1. Da-ylight:
There is an old saying that goes something like, “Make ski while the sunshines.” In the stark, cold realities of winter, the setting sun is not your friend; it is gonna get much colder and darker in a hurry. Keep an eye on the sun and the clock. Note when you left the parking lot and keep a running mental tally on how long it will take you to get back. It is a good habit to be out of avalanche terrain and any technical ski-outs by sundown. That way, if somebody twists a knee or breaks a ski late in the day, you are not left with a major struggle -through avalanche terrain-in the dark- to get to the car, and nobody is going to lose toes to frostbite or go hypothermic. Always carry a little LED headlamp in your pack. Get an early start, especially early in the winter, when the days are at their shortest.

2. G-roup dynamic:
All too often, backcountry groups get to be a trip-crapping contest of ego and will, and not just friends having a good day out. Don’t let things that can affect your current state of living and breathing get out of your hands and into a mini-mob-mentality! Travel in small groups (I recommend 4 or less) with people you know and are comfortable talking with. Make sure everybody is up to speed on the latest backcountry bulletin and weather forecast. Talk about a plan for the day (complete with low-risk and bail-out options) before you head out. At points where snowpack and route decisions need to be made, get the group together for a brief discussion, and discourage people from charging way ahead. Everyone’s voice needs to be heard, even those with less experience, and all the information you have needs to be considered. Always make decisions in accordance with the most conservative opinion in the group, ride terrain that everyone can handle, keep it fun and real.

3. A-lertness
It may be late in the day and all that ski touring is wearing you out. It may be early in the morning and all that partying has left some mucus on your brain. It may be noon and your leafy midday snack has left you dizzy. Regardless of the cause, a reduction in your alertness levels is an accident waiting to happen. Do not start saying to yourself “I just wanna get down, get done, and get home.” Stay focussed on your route and your surroundings. Make the extra mental effort to keep your head in the game. If you need to pull the pin and bail, plan your course of action.

4. G-oal
What are you are your group trying to get done today? Is it to ski off a certain peak or finish a certain traverse? Is it a line you have been jonesing to bag for a while? Or is it to get the best turns that the situation will allow? The last is the safest goal to have on any given day. Set out with an objective like a peak or a traverse or a line in mind, but be observant and accept the dictates of the day’s changing conditions and your gut feelings. Be prepared to turn around, shorten a day, or shred an alternate line. That Line will always be there, so there will always be another day with another window to rip it.

5. S-toke level
Stoke is the little angel on your shoulder saying, “Keep breaking that trail, it is worth all the sweat in the world, you big hard breathing shredder you!” Stoke is also the little devil on your other shoulder saying, “It looks sooo good, nothing bad is gonna happen, drop in and give ‘er you bad ass pow slayer you!” Fresh pow topped with blue skies and sunshine are perfect conditions...the glare off grinning teeth is blinding, eyes glaze over in anticipation, and lurking avalanche horrors can slip through the cracks in your awareness. Harness that stoke to drive you, but keep it in check when you are making decisions in the backcountry. To beat the odds of an accident, you have to work to keep your personal safety margins nice and wide. Never, ever get caught thinking that it can’t happen to you.

Remember Da GAGS, intrepid snow slashers, to keep da joke from being on you!
-TC