UTILIZING COMMON RADIO CHANNELS IN HIGH-USE AVALANCHE TERRAIN
INTERNATIONAL SNOW SCIENCE WORKSHOP 2016 IN BRECKENRIDGE, CO
1

Matt Steen *, Bruce Edgerly

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1

2

Telluride Helitrax, Telluride, CO, USA
Backcountry Access, Inc., Boulder, CO, USA

ABSTRACT: Winter backcountry travel is increasingly more popular, especially adjacent to ski areas andcommon-use trailheads. The increase of winter recreation use in these frequently traveled and avalanche
prone areas creates a need for advanced communication. Thought out and clear communication can aid
in avalanche prevention, rescue response and safety. Communication is important between partners, withparties using the same areas and in certain cases, professionals. Over the course of the 2014-2015 and2015-2016 winter seasons, the Telluride backcountry community tested the use of common backcountry
radio channels to increase and streamline communication in their high-use areas. This program has
proven beneficial in the effectiveness to communicate in high-use areas. We have compiled stories andsurvey results to prove that advanced communication in high-use avalanche terrain should be consideredin various ski communities around the world.
KEYWORDS: radio communication, backcountry safety, group management, rescue
1. INTRODUCTION

cutting down on close calls and increasing the efficiency of rescue if needed. Common radio channel use in avalanche terrain creates a platform tocommunicate in these high-use areas, promoting asafer environment when traveling with other users
in complex and avalanche prone terrain.
2. AREAS OF USE
High-use backcountry areas include zones near
popular trailheads, easily accessible mountainpasses, terrain located adjacent to ski resorts andpopular backcountry zones. Each area of use differs and has unique terrain management challenges.
3. RADIO USE IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN

Backcountry winter recreation and travel is on therise. Easily accessed areas like trailheads and liftaccessed terrain are becoming increasingly popular and sometimes crowded. In an effort to increase the safety of users, common-use radio
channels have the ability to streamline communication between group members and adjoining usergroups. The goal is to enhance safe travel protocols through increased communication, ideally* Corresponding author address:
Matt Steen, Telluride Helitrax,
Telluride, CO 81435-2771;
tel: 970-596-0408; fax: 970-728-4987;
email: mh44steen@gmail.com

The use of two-way radios by recreationists haschanged greatly over the last two decades. Use of
these devices grew dramatically with the introduction of the low-power (0.5 Watt) Family Radio Service (FRS) channels in 1996. This resulted in the
introduction of the Motorola Talkabout and otherbrands of FRS radios. Some of these radios alsobegan using higher power (1 Watt) General Mobile
Radio Service (GMRS) channels, which require alicense from the FCC (this is rarely enforced).
Usage of FRS/GMRS radios, however, decreased
dramatically over the last decade, due to the proliferation of mobile and smartphones–and improvements in cell service coverage.
While cell phone technology is highly useful for
emergency situations in the backcountry–

assuming coverage exists–it cannot replace thereal-time, group (versus one-on-one) communication that two-way radios provide. Consequently, a
new generation of FRS/GMRS radios are now
available specifically designed for winter recreation, with long-lasting batteries, glove friendly controls, easy channel selection, and remote speakermicrophones that can be mounted on the users’
backpack for immediate access. The widespread
adoption of this new style of radio has opened up
better opportunities for communication–not only
within a party, but also between separate parties
in the backcountry.
In general, high-use backcountry terrain is potential avalanche terrain. Radio use in avalanche terrain has the potential to create a safer
environment and thus cut down on close calls andaccidents. In the event an avalanche does occur, it
can establish a faster and more efficient rescue.
Radio use in avalanche terrain allows for better
communication in the following ways:•

Increase and ease in communication
among group members•

Communication is possible when you areout of talking/hearing distance of yourpartner(s)•Communication is possible when you can
no longer see your partner(s)•Increase and ease in communication
among different groups using the sameavalanche terrain•

Communication is possible between parties in avalanche terrain and rescue workers in the occurrence of an incident•

Communication of snow and avalanche information becomes real-time for those thatare listening

Essentially, radio use increases the ability tocommunicate in avalanche terrain. A high level ofcommunication among group members, between
groups and among safety professionals is undoubtedly a safer alternative to current, conventional communication methods.
4. TELLURIDE CASE STUDYThe Telluride backcountry has experienced an
influx of usage over the past decade. The popular
Bear Creek drainage, which is located adjacent to
the Telluride Ski Resort, is currently open to back-country users via backcountry gates located along
the ski area boundary.

The Bear Creek drainage offers a wide variety ofterrain including below and above tree line descents including cliffs, couloirs, exposed and rocky
terrain, tree zones, open bowls and convex pitches with limited safe zones and often times, out-ofsight routes.
User numbers in the Bear Creek drainage havebeen dramatically increasing over time (ironicallyeven during periods of closures). It is not uncommon to have groups traveling directly on top ofother groups. Concurrently, groups are often times
in visual distance of each other, but out of an effective distance to communicate.
The Telluride Backcountry Radio Program waslaunched during the 2014-2015 winter season inan effort to aid in the safety of backcountry users
in Bear Creek. The program was launched in conjunction with the Telluride Mountain Club (TMC) toreach the appropriate audience throughout the
Telluride community. Details of the program werecommunicated via the local newspaper, the Telluride Daily Planet. Additionally, details of the program were shared via social media, newslettersand word of mouth.
The program allowed members of TMC to purchase Backcountry Access BC Link radios at a
discounted rate at Jagged Edge Mountain Gear, alocal gear shop. The goals were to increase theusage of radios on a common radio channel, andencourage and increase communication in Bear
Creek. Since inception, 64 radios have been soldthrough Jagged Edge Mountain Gear.
The Telluride Backcountry Radio Program wasoriginally aimed to encourage use of a single
channel (4-4) that all backcountry users would utilize when traveling in Bear Creek. Backcountry

users have been encouraged to monitor the common channel before and during their descent of achosen line. It is also encouraged that the common channel be scanned before and during travelin and out of Bear Creek. In the event of an avalanche incident or other rescue scenario, thischannel would be utilized for self and group rescue if needed. The local Sheriff’s office, the entity
in charge of rescue in Bear Creek, has adopted
this program and encourages backcountry users
follow suit. Additionally, the Telluride Ski Resort
Ski Patrol unofficially monitors the same common
channel.
5. CLOSE CALLS
5.1 January 2014lanche and the second group was below the avalanche. With the use of radios, information was
readably established between the two parties(even though the 2 groups did not see each other).
It was quickly established that there was a low
probability that anyone else was involved in theincident outside of these two parties. A few moments after the two groups had discussed the incident, the Telluride Ski Patrol made a call on thecommon radio channel to notify travelers in Bear
Creek that they received a phone call regarding alarge avalanche in the area. The two groups wereable to communicate with the Telluride Ski Patrol,
relaying information of no burial or further involvement. The result was no outside resources orsearch was needed. The common radio channel
allowed the various groups to communicate witheach other and mitigate need for a greater searchof the area.
5.2 April 2016
A group of two (Group 1) was hiking to ski a narrow couloir with a mandatory rappel in Bear Creek.
They passed another group of two (Group 2) thatwere also planning to ski this same couloir. Group
1 had a set of radios while Group 2 did not. The
two groups established that Group 1 would call,via cell phone, Group 2 when they were clear of
the rappel and the couloir, and in a safe zone.
When Group 2 did not hear from Group 1, after
what they assumed was reasonable time to travel
through the couloir, Group 2 started their descent.
The first person in Group 1 was on rappel in the
couloir when a loose-snow avalanche came down
on both skiers in Group 1. Group 2 had triggered
this loose-snow avalanche above Group 1. The
second member of Group 1 was able to wrap his
arm around the rappel anchor to hold on, but thefirst person on rappel was swept down the rope by
the avalanche and tumbled down off the end of therope, sustaining a wrist injury. If both parties had
used a common radio channel to communicate,
this incident would likely not have occurred.
6. PROTOCOLS

A group of six skiers were traveling in a flat, above
tree line area in Bear Creek and collapsed a weaklayer en route. They noticed a small R1D1 sizedavalanche from this collapse, but no others withinsight. Moments later a radio call from a second
party below tree line made a call that they witnessed a large R4D3 avalanche in an area they
just skied. The first group was above the ava-

The idea of streamlined communication between
parties to create a safer environment has been
established in professional organizations such as
ski patrols, guiding organizations and search andrescue groups. Similar standards were introduced
for the Telluride Backcountry Radio Program andinclude:

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Radio communication when you and yourgroup have plans to descend a line or area
Radio communication when you and yourgroup are clear of a given line or area
Radio communication between partners atareas of safety
Radio information between members of
the same group or between two groups
regarding current snowpack conditions
Route selection
Warnings, hazards and dangers
Rescue communication
General communication (i.e. equipment,
photo opportunities, etc.) Consider using a
non-common channel

7. SURVEYS
In the spring of 2016, the Telluride Mountain Club
hosted a survey to capture data surrounding the
Telluride Backcountry Radio Program. Out of an
unknown number of radio users in Bear Creek,
there were 15 respondents, all of which are active
backcountry users and use radios while in backcountry terrain. Here is a breakdown of the survey
results:
How often respondents ski/snowboard in backcountry terrain:•

3-7 times per week: 40%•

1-3 times per week: 26.67%•

Less than 1 time per week: 33.33%

How often respondents use their radio to communicate in the backcountry:•

100% of the time: 40%•

Around 75% of the time: 40%•

Around 50% of the time: 6.67%•

Around 25% of the time: 13.33%

The results found most users of the Telluride
Backcountry Radio Program use the common radio channel to monitor Bear Creek before theydrop into a line or particular area. Once they aredescending, they often switch to another channel
to accommodate chatter among their group. 100%of our respondents use their radio to communicate. Below is a breakdown of the communication
types from most to least popular:•

Letting your group know you are at a safe
zone•

Route selection•

Snowpack and safety comments•

Snow conditions•

Other: photos and videos, rescue scenario, equipment issues, etc.

60% of respondents use their radio to communicate with people in a separate group. This type ofcommunication covers route selection, letting others know you are entering a specific ski line, letting others know when your group is clear of anarea and simply just checking in with other groups.
While 66.67% of our respondents have not had to
use their radios in an emergency, 33.33% have.
These emergencies included avalanches, lost skiers and communicating with local Search andRescue groups.
Overall, respondents of the Telluride Backcountry
Radio Program believe that use of radios is helping make Bear Creek a safer place. Backcountry
protocols should always be practiced, and radios
should never solely be relied upon.
During the same time period, radio manufacturer
Backcountry Access, Inc. (BCA) hosted anothersurvey, to gauge interest in establishing common
radio channels. Of 901 respondents, all of whichwere backcountry skiers, snowboarders or snowmobilers, 62% indicated that they use two-way
radios in the backcountry, the majority of whichwere FRS/GMRS radios. Nearly all indicated thatthey use these radios for communicating within
their group, with another 18% stating they use
them for communicating with other parties. However, when asked if they would use them for thispurpose if there were a common radio channel,
that number rose to over 50%.
Those who don’t use radios mainly cited expenseand lack of necessity. Those who do use radios
often cited “chatter” as a major concern if common
radio channels were to be widely publicized.
The most commonly used channel among respondents was channel 4, privacy code 20 (4-20).
This was followed by 9-11, 10-4, 5-10, 7-11, 4-10,
and 8-10. However, these answers could be
skewed, as several of these are pre-set channels
on the BCA BC Link radio.
Based on the Backcountry Access survey results,
if a common channel were established, the most
likely candidate would be 9-11: It is an FRS channel–so doesn’t require a license–and it is alreadybeing used by numerous authorities to monitor forrecreationist emergencies. While FRS channels
have less range than GMRS channels due to theirlower power, the tradeoff is that there is less “chatter” on those frequencies.
8. CONCLUSIONS
Introducing advanced communication through theuse of radios, and specifically a common radio
channel in high-use avalanche prone areas, is a
way to aid in efficient avalanche prevention, safety
and rescue. Use of radios increases the orderliness of communication among group members,
between groups, and between groups and safety
professionals in high-use backcountry terrain.
Radios are a logical tool to increase and maximize
communication for accident prevention and response. Clear communication has the potential tosave lives in avalanche prone areas. Backcountry
protocols are the backbone of safety in avalanche
terrain. Radios can aid with these already established protocols.
Via the two surveys and numerous verbal accounts of utilizing radios to communicate in avalanche terrain, the number one complaint wasexcessive radio noise, or “chatter”, with a multitude of user groups using the same channel. An
advanced radio with screening capabilities, suchas a scan function, would help eliminate the excessive noise. If a common radio/rescue channel
were introduced to other high-use areas, would
users listen? Can our most popular recreational
radios be upgraded to have scanning features? Is
it possible to use common rescue frequencies or a
rescue/data channel? Would local groups, authorities and rescue organizations adopt this program?
In the case of the Telluride Backcountry Radio
Program, public and group communication ultimately reduced the amount of outside resources
needed to perform unnecessary searches. Communication within a group and communication between groups cleared up many, otherwise
unknown, close-calls, near misses and selfrescues. It was also concluded that if radio use
had been utilized, outside-resourced rescue efforts
would have been prevented.
The use of radios in high-use avalanche terrain
has the ability to increase safety through clear
communication of its users. Additionally, a common radio channel enhances communication, andthe ability to streamline communication between
all users and potential rescuers.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
Co-author of this paper, Bruce Edgerly, is cofounder and marketing vice president of Backcountry Access, Inc. (BCA), manufacturer of the
BC Link radio.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to acknowledge and thank the Telluride Mountain Club for taking on the Telluride
Backcountry Radio Program and survey, to encourage safer travel protocols in the Bear Creekdrainage adjacent to Telluride Ski Resort. We
would also like to acknowledge and thank Jagged
Edge Mountain Gear for supplying radios at a discounted price to members of the Telluride Mountain Club.