Planning for trips in avalanche terrain: how experience influences planning for backcountry trips and lift-accessed off-pist trips in avalanche terrain

Abstract

This Master of Arts is a qualitative study on how experience informs the planning phase for trips in avalanche terrain. By comparing two groups having different level of experience, this study is trying to reveal if persons in these groups are planning similarly to others in the group, if there are differences between the groups and also looking into the way they are planning for a trip in the backcountry and a lift-accessed off-piste trip in avalanche terrain. Skiing in avalanche terrain has rapidly become more popular in Norway over the last decade, causing an increase in avalanche fatalities for recreationists. This study can help revealing how experienced skiers and avalanche educators in Norway are thinking prior to trips, and hopefully give insights to how people with less experience can adopt this to keep safe in avalanche terrain. Through interviewing six informants, this research has been able to reveal a difference in how these persons with different experience plan for a trip in avalanche terrain, and also point out differences between planning for lift-accessed off-piste trips and trips in the backcountry.