Valdez, AK hosts plenty of avalanches each year.

Over the last few years the month of December has evolved into Avalanche Awareness Month for me. There is enough snow to get in the mountains in December but often times the snowpack is thin and the avalanche danger is high. It has become the perfect time to dust off my avy gear and get re-dialed in with updated protocols and rescue skills. Now I want to get you involved with this early season education.

I would like to officially announce December as Avalanche Awareness Month here at Jones Snowboards. Throughout the month we will highlight the skills that allow us to come home safely everyday observation techniques to assess risk when sizing up lines, as well as the best techniques for responding to avalanche accidents.

I am by no means an avalanche expert so I will be combining my experiences with links to other top professionals in the field. Experts who have come up with techniques that I find effective and trustworthy.

What you will not get over the next month is the super scientific break down of snow crystals and snowpack analysis. Though such technical information is valuable, I like to keep things simple when evaluating terrain. The goal has always been to answer basic questions Can I ride this slope or not? How can I minimize my risk as much as possible if I choose to drop in? How do I deal with a situation if something goes wrong?

Unfortunately there is no way to eliminate all the risks of backcountry snowboarding, but a large percentage of avalanche tragedies could have been avoided if the victims had any understanding about traveling in avalanche terrain. Our goal is to get you up to speed on the basics of avalanche awareness straight away and inspire you to take an avalanche or first-aid class as soon as possible if you haven t already. This campaign isn t just for backcountry beginners however.

I have lost some of my biggest mentors to avalanches. Avalanche Awareness Month is just as important to me as it is to the person looking to ride their first line outside the resort.

Rule #1 Live to ride another day.

- Jeremy Jones

JonesSnowboards.com