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2025 Archive Index - All Editions

In This Edition:

Avalanche Center releases report on ‘unremarkable’ winter

The Forest Service Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center (BTAC) has released its annual report for the 2024/25 winter season. The report includes a snowpack summary, operations and zone updates, incident and accident data, field observations and outreach. In the report, BTAC Director Frank Carus wrote that the winter was “unremarkable and average in many ways.”
More ... (Buckrail)

Effect of Cornice Formation on Wind Fields and Snow Deposition

Wind-tunnel experiments have studied suitable wind conditions for snow cornice growth. However, our understanding of how snow cornices form has been limited due to the lack of direct measurements regarding the movement of air and snow particles. In this study, we conducted numerical simulations under the same conditions as a previous wind-tunnel experiment to analyze factors such as wind and snow distribution patterns.
More ... (AGU)

Canada greenlights drone-based avalanche blasting

For nearly 80 years, avalanche safety crews in Canada have battled unstable snow with World War II artillery, helicopter drops, and risky ground missions. Now, a Canadian drone company says it has a safer, faster, and more precise way to get the job done — and the government just gave it the green light.

AVSS, best known for its parachute recovery systems for drones, has received a nationwide Special Flight Operations Certificate from Transport Canada to use its SnowDart system for avalanche control. The approval means AVSS can send drones into avalanche-prone areas to drop low-cost, eco-friendly explosives — all without putting crews in harm’s way.
More ... (DroneDJ)

RECCO: Unlikely to Save Your Life, But SAR Teams Love It

Search and rescue teams (SAR) are increasingly incorporating RECCO, an affordable rescue technology, around the world and using it in the summer. In 2015, RECCO launched its SAR Helicopter device to assist in rescue operations year-round. It’s also becoming more commonplace outside of winter gear, being incorporated into hiking shoes, mountain bike helmets, backpacks, hydration vests, and more.

But the rescue technology's limitations are often misunderstood. It’s important to note the differences between passive and active technology. What RECCO won’t do is send messages or signals in the event of an emergency, and will not share your location. So, what does RECCO do, and why is it becoming so important for SAR teams around the world?
More ... (GearJunkie)