The Utah Avalanche Center, in a strategic partnership with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Avalanche Canada, and the National Avalanche Center, has officially released a significant update to the "Know Before You Go" (KBYG) program, a cornerstone of North American avalanche awareness. This comprehensive overhaul includes a new flagship educational video and a modernized curriculum designed specifically to resonate with youth and novice backcountry enthusiasts. The project represents a multi-year collaborative effort to standardize avalanche safety messaging across international borders, ensuring that winter recreationists receive consistent, science-based information regardless of their geographic location. By leveraging high-production value cinematography and the influence of professional athletes, the updated KBYG initiative aims to reduce winter backcountry fatalities through proactive education and behavioral change.
The Evolution of the Know Before You Go Program
The "Know Before You Go" program was originally conceived in Utah as a response to a series of tragic avalanche accidents involving young, talented skiers and snowboarders. Since its inception, it has grown from a local grassroots presentation into a globally recognized introductory program. The 2015 update marks a pivotal moment in the program’s history, reflecting the changing landscape of backcountry recreation. As equipment becomes more accessible and the popularity of "sidecountry" or lift-accessed backcountry skiing grows, the demographic of those entering avalanche terrain has shifted.
The updated program is built around five essential pillars of avalanche safety: Get the Gear, Get the Training, Get the Forecast, Get the Picture, and Get out of Harm’s Way. These steps provide a simplified yet robust framework for beginners to navigate the complexities of mountain environments. The recent update ensures that these messages are delivered through a medium that appeals to a digital-native audience, moving away from traditional lecture-style presentations toward immersive, visual storytelling.
Strategic Collaboration and Organizational Synergy
The success of the KBYG update is attributed to the unprecedented level of cooperation between the continent’s leading avalanche safety organizations. The Utah Avalanche Center (UAC) took the lead on the project, utilizing its extensive experience in public outreach. However, the involvement of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and Avalanche Canada was crucial in ensuring the content was applicable to various snow climates—from the continental snowpack of the Rockies to the maritime conditions of the Pacific Northwest.
The National Avalanche Center (NAC), which serves as a federal coordinator for avalanche safety in the United States, provided the necessary oversight to align the KBYG curriculum with national safety standards. This collaboration ensures that when a student in British Columbia watches the KBYG video, they are receiving the same fundamental life-saving information as a student in Colorado or Utah. This unified front is seen as a vital step in creating a "culture of safety" within the outdoor industry.
Supporting Data: The Rising Stakes of Backcountry Recreation
The necessity for an updated KBYG program is underscored by data regarding avalanche accidents and fatalities over the last several decades. According to statistics maintained by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the average number of avalanche fatalities in the United States has risen from approximately 15 per year in the 1990s to about 27 per year in the last decade. This increase is largely attributed to the surge in the number of people visiting the backcountry.
Data from search and rescue (SAR) organizations indicate that a significant portion of those involved in avalanche incidents are young males between the ages of 18 and 35. This demographic often possesses high technical skills in skiing or riding but lacks the formal snow science education required to identify unstable slopes. Furthermore, the "Know Before You Go" program targets middle and high school students based on psychological research suggesting that safety habits are most effectively formed during these formative years. By reaching outdoor enthusiasts early in their "backcountry careers," the UAC and its partners hope to instill a mindset of risk management that persists throughout their lives.
The Five Steps of Avalanche Safety
The updated KBYG curriculum focuses on a streamlined pedagogical approach. Each of the five steps is explored in detail within the new video and supporting classroom materials:
- Get the Gear: The program emphasizes that every member of a backcountry party must carry three essential tools: an avalanche transceiver (beacon), a probe, and a collapsible shovel. The update also introduces the concept of avalanche airbags as an additional safety layer, while stressing that gear is never a substitute for avoiding an avalanche entirely.
- Get the Training: KBYG is positioned as the "Level 0" of avalanche education. It is designed to inspire participants to seek out formal, multi-day certification courses, such as those offered by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) or similar bodies.
- Get the Forecast: This step focuses on the importance of daily avalanche bulletins. The update highlights how to read a forecast and how to interpret the "danger scale," which ranges from Low to Extreme.
- Get the Picture: This emphasizes situational awareness. The curriculum teaches students to look for "red flags" in the field, such as recent avalanche activity, cracking or collapsing of the snowpack (whumpfing), and heavy wind-loading.
- Get out of Harm’s Way: The final step involves group management and terrain selection. This includes traveling one at a time on steep slopes, avoiding terrain traps like gullies or trees, and maintaining constant communication with partners.
Industry Reactions and Expert Analysis
The release of the updated KBYG materials has been met with widespread acclaim from the professional snow safety community. Industry experts note that the use of professional athletes in the video is a calculated move to bridge the gap between "authority figures" and the target youth audience. When a world-class professional athlete speaks about the fear of an avalanche or the importance of checking the forecast, it carries a weight that a traditional classroom instructor might lack.
"The challenge has always been making safety ‘cool’ and accessible," noted one veteran avalanche forecaster. "This update addresses that challenge head-on. It’s not about telling people where they can’t go; it’s about giving them the tools to make their own decisions so they can come home every night."
Analysis of the program’s implications suggests that it will also serve as a vital resource for schools and community centers. By providing a free, high-quality "plug-and-play" curriculum, the UAC has removed the financial and logistical barriers that often prevent schools from offering outdoor safety education. This democratization of information is expected to have a long-term positive impact on public safety.
Chronology of the KBYG Program Development
The journey to this current update began in the early 2000s. Following the 2004 deaths of two young men in an avalanche in the Aspen Grove area of Utah, the Utah Avalanche Center recognized a critical gap in public outreach. The first iteration of KBYG was a slideshow and a 15-minute video that quickly became the standard for middle and high school assemblies.
In 2010, as digital media began to dominate youth communication, the need for a more dynamic platform became apparent. Between 2013 and 2015, the UAC coordinated with international partners to secure funding and production talent for the current update. The production involved filming in various mountain ranges and interviewing survivors of avalanche accidents to provide a visceral, emotional connection to the subject matter. The official launch in late 2015 marked the culmination of this effort, providing a modern toolkit for a new generation of winter athletes.
Broader Impact on Search and Rescue and Public Policy
Beyond the immediate goal of saving lives, the KBYG update has significant implications for public policy and the operational demands of search and rescue teams. Avalanche rescues are high-risk, high-cost operations that often put volunteers and first responders in danger. By reducing the frequency of human-triggered avalanches through education, the KBYG program indirectly alleviates the burden on SAR resources.
Furthermore, the standardized messaging of KBYG assists land management agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service, in their efforts to manage public lands. When safety information is consistent across different regions, it reduces confusion among tourists and seasonal visitors who may travel between different mountain ranges. The program’s success has also prompted discussions in some jurisdictions about integrating avalanche awareness into state-mandated physical education or health curricula, recognizing that for many mountain communities, backcountry safety is a fundamental life skill.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
The release of the updated "Know Before You Go" video and program by the Utah Avalanche Center and its partners represents a major milestone in the field of snow safety. By combining modern media techniques with decades of scientific expertise, the initiative provides a clear path forward for educating the public on the inherent risks of winter mountain travel.
As the backcountry continues to see record-breaking numbers of visitors, the role of programs like KBYG becomes increasingly critical. The UAC, CAIC, and Avalanche Canada have indicated that they will continue to monitor the program’s effectiveness and adapt their messaging as new technologies and snow science insights emerge. For now, the updated KBYG stands as the premier introductory resource for anyone looking to explore the winter wilderness safely, ensuring that the thrill of the mountains is balanced with the knowledge required to survive them. The website, kbyg.org, remains the central hub for these resources, offering the video, contact information for professional presenters, and a gateway to further avalanche education.
