By Rachel Reich: Project Manager, The Avalanche Project
With exponential growth in both sales and participation in
the backcountry snowsports category in the past three seasons, more and more
people and groups are venturing out into what was once restricted “out of
bounds” on-snow terrain. Is it any wonder that more avalanche incidents are
occurring?
Season over season, the numbers continue to rise. To meet the
demand, gear innovation and terrain openings continue to grow. Skiers,
snowboarders, ice climbers and winter mountaineers, snowshoers and snowmobilers
continue to head to the backcountry in droves, often without a clear sense of what
will enable them to return home safely.
It’s easier now than ever before
to get everything you need to go off-piste without having to go through any
type of training or education. Simply go online, watch a YouTube video, read a
few articles and buy the gear recommended from your favorite online retail
shop. But just like you wouldn’t buy a surfboard, watch a video on how to surf
and go out to surf Mavericks when it’s double overhead – you shouldn’t enter
the backcountry without an understanding and education.
Enter The Avalanche Project. Originally
established as Project Zero in 2010, this collaboration of avalanche
forecast centers, industry brands, manufacturers, retailers and snow
professionals was formed in response to the growing need for centralized messaging
and resources as the backcountry segment exploded.
The goal of The Avalanche
Project is to spread a culture of snow-based mountain safety and responsible
recreation through collaborative action and cohesive messaging. That means all
of us working together to help make this change and push toward safety and
education across the board. It starts with brands like Mammut, who already have a
strong sense of backcountry responsibility that they pass on to their
customers, working with a variety of others to help us have a strong and
impactful voice. Through cohesive messaging as well as athlete and marketing support
that is relayed to the consumer, we can set a better precedent for what one
needs to do to come home alive every time.
Going even deeper, working with brands that speak directly to this audience gives us tools to get feedback and explore the most effective messaging and actions for all, as well as to explore the emotional and behavioral links behind professionals and well educated recreationalists having avalanche accidents. We look to brands like Mammut to be the leaders in this cultural movement and stand out amongst the many manufacturers producing backcountry-specific products as a company that invests in the safety of the greater backcountry community as much as it’s gear.
We’re proud to be working toward better education and spreading the message of backcountry safety with the support of Mammut. Do your part – get educated, lead by example and support companies and brands alike that help our backcountry communities thrive.
To watch The Avalanche Project's most recent video visit: https://vimeo.com/144924557
For more information on The
Avalanche Project visit: theavalancheproject.org
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