The CBAC is rolling out a new observation platform this season, in partnership with the National Avalanche Center. This platform will be used by most avalanche centers around the country, so you’ll be looking at the same familiar tools if you go skiing or riding in California, Washington, Wyoming, Idaho, etc. The platform also improves our analysis capabilities and data management, and is better suited for future developments like a mobile app.
The observation form is intuitive. You can choose between the short form for simple text descriptions and photo uploads, or a long form which allows you to enter avalanche and weather details, along with problem assessments. The observation viewer has three tabs: observations, avalanches, and visualization tools. Check them out! There are a few examples below. As with any new tool, there will be a bit of a learning curve for all of us, but hopefully you’ll find some of the new features helpful for your backcountry adventures.
FAQ’s
Do I have to provide a location when I submit an observation?
Yes, the form requires a location name and a map pin. The location is used in our analysis tools and it is helpful for us to understand how your observation fits into a bigger picture of regional patterns. If you’d prefer to protect your secret stash, you can drop a pin at the trailhead where you started from or in the general area of travel.
What about observations from previous seasons?
All observations from previous seasons are archived on our website still. You can find them under “Resources” from the website menu. We are working on ingesting historical avalanche data into this new tool.
Where is the old avalanche rose?
The new visualization tools allow you to filter your search spatially or by avalanche size, aspect, elevation, trigger, problem, etc, similar to the rose. We are currently working on linking the new database to our avalanche rose so that it still functions. We’ll add it back to the website when/if that happens.
What if I don’t want to fill out an observation form?
You can still text us (970-444-2170), email us (cbavalanche@gmail.com), or tell us what you saw at the trailhead.
A mobile app?
The Northwest Avalanche Center has been developing a mobile app with offline functionality. We will be working with them to make this resource available to our community in the future.
