AIARE One Check for Understanding

Please take a moment to complete this quiz. If you get stuck, you can find the answers here: https://sites.google.com/avtraining.org/2020-21-aiare1online/introduction.

AIARE 1 Check for Understanding

• Name
• Email
• Who is your instructor?
  Jamie BernsteinNancy BockinoChris BrownPatrick CollinsJohn DouglassChris EbelingRiley JordanLynn KennenIzzy LazarusWoody LowderBetsy ManeroChris MartinJohn Michael McGinnKailey McKennaSue PurvisPaul RacheleJohn ReeseJacob SchienmanJerome SmartMichael WachsColin WannTom WhippleRebecca Yaguda
• Is there anyone else on the course that you are traveling or lodging with?
• How many seasons of backcountry touring experience do you have?
• How will you be traveling?
  Touring SkisSplitboard

• Introduction

• 1. What is the goal of the Decision Making in Avalanche Terrain Program (select all that apply)?
  • To be able to predict when and where avalanches happen
  • To learn a process to manage risk
  • To engage in continuous learning from experience
  • To be able to travel in avalanche terrain
• 2. What is the difference between the AIARE 1 and AIARE 2?
  • The AIARE 1 is for beginners and the AIARE 2 is for more serious adventurers
  • The AIARE 1 teaches you a process, the AIARE 2 builds on your experience to use a process to manage uncertainty
  • The AIARE 2 teaches you how to forecast for avalanches
  • The AIARE 1 doesn't teach you anything about making snowpack observations
• 3. I will learn everything I need to know to travel safely by the end of the course.
  • True
  • False

• The AIARE Framework

• 4. The AIARE Framework is a step-by-step backcountry risk management process that consists of daily and seasonal routines and key agreements meant to foster consensus among a backcountry team
  • True
  • False
• 5. Which of the following AIARE Framework Components comprises a seasonal routine as opposed to a daily routine?
  • Ride Safely
  • Plan your trip
  • Prepare
  • All of the above
  • None of the above
• 6. Which of the following is not a primary objective of the daily routine of Plan, Ride, Debrief?
  • To anticipate hazards and create a plan
  • To build individual competence and keep skills sharp
  • To maintain situational awareness in the backcountry and continually modify the plan in response
  • To reflect on the plan in order to intentionally learn from experiences
  • To foster consensus among a backcountry team
• 7. The four guidelines of Teamwork make up a social contract that encompasses which parts of the day?
  • Ride Safely
  • Debrief the Day
  • Plan your Trip
  • All of the above
  • None of the above

• Teamwork

• 8. What are the backcountry rules of engagement?
  • Travel together; Decide together
  • Listen to every voice
  • Challenge assumptions
  • Respect any veto
  • All of the above
• 9. Why do we create consensus among teams? Select all that apply.
  • Because decisions made in the backcountry can potentially have fatal consequences
  • To create participation and sharing within the group to counter our individual biases and group dynamics
  • To make sure the experts are in charge
• 10. What creates a culture that supports a veto?
  • A clearly established social contract
  • Being objective-oriented
  • Declaring yourself the leader
  • Exclusively using snowpit data to make a decision
• 11. Why is it important to challenge assumptions?
• 12. A tool of consensus is to try to convince someone who is voicing concerns that it is going to be okay.
  • True
  • False

• Plan

• 13. When should you make a plan?
  • Only when you're traveling in new terrain
  • Every day you head into the backcountry
  • When the avalanche hazard is really high
  • If you're recreating with new people
• 14. Which of the following is NOT one of the four planning components?
  • Assemble your group
  • Discuss your emergency plan
  • Anticipate the hazards
  • Practice avalanche rescue
• 15. Why do we plan each and every day before we head into the backcountry?
  • To foster a feedback-rich learning environment
  • To proactively manage hazards
  • To reduce our uncertainty
  • All of the above
• 16. If planning had a golden rule, what would it be?
  • Always have internet access
  • Plans should be appropriate for the conditions
  • A plan should never change
  • The team leader is solely responsible for the plan

• Assemble your Group

• 17. Excellent mountain companions are... (select all that apply)
  • Fun
  • Going to agree to travel and decide together
  • Effective communicators
  • Have similar risk tolerances
• 18. What is an ideal group size for backcountry travel?
  • 5-7 people
  • 2 people
  • 3-5 people
  • Solo travel; humans are dangerous
• 19. How can you learn about a partner's risk tolerance? Select all that apply
  • Observe their actions
  • Ask them
  • Infer based on their gear
• 20. Partners that won't respect your veto or give you space to voice your opinion are just pushing you to be a better version of yourself
  • True
  • False

• The Human Factor

• 21. The most common reasons for avalanche accidents in the backcountry is
  • Cornice failure
  • Humans and their actions
  • Persistent slab avalanches
  • Changes in the weather pattern
• 22. Which of the following statements is likely a human factor at work? Select all that apply
  • "I've never met any of these people so maybe we should ride some mellow terrain"
  • "I've skied this slope so many times and have never seen an avalanche"
  • "Let's check the forecast before we make any plans"
  • "This group really seems like they know what they're doing and can charge hard. I hope I can keep up."
• 23. What's an effective strategy to combat human factors?
  • Build an effective, capable team
  • Build awareness around what human factors can look like
  • Utilize Teamwork by giving everyone a voice, respecting any veto and deciding together
  • Know how you make decisions and what can influence them
  • Designate a devil's advocate to challenge assumptions
  • All of the above

• Anticipate the Hazard

• 24. Where can you find avalanche hazard and weather information? Select all that apply
  • avalanche.org
  • your local avalanche center
  • weather.gov
  • avalanche.ca
• 25. Anticipating the hazard is all about copying information from weather websites and avalanche forecast into your fieldbook
  • True
  • False
• 26. What do you do if there isn't an avalanche center forecast for an area you want to go?
  • Don't go
  • Get a PhD in Meteorology
  • Ask your AIARE Provider or a local professional such as a guide service
  • Consult a psychic
• 27. Anticipating the hazards before we enter the field is beneficial because
  • We can slow down to think rationally and deliberately away from environmental pressures
  • The internet provides us with ALL the hazards for the day
  • We can formulate a plan to manage those hazards
  • The coffee is hot and the baked goods are fresh
  • A and C
• 28. Which of the following is NOT part of a good routine for anticipating the hazard?
  • Check the forecast the night before and the morning of
  • Bookmark your favorite forecast or weather tools
  • Automate alerts or emails for your zone from the local avalanche center
  • Wait to check the weather and avalanche forecasts at the trailhead

• Weather

• 29. Weather has very little impact on avalanche hazard and travel plans
  • True
  • False
• 30. Which of the following is a way that low clouds and heavy snowfall can affect backcountry travel? Select all that apply.
  • Obscure views of start zones, recent avalanches or wind-drifted snow
  • Reduce ability to estimate slope angle, recognize terrain features and navigate around steep slopes
  • Increase avalanche hazard
• 31. Which of the following is not a way that clear, calm, sunny skies can affect backcountry travel
  • Make summits and start zones easily visible
  • Make it hard to achieve consensus when the whole group just wants to get out of the cold
  • Make it easy to overlook red flags or rush observations of the terrain
  • Increase the avalanche hazard by warming the snowpak rapidly, creating instability

• Avalanche Danger

• 32. Where can bakcountry users reliably find the avalanche danger rating for areas in the US with Avalanche Forecast Centers?
  • at the trailhead
  • social media
  • local newspaper
  • avalanche.org
  • your backcountry touring partner
• 33. Low avalanche hazards means no avalanche hazard
  • True
  • False
• 34. The avalanche danger rating is a function of the size of potential avalanches and the possibility of encountering one
  • True
  • False
• 35. Rather than covering broad areas in general terms, danger ratings offer a localized assessment of the avalanche hazard at the slope-scale.
  • True
  • False
• 36. Which avalanche danger rating means you need to have heightened caution and carefully evaluate or avoid areas in the terrain that are identified in the day's avalanche advisory?
  • Extreme
  • High
  • Considerable
  • Moderate
  • Low
• 37. Under which avalanche danger rating are human-triggered avalanches likely and natural avalanches possible?
  • Extreme
  • High
  • Considerable
  • Moderate
  • Low
• 38. Under which avalanche danger rating are small avalanches possible in isolated areas or extreme terrain features?
  • Extreme
  • High
  • Considerable
  • Moderate
  • Low
• 39. At what avalanche danger rating do most accidents in the US occur?
  • Extreme
  • High
  • Considerable
  • Moderate
  • Low

• Plan where to go

• 40. What is the purpose of setting limits? Select all that apply.
  • To improve plan implementation
  • To help you make more consistent choices about your exposure to avalanche terrain in the field
  • To improve your group's decision-making ability by reducing the influence of difficult-to-manage biases
• 41. Which of the following is not required in a detailed terrain plan?
  • Note your turn around point and time
  • Identify a realistic less-exposed alternative route, as conditions may turn out to be different
  • Define slopes or areas you plan to avoid
  • Choose who will lead the group and break trail
  • Agree upon and document today's route through terrain
• 42. When is it appropriate to choose simpler terrain? Select all that apply.
  • When the avalanche danger is elevated
  • When the terrain or conditions are unfamiliar
  • When the group is uncertain
  • When the conditions are changing rapidly

• Discuss your Emergency Plan

• 43. I should only make an emergency plan if...
  • I'm going to an area I've never been
  • I'm recreating with new friends
  • I'm the leader of the group
  • You ALWAYS make an emergency plan
• 44. Where can I find a reference to help me build a solid emergency plan?
  • The internet
  • Create a list and memorize it
  • The AIARE Fieldbook
  • Hire someone to build you a list
• 45. Discussing potentially dangerous scenarios with the team in order to provide insight into an accident that hasn't happened yet is an example of what?
  • Sharing our itinerary
  • Packing self-rescue gear
  • Pre-Mortem conversation
  • Group awareness
• 46. Which of the following is an example of self-rescue gear as opposed to personal gear?
  • Avalanche Shovel
  • Emergency Shelter
  • Headlamp
  • 2-way radios
• 47. We only need one shovel and probe per group
  • True
  • False

• Plan - Summary and Review

• 48. Most of the time, avalanche accidents aren't just something that happens to us, but they happen because of us
  • True
  • False
• 49. How does a pre-trip plan help mitigate human factors? Select all that apply.
  • Proactively identifies them
  • Ensures we build an effective team
  • Utilizes our rational minds in the comforts of a planning session as opposed to making decisions in the moment
• 50. What are the four main components of Plan your Trip
  • People, food, gear, navigation
  • Assemble the group, debrief, teamwork, investigate trip options
  • Travel together, decide together, challenge assumptions, respect any veto
  • Assemble your group, anticipate the hazard, plan to manage terrain, discuss the emergency plan
• 51. Which quality does NOT make a good backcountry partner?
  • Making terrain choices which align with yours
  • Always pushes you out of your comfort zone
  • Someone you enjoy spending time with
  • Someone who speaks up
• 52. What is NOT part of an effective routine for accumulating weather and avalanche data?
  • Bookmarking weather forecasts and your local avalanche center
  • Reviewing public avalacnhe observations
  • Identifying the real-time weather
  • Only checking the weather the night before your trip
  • Comparing multiple weather forecasts
• 53. Which factors do we consider along with the avalanche danger level? Select all that apply.
  • Travel advice, likelihood, destructive size of avalanches
  • Trend: increasing stability or decreasing stability
  • Avalanche Problems
• 54. Whch of the following avalanche problems are associated with new snow or wind?
  • Persistent Slabs and Storm Slabs
  • Wind Slabs, Storm Slabs, Loose Dry
  • Wet Loose, Dry Loose, Wind Slabs
  • Persistent Slabs and Wet Slabs
• 55. If you are missing information or it doesn't exist while making your plan, what should you do?
  • Not go
  • Write down targeted field observations the group needs to make in order to obtain info
  • Consider uncertainty and make a simpler plan
  • Just go and see what happens
• 56. An emergency plan does NOT include:
  • Sharing your itinerary with someone at home
  • Only relying on cell phone service
  • Writing down emergency contacts
  • Extra food and water

• Ride

• 57. Which statement best describes the Ride Safely checklist?
  • It's a four-part, ordered sequence that groups complete at the trailhead
  • It's a gear list provided for individual reference at the start of the winter season
  • It's a four-part cycle repeated throughout the trip to maintain situation awareness
  • It prompts an individual assessment of person risk tolerance that is recommended before entering the backcountry
• 58. Why is it important to incorporate the Ride Safely checklist into your trip? Select all that apply.
  • To assist with the execution of the trip plan
  • To recognize when and how the trip plan might need to change
  • To facilitate effective communication and consensus-based decision making within the group
• 59. Which of these is not a step in the Ride Safely checklist?
  • Check in with the group
  • Use terrain to reduce your risk
  • Defer to the most experienced group member
  • Recognize avalanche terrain
  • Monitor conditions along your route

• Departure Check

• 60. Which of these items should be carried by each individual group member as opposed to shared among the group?
  • Repair kit
  • Rescue sled
  • Navigation tools
  • Shovel
  • Shelter or bivi sack
• 61. Which of the following is NOT an objective of the transceiver function check?
  • Verify each group member knows how to turn their transceiver on
  • Confirm each group member is wearing their transceiver properly
  • Validate that each member has appropriate battery power
  • Ensure that one group member has a transceiver that can both send and receive a signal
  • Ensure that every group member has a transceiver that can both send and receive a signal
• 62. The goal of the departure check is to... (select all that apply)
  • Revisit the group's check-in strategies and regroup locations
  • Revisit cell reception for the area
  • Conduct a radio function check
  • Reconfirm that the group has a repair kit, first aid kit, rescue sled, communication device and navigation tools

• Monitor Conditions

• 63. Recent avalanche activity offers direct evidence of unstable snow
  • True
  • False
• 64. Which of the following weather conditions promote unstable snow? Select all that apply
  • Heavy snowfall
  • Drifting snow
  • Rapid warming
  • Rain
• 65. The presence of a slab over a weak layer can be reliably assessed with a single snowpack test
  • True
  • False
• 66. Cracking or whumpfing is an indication that the snowpack is unstable
  • True
  • False

• Check in with the group

• 67. Which of the following information is off limits for sharing with the group?
  • Observations of unstable snow
  • Observations of changing weather
  • Reports of personal fatigure
  • Reports of failing equipment
  • None of the above
• 68. A check in should be initiated by:
  • The fastest member in the group
  • Any member of the group at designated times
  • The designated leader of the group
  • Any member of the group at any time
  • The most experienced member of the group
• 69. Group members are better at making informed decisions when they are fatigued or stressed
  • True
  • False

• Choose terrain

• 70. Entering steep slopes above another group of people is okay as long as you smile and wave
  • True
  • False
• 71. What protocols should the group establish before spacing out across a slope? Select all that apply
  • A safe regroup location
  • A visual or verbal communication plan
  • Spacing distance
  • None of the above
• 72. When in doubt reduce risk by choosing simpler terrain
  • True
  • False

• Ride - Summary and Review

• 73. How many times should you check in during the day?
  • One
  • None
  • On the hour, every hour
  • When a group member gets cell reception
  • As many times at the conditions, terrain and group members warrant
• 74. Everyone is really quiet, and the weather conditions are windier and colder than anticipated. Your trip plan included a route to and from the summit or staying in the trees. What is your process for making a decision?
  • Crack a joke on the radio to lift everyone's spirits and pick up the pace to stay warm as you head for the summit
  • Dig a snow profile
  • Suggest a snack break in a sheltered area and start a conversation
  • Stop to add another jacket. Your friends will know that means you don't want to go to the summit
  • Defer to your friend who has been to the summit before
• 75. Which of the following is not a key step in a transceiver check?
  • Report each transceiver's battery power
  • Make sure all transceivers are made by the same manufacturer
  • Check that all transceivers can send a signal
  • Check that all transceivers can receive a signal
  • Ensure that all transceivers are stowed 30 cm from other electronic devices
• 76. Avalanche activity is a key indicator of unstable conditions
  • True
  • False
• 77. Which of the following questions will not help provide insight into the slope's potential to avalanche?
  • Does the aspect and elevation of the slope align with the distribution of forecast avalanche problems?
  • Is the sleep steep enough to avalanche?
  • Does the snowpack show signs of unstable snow?
  • Do we have time to descend this slope and get back to the hut before dark?
  • Do our observations match with the conditions we were anticipating
• 78. Avalanche professionals utilize a concept known as a "margin of safety" in the decision-making process. A margin of safety builds in a buffer that provides an extra level of security in a dynamic, uncertain environment. What can groups do to add a margin of safety in response to uncertainty?
  • Expose one person at a time
  • Avoid travel above or below other groups
  • Choose smaller slopes with smooth, open transitions
  • Stay on high ground and out of the flow of avalanches
• 79. If a backcountry partner falls or gets stuck without injury, it is best to let them dig themselves out
  • True
  • False

• Debrief

• 80. Debriefing is a structured way to cultivate expertise rather than haphazardly gaining experience
  • True
  • False
• 81. Which of the following are NOT elements of the Debrief process?
  • Summarize conditions
  • Review today's plan
  • Post on social media
  • Improve today's plan
  • Submit observations
• 82. What is helpful to submit to avalanche centers? Select all that apply
  • Reports of avalanche activity
  • Location details
  • General weather observations
  • Photos of avalanches

• Prepare

• 83. Preparing for the season includes... (select all that apply)
  • Continuning your education
  • Practicing avalanche rescue
  • Tracking seasonal conditions
  • Investigating trip options
• 84. Preparing for a season is both mental and physical
  • True
  • False
• 85. I only need to practice avalanche rescue once a season
  • True
  • False
• 86. A good start to a trip options catalog is to mark up photos I take with my phone
  • True
  • False
• 87. Why should you track the season's conditions?
  • To be able to predict more precisely when avalanches will happen
  • To be able to keep track of significant layers and make links between weather events, snowpack structure and the avalanche danger
  • To have a detailed data record for analysis in future seasons
  • To keep track of snowpack temperatures

• The dynamic mountain snowpack

• 88. What are the main weather factors that influence the snowpack? Select all that apply
  • Temperature
  • Sun
  • Rain
  • Wind
• 89. A slab overriding faceted snow is strong over weak snow
  • True
  • False
• 90. What is the difference between layers and interfaces? Select all that apply
  • A layer is homgenous snow
  • An interface is the connection between two layers
  • Layers are always unstable

• How the snowpack changes over time

• 91. Which of the following are ways to track winter backcountry conditions? Select all that apply
  • Following the weather patterns
  • Observing changes in the snowpack
  • Use a weather log to document trends
• 92. Why do we track conditions? Select all that apply
  • To understand the recipe that creates unstable snow and avalanches
  • To watch for patterns that create strong or weak layers
  • To understand weather patterns that lead to the snow conditions best for travel
  • To estimate bonds and moisture
• 93. Faceting and rounding are both metamorphic processes that change snow grains
  • True
  • False
• 94. Which of the following statements is false?
  • Rounding grains form when the snowpack is deep and relatively warm
  • Faceting occurs in a shallow relatively cold snowpack
  • Surface hoar is strong when fresh
  • Sintering promotes strength
• 95. What conditions create surface hoar?
  • Warm nights with abundant moisture within the fresh snowfall
  • Cold, clear nights with a breeze less than 3 mph
  • Easterly winds with micro sediment from the plains
  • Abundant heat within the snowpack
• 96. Corn snow usually forms in the springtime due to melt-freeze conditions
  • True
  • Third Choice

• Track the season's conditions

• 97. Tracking the season's conditions can be done only for the days we travel in the field
  • True
  • False
• 98. The most important data is numerical and thus we need to be accurate to the tenth decimal
  • True
  • False
• 99. Tracking the seasons conditions is important because... (select all that apply)
  • weather has a direct correlation to hazard ratings
  • The snowpack is constantly changing with atmospheric values
  • Trends are important to understand

• Investigate trip options

• 100. What info should be included in a trip options catalog? Select all that apply
  • How to travel through safe terrain
  • An estimated timeline
  • An emergency route
• 101. What factors should you consider while creating trip options? Select all that apply
  • How weather could affect travel
  • How conditions could affect stability
  • How well does the group move together and as individuals

• Terrain influence on snowpack

• 102. The shape, size, aspect, elevation and position within mountain ranges are all key variables with regard to terrain's influence on the snowpack
  • True
  • False
• 103. What are key factors with regard to the location of a slope you would like to ride? Select all that apply
  • Know your avalanche center's forecast areas
  • Know the location and avoid historic slide paths
  • Know how local weather patterns affect certain areas of the mountains
• 104. Higher elevations typically receive more snow
  • True
  • False
• 105. Aspect to wind is important because... (select all that apply)
  • Leeward slopes can be loaded and form wind slabs
  • Windward slopes can be bare and hard to travel on
  • Wind doesn't have a great effect on snow
• 106. Aspect to sun is important because... (select all that apply)
  • Sun creates crust
  • Sun can warm objectives under the snow at a greater rate than the snow itself
  • Sun doesn't affect the snowpack due to its proximity to earth

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