Dragons in the Snow: Avalanche Detectives and the Race to Beat Death in the Mountains

by Ed Power

Overview

Edward Power sets the reader down in the midst of a February 2017 blizzard that raked Utah’s Uinta Range as nine snowboarders made their way into the backcountry for a day of intense adventure. As the boarders were taking their first turns, expert avalanche forecaster Craig Gordon was tracking the storm and its impact, posting one of the most dire avalanche forecasts and warnings in his career.

In Dragons in the Snow, Power delves into the research and science behind avalanche forecasting and rescue, weaving in the art of backcountry skiing as well as dramatic tales of avalanche accidents, rescues, and recoveries. And he paints compelling portraits of the men and women who have made the study of avalanches their life’s work. The tales told by these avalanche forecasters, as well as the stories of the backcountry riders who may "wake the dragon" make for not just a compelling read, but also a powerful tool for raising avalanche awareness in everyone who plays in the winter backcountry.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781680512977
Publisher:	Mountaineers Books, The
Publication date:	08/12/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Edward Power is a former staff writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer, as well as a staff writer and editor at The Virginian-Pilot newspaper. In early 2016, he and his wife, both avid skiers, moved to northern Utah where Power became fascinated by avalanches after participating in an avalanche awareness course. Power lives with his wife in Eden, Utah.

Table of Contents

Author's Note 11

Prologue: Tail of the Dragon 13

1 On a High Slope in the Uintas 16

2 4:06 a.m. Avalanche Advisory 26

3 The Dragon Awakes: "Deep and Wide" 32

4 Grime Scene Investigators of the Out-of-Bounds 40

5 The Snow Detective Instructs 46

6 Tracking the Dragon at Ten Thousand Feet 58

7 Alchemists of the Snow: The Forecasters 64

8 Snowflakes: Where Avalanches Are Born 80

9 The Snow Monk of Little Cottonwood Canyon 83

10 Signing Risk Contracts 89

11 The Dragon's Lair: Buried Alive 95

12 In the Selkirks: Big Red Cats 100

13 So You Want to Be a Ski-Porn Star 118

14 Gearheads: Inventing Air 132

15 Gearheads: Magic Boards 147

16 Soldiers of the Snow: Guide Voices, Hasty Parties., and Rescue Dogs 155

17 Master of the Out-of-Bounds: Andrew McLean 163

18 The Backcountry at Thousand Peaks Ranch 171

19 The Hidden Stream Avalanche: Gary Ashurst 180

20 Backcountry Freeriders: Bogeyman Fears, Cowgirl Lines, and Chute Droppers 197

21 A Taste of Snow on the Wind 207

22 October Morning on Imp Peak, Montana 217

23 Chasing Down the Dragon 239

24 Escaping Dragons of the Uintas: Utah's Jeremy Jones 244

25 Survivors: Phantoms of the Dragon 248

26 The Tunnel Creek Avalanche: Megan's Echoes 252

27 A Crystal Ball's Future Trouble with Crystals 258

28 Late Sunsets: The Backcountry in Summer 265

Acknowledgments 283

Editorial Reviews

06/22/2020

Outdoor enthusiast Power brings a credible expertise to his scattered, intermittently effective debut, a mishmash of avalanche science and sports reportage. He tells the stories of a wide variety of people involved in backcountry winter sports, including skiers, snowboarders, equipment manufacturers, and, most centrally, avalanche forecaster Craig Gordon. In relating Gordon’s efforts to understand snowpack (the accumulated layers of snow in cold-weather regions), educate the public, and contend with both the immediate aftermath of avalanches and the looming threat of climate change, Power effectively demonstrates the complexity of dealing with avalanches. The frequent use of jargon—“powder fest,” “rooster tail turns”—and detailed descriptions of skiing equipment and films of high-risk ski stunts will likely be rough sledding for the uninitiated. However, such readers should appreciate Power’s visceral writing on avalanches, which includes fascinating details from people who have survived them and vivid descriptions of how they’re set in motion (“Once a cornice ruptures and falls to the face below, its weight frequently is the tripwire that sets off an avalanche with the power of a localized hurricane”). Written with the snow adventurer in mind, this may leave those who prefer more manicured runs, or staying inside by a roaring fireplace, in the cold. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

An exceptionally well done book, one that holds your interest while at the same time, offering important, and possibly life saving, lessons on avalanche safety.

Outdoor Literature Winner 2020 National Outdoor Book Awards