What flies without wings, strikes without hand and sees without eyes - the avalanche beast.
Translated from German, author unknown, (Fredston 2005).
Avalanche Myths
Early inhabitants of the European Alps regarded avalanches not as comprehensible natural phenomena; but as monsters that might be kept at bay by ringing the village church bells with vigour or calling on a local priest to exorcise the town of its bad spirits.
Avalanche myths still abound. Here are some of the more popular ones and some explanations that will hopefully dispel them.
“Loud noises trigger avalanches”
Although it's a convenient plot device in the movies noise does NOT trigger avalanches. As Jill Fredston explains in her wonderfully descriptive avalanche book Snowstruck, “A loud noise is as unlikely to trigger an avalanche as I am to break a champagne glass by singing”.
Noise is simply not enough force unless it's EXTREMELY loud noise such as an explosive going off at close range. Even sonic booms or low flying helicopter trigger avalanches only in extremely unstable conditions in which natural avalanches would likely occur on their own anyway. In 90 percent of avalanche fatalities, the avalanche is triggered by the weight of the victim, or someone in the victim's party.
Avalanches “strike without warning”
In the popular media, avalanches rank alongside stock market crashes, meteor impacts, lightening strikes and flash floods as deadly unpredictable forces that can strike at random to maim and kill unsuspecting holiday makers. But avalanches are, for the most part, creatures of habit. They almost always have obvious signs.
“If you see an avalanche coming, get out of the way”
You can try! An average-sized dry avalanche travels around 140 kmh. It's nearly impossible for someone to outrun an avalanche or even have time to get out of the way. A fast snowmobile has some chance but everyone else has a slim chance at best.
“Spit to see which way is up”
It doesn't matter which way is up. You can't dig yourself out of avalanche debris. It's like you are buried in concrete. Your friends must dig you out.
Some of these myths are based on avalanche authority, Bruce Tremper's findings. He describes a frightening avalanche experience, debunks more myths and provides answers to FAQ's at the Utah Avalanche Centre.