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Avalanche and Its Safety An avalanche is a sudden and rapid flow of snow, often ______ with air and water, down a mountainside. Avalanches are among the biggest dangers in the mountains for both life and property. All avalanches are ______ by an over-burden of material, typically snowpack that is too massive and unstable for the slope that supports it. Determining the critical load, the______ of over-burden which is likely to cause an avalanche, is a complex task involving the evaluation of a number of factors. Terrain slopes flatter than 25 degrees or steeper than 60 degrees ______ have a low ______ of avalanche. Snow does not______ significantly on steep slopes: also, snow does not______ easily on flat slopes. Human triggered avalanches have the greatest incidence when the snows angle of rest is ______ 35 and 45 degrees; the critical angle, the angle at which the human incidence of avalanches is greatest is 38 degrees. The rule of thumb is: A slope that is______ enough to hold snow but steep enough to ski has the potential to generate an avalanche, regardless of the angle. Additionally, avalanche risk increases with______ ; that is, the more a slope is disturbed by skiers, the more likely it is that an avalanche will occur. Due to the complexity of the subject, winter travelling in the backcountry is never 100% safe. Good avalanche safety is a continuous ______ , including route selection and examination of the snowpack, weather ______ , and human factors. Several well-known good habits can also ______ the risk. If local authorities issue avalanche risk reports, they should be considered and all warnings should be paid ______ to. Never follow in the tracks of others without your own evaluations: snow conditions are almost certain to have changed since they were made. Observe the terrain and note obvious avalanche paths where plants are _____ or damaged. Avoid traveling below others who might trigger an avalanche. | 
