Archive:Avaluator1.0

The Avaluator is a new decesion making support tool from the CAA. It has two side, once for trip planning and one for slope assessment. This page simply reproduces the decision making model that the Avaluator uses. Data on this page comes from the Avaluator booklet.

The Avaluator is available from MEC and other retailers for $10. It comes with a pocket sized reference card and an information booklet about how to apply the descision making model.

Trip Planning

The Public Avalanche Forecast danger rating and the ATES Terrain rating are combined on a simple table to asses the risk of the trip.

	Simple	Challenging	Complex
Extreme	Not recomended	Not recomended	Not recomended
High	Extra Caution	Not recomended	Not recomended
Considerable	Normal caution	Extra Caution	Not recomended
Moderate	Normal caution	Normal caution	Extra Caution
Low	Normal caution	Normal caution	Extra Caution

Stability Assessment

This part consists of 7 questions that are sometimes refered to as the obvious clue method. 7 Yes/no Questions are posed and the number of Yes responses are added up. The 7 questions form the acronym ALPTRUTh.

Avalanches

Recent natural or human triggered avalanche activity

Loading

Recent loading by snow, wind or rain

Path

Is the slope an avalanche path or start zone

Terrain

Is there a terrain trap that increases the consequences of getting caught in an avalanche

Rating

Is the PAF Danger rating Considerable or higher

Unstable snow

Is there any evidence of unstable snow

Thaw instability

Is the snowpack melting due to solar radition and/or warm temperatures.

Add up the number of questions to which the answer is yes.

# Yes	% of historical accidents at this level and below	Recommended action
0	0%	Normal caution is advised
1	0%	Normal caution is advised
2	2%	Normal caution is advised.
3	8%	Extra caution is advised.
4	23%	Extra caution is advised.
5	53%	Travel is not recomended on the slope.
6	90%	Travel is not recomended on the slope.
7	100%	Travel is not recomended on the slope.