Risk Assessment & Mitigation Flashcards
7 cards from real ASC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Risk Assessment & Mitigation flashcards as text
What does the Extended Column Test (ECT) measure that the Rutschblock test does NOT specifically isolate?
Answer: Crack propagation potential across a weak layer
The ECT assesses both initiation and propagation of fractures, giving information about whether a failure in a weak layer will spread across a slope.
A slope with a 38-degree angle on a north-facing aspect three days after a storm represents elevated risk primarily because:
Answer: Cold temperatures slow settling and sintering, preserving instability
North-facing slopes stay cold, which inhibits the settling and bonding that stabilize new snow, keeping instability elevated longer than on solar aspects.
Which rescue tool combination is considered the minimum standard kit for backcountry travel in avalanche terrain?
Answer: Avalanche beacon, probe, and shovel
Beacon, probe, and shovel form the essential triad for companion rescue—the beacon locates, the probe pinpoints, and the shovel excavates the buried victim.
A terrain trap is best described as:
Answer: A feature that increases burial depth or injury severity if an avalanche occurs
Terrain traps—such as cliffs, gullies, and trees below a slope—amplify the consequences of even a small avalanche by increasing burial depth or trauma risk.
When using the North American Public Avalanche Danger Scale, what does a rating of 'Considerable' (Level 3) indicate about triggering?
Answer: Human triggering is likely on many steep slopes
At Considerable (Level 3), human triggering is likely on steep slopes, making careful route planning and terrain avoidance essential.
What is the purpose of the 'stop, observe, plan' decision-making framework in avalanche terrain?
Answer: To pause and systematically evaluate hazard before committing to terrain
Stopping to observe and plan interrupts momentum bias, ensuring the group makes a deliberate, evidence-based decision rather than following the path of least resistance.
Spatial variability in snowpack stability means that snowpit results:
Answer: May not reflect conditions on a specific slope only meters away
Snowpack properties can change dramatically over short distances due to wind, terrain, and temperature variation, so a single pit represents only its exact location.