Dear Hive
I hope you never have to use and apply what is written here, but it is better to be prepared for any situation than to wonder what to do if the worst happens.
Avalanches are a common occurrence in winter in the mountains and it is good to watch for signs and avoid avalanche-prone areas in the mountains that are marked. If you still find yourself in such an area and an avalanche forms, it is good to know how to react.
The first and most important thing you should try to do is to escape from the path of the avalanche. Not all avalanches are as big as you've seen in the movies and getting off the avalanche is quite possible, especially if you're skiing.
However, if you do fall into an avalanche and it pulls you, try to swim with it, on top of the snow, so you can stay on top and not be buried under tons of snow. It is possible that this will happen. Then try to wrap your arms around your chest and place your palms on your face before the snow hardens. This will allow you to clear a small area so you can breathe. You will form the so-called air pocket. In most cases, this means up to 30 minutes of extra life, which means a very high chance of being saved.
Falling into an avalanche, a person loses orientation where he is and can easily be confused whether he is upside down or up, as he is usually pressed from everywhere. However, the laws of gravity still work, and if you spit, you will be able to find out where the earth is and try to dig back.
Here you already have more knowledge on how to react if the worst happens and yet our advice is to stay away from the marked danger zones and if you can always carry an avalanche beacon with you to report your location to the rescue services.
