How to Interpret the Meaning of a Slope
When traveling in snow country, it is crucial you have a way to find slope angles. The slope angle is a crucial piece of information used to make safe decisions regarding travel through avalanche terrain. Knowing how to use the slope angle is a combination of art, experience and snow science and is not one easily learned in an article or a day on the slopes. Backcountry snow travel is inherently dangerous. Do not attempt any backcountry trip without a basic avalanche awareness class, an avalanche beacon, a probe and a shovel.
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Instructions
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Stand to the side of the slope and place the ski pole down onto the slope so it is facing up to the top of the hill. Place the inclinometer on top of the ski pole so the gauge is "smiling" at you (there is a curved design to the inclinometer gauge; make it "smile"). Read the slope angle on the scale next to the gauge needle. The number on the gauge where the needle meets the number is the slope angle in degrees.
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Look for angles below 25 degrees. These angles are the least likely to slide. There are no hard-and-fast rules to slides, but on slopes below 25 degrees, the snow is generally exceedingly stable and is considered very low risk for avalanche. These statistics have been studied by leading avalanche centers in the United States, Canada and Europe.
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Check the slope angle for any degree reading between 26 and 45 degrees. Most avalanches occur on slopes between 30 and 40 degrees, making this among the highest risk slope angle for backcountry travel. With this said, there is an inverse relationship to the risk and danger to the fun found on these slopes. Most backcountry skiers and boarders actively look for angles between 30 and 40 degrees (with 40 being the territory of the highly advanced backcountry skier and boarder). The slope angle becomes only one piece of the decision-making process. Other factors include wind, exposure (the direction the slope faces), sun radiation on the snow, the snowpack layers and hoarfrost layers.
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Check the angle reading for slopes over 45 degrees. As counterintuitive as it sounds, once the slope angle gets over 45 degrees the avalanche slide danger begins to decrease. There are many reasons for this, but boils down to the fact that most snow sloughs off at high angles, and there is a very loose and small snowpack. The angle is simply too steep for much snow to accumulate. These angles are exceedingly difficult to navigate, let alone ski or snowboard. This is the terrain of the extremely skilled mountaineer. A combination of ice, rock and alpine style climbing (with the associated gear) is required to navigate and climb through these slope angles.
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Tips & Warnings
Use avalanche awareness websites for current snow and ice conditions, layers, wind and weather or warnings.
Never go into avalanche terrain without proper professional training. Always take a beacon, probe and shovel as well as a partner with the same. Know how to use this gear, how to assess slope angle and procedures for safe snow travel.
References
Resources
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