First, some of you may be thinking that "Eastern avalanche terrain" is an oxymoron, and herein lies some of the issue. Many Eastern skiers spend much of their time in areas that simply aren't avalanche-prone, and because of this it's completely normal for many backcountry skiers to not carry any avalanche rescue equipment. But, as Frank Carus, the acting Lead Snow Ranger for the Mount Washington Avalanche Center (link) points out: "We have plenty of places where you can get buried".
The North Face of Gothics in New York's Adirondacks is a popular spring ice and snow climbing route, but occasionally holds enough snow to get skied, or to avalanche. |
One issue that Carus and others wrestle with is the perception among some people--even those who are aware of Eastern avalanches--that even though the East has them, that "Eastern avalanches are different".