the nature of the available terrain and its exposure to avalanche hazard is crucial for making informed risk management decisions when travelling in the backcountry. While the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) is broadly used for providing recreationists with terrain information, this type of terrain classification has so far only seen limited adoption within the professional ski guiding community. We hypothesize that it is the generic nature and small number of terrain classes of ATES and its precursor systems that prevent them from offering professional decision makers meaningful assistance. Working with two mechanized skiing operations in British Columbia, Canada, we present a new approach for deriving terrain classifications from daily terrain assessment records. We used a combination of self-organizing maps and hierarchical clustering to identify groups of ski runs that have been assessed similarly in the past and organized them into operation-specific terrain hierarchies. We then examined the nature of the emerging terrain hierarchies using comprehensive run characterizations from experienced guides. Our approach produces high-resolution terrain hierarchies that offer a more nuanced and meaningful perspective on the available skiing terrain and provide new opportunities for examining professional avalanche risk management practices and developing meaningful decision aids.

Deriving customized terrain classes for avalanche risk management in mechanized skiing operations from operational terrain assessments

10.5194/nhess-2018-209-rc1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Anonymous

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Avalanche Risk Management

10.5194/tc-2019-218-sc1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Scott Thumlert

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

A method of deriving operation-specific ski run classes for avalanche risk management decisions in mechanized skiing

Natural Hazards and Earth System Science ◽

10.5194/nhess-19-269-2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 269-285 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Reto Sterchi ◽

Pascal Haegeli

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Decision Aids ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Management Decisions ◽

Self Organizing Maps ◽

New Approach ◽

The Past ◽

Abstract. An in-depth understanding of the nature of the available terrain and its exposure to avalanche hazard is crucial for making informed risk management decisions when travelling in the backcountry. While the Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) is broadly used for providing recreationists with terrain information, this type of terrain classification has so far only seen limited adoption within the professional ski guiding community. We hypothesize that it is the generic nature and small number of terrain classes of ATES and its precursor systems that prevent them from offering meaningful assistance to professional decision makers. Working with two mechanized skiing operations in British Columbia, Canada, we present a new approach for deriving terrain classifications from daily terrain assessment records. We used a combination of self-organizing maps and hierarchical clustering to identify groups of ski runs that have been assessed similarly in the past and organized them into operation-specific ski run hierarchies. We then examined the nature of the emerging ski run hierarchies using comprehensive run characterizations from experienced guides. Our approach produces high-resolution ski run hierarchies that offer a more nuanced and meaningful perspective on the available skiing terrain and provide new opportunities for examining professional avalanche risk management practices and developing meaningful decision aids.

Using discrete choice experiments to examine the stepwise nature of avalanche risk management decisions—An example from mountain snowmobiling

Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism ◽

10.1016/j.jort.2018.01.007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 100165 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Pascal Haegeli ◽

Luke Robbins Strong-Cvetich

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Discrete Choice ◽

Choice Experiments ◽

Discrete Choice Experiments ◽

Management Decisions ◽

Dealing with the White Death: Avalanche Risk Management for Traffic Routes

Risk Analysis ◽

10.1111/j.1539-6924.2008.01127.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 76-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Christoph M. Rheinberger ◽

Michael Bründl ◽

Jakob Rhyner

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

IFKIS - a basis for managing avalanche risk in settlements and on roads in Switzerland

Natural Hazards and Earth System Science ◽

10.5194/nhess-4-257-2004 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 257-262 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

M. Bründl ◽

H.-J. Etter ◽

M. Steiniger ◽

Ch. Klingler ◽

J. Rhyner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Information System ◽

Risk Management ◽

Avalanche Forecasting ◽

Federal Institute ◽

Closing The Gaps ◽

The One ◽

Local Safety ◽

Modular Education ◽

Abstract. After the avalanche winter of 1999 in Switzerland, which caused 17 deaths and damage of over CHF 600 mill. in buildings and on roads, the project IFKIS, aimed at improving the basics of organizational measures (closure of roads, evacuation etc.) in avalanche risk management, was initiated. The three main parts of the project were the development of a compulsory checklist for avalanche safety services, a modular education and training course program and an information system for safety services. The information system was developed in order to improve both the information flux between the national centre for avalanche forecasting, the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, and the local safety services on the one hand and the communication between avalanche safety services in the communities on the other hand. The results of this project make a valuable contribution to strengthening organizational measures in avalanche risk management and to closing the gaps, which became apparent during the avalanche winter of 1999. They are not restricted to snow avalanches but can also be adapted for dealing with other natural hazard processes and catastrophes.