There’s a fine line between learning from the mistakes of others and shaming people for their ignorance.
Twelve people have died in avalanches in the United States this winter, including an expert skier in Oregon who was also an avalanche forecaster. He was killed in early March despite deploying an airbag that kept him from being buried. On average, 27 people die in avalanches in the United States each year.
Three-hundred and fifty avalanches have been reported by the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center since last September. Many of these incidents were triggered by humans, and four resulted in fatalities.
Some avalanches caused injuries and required complex rescues. In their aftermath, communities in the Northern Rockies have been trying to make sense of the circumstances and decision-making that led to these accidents.
Sometimes that debate gets heated.
I’ve been part of these conversations, writing always about how unpredictable avalanches are. Feedback can get negative, with some people accusing me of shaming the victims. Others say I don’t go far enough in calling people out for putting themselves and others at risk with their behavior.
Discussion also takes place on social media, where anonymity seems to increase the vitriol of commentators. I bet these kinds of conversations take place in every mountain town where avalanches are a winter hazard.
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