Though only one person has been found dead from an avalanche a week ago near Park City, Utah, 16 people have been killed in avalanches in the U.S. this season, almost double the toll at the same time last year. Ski resorts routinely blast problem snow from steep slopes. But as more skiers and snowmobilers head for the backcountry, where there is no organized avalanche control, attention is shifting to new self-rescue techniques.
Three-quarters of avalanche fatalities are caused by asphyxiation. For those buried under the snow, survival chances plummet if they are not found in the first 15 minutes; in...
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