Item: Travel Behavior of Lift Access Backcountry Skiers adjacent to Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Montana USA
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Title: Travel Behavior of Lift Access Backcountry Skiers adjacent to Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Montana USA
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2018, Innsbruck, Austria
Authors:
- John Sykes [ Snow and Avalanche Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ]
- Jordy Hendrikx [ Snow and Avalanche Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ]
- Jerry Johnson [ Department of Political Science, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ] [ Snow and Avalanche Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ]
- Karl Birkeland [ USDA Forest Service, National Avalanche Center, Bozeman, MT, USA ] [ Snow and Avalanche Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA ]
Date: 2018-10-07
Abstract: Our research expands existing knowledge of travel behavior and decision-making in avalanche terrain. We utilize GPS tracking to observe the travel behavior of lift access backcountry (LABC) skiers and in person survey data to investigate the human factors that influence their terrain choices. Our study area is the southern boundary of Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Southwest Montana, USA (N=139). We analyze travel behavior by avalanche hazard rating, and identify human factors that affect avalanche terrain choices. A subset of our results are presented here, which illustrate the demographics of our sample and highlight their travel behavior through heat maps. Our results provide a case study example of the terrain preferences and avalanche awareness of LABC skiers, and highlight specific human factors that are correlated with terrain selection. Two practical applications of this research are: 1) targeted avalanche education outreach based on our results, and 2) designing new signage to illustrate the avalanche terrain near the ski area boundary for skiers who are inexperienced in the backcountry or unfamiliar with the area.
Object ID: ISSW2018_O19.3.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords: GPS tracking, Human factor, Lift access backcountry, Heat map.
Page Number(s): 1635-1639
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