Avalanches are massive downward and outward movements of snow and ice as well as soil and rocks. Three main factors that determine whether avalanches are likely to occur are the weather, the snowpack, and the terrain. The weather is the most important factor in determining if an avalanche will occur, but the other two factors need to be taken into consideration as well. Since ninety percent of all avalanches involve human subjects that trigger them, …showed first 75 words of 1051 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1051 total…provided for human safety against avalanches. Avalanches are a major threat to the skiing industry and will cause death and destruction if they are not prevented. Bibliography Cone, Patrick "Ready, Aim, Fire!" Sunset January 1993: 148 Finkel, Michael "Six Feet Under" Skiing October 1993: 28-30 Fish, Peter "Avalanche" Sunset January 1995: 28 Goodwin, Peter. Landslides, Slumps, and Creep. New York: Franklin Watts, 1997 McCafferty, Kieth "Avalanche" Field and Stream February 1996: 37-38 Sisson, Dan. "Grandpa and the Kid." Field and Stream October 1992: 54+