BackCountry Smarter
Are you looking for more adventure?
And want to know how to make smarter decisions
You want to explore but need to understand the risks so that you can keep things acceptably safe – as safe as everyday activities like driving a car?
Read further below…
Here are 5 ways you can be BackCountry Smarter
Free practical advice
Discover our Accident Reduction Framework, get our snow reports, read our free articles, watch our live broadcasts, and follow the HAT blog for the latest insight and advice.
Avalanche talks
Attend our Backcountry smarter talks to learn how to apply the Accident Reduction Framework so you can make going off piste no more risky than driving to the resort. You can come to live events or via Zoom webinar
Transceiver training
Join one of our sessions so that if the worst happens, you are well prepared. You will learn how to locate a victim in 5 minutes and dig them out in 15 minutes using the transceiver, shovel and probe.
Backcountry Smarter courses on snow
Come skiing with Henry Schniewind and Mark Jones to develop off piste skills and learn how to apply the HAT checklist and risk management on the snow.
Backcountry Smarter Webinars
Henry delivers free webinars on topical subjects around managing your risk off piste.
Backcountry Smarter mixes education, practical training and tools to help you apply safer decision making
“Education is not enough…” Ian McCammon. Ian is an internationally acclaimed avalanche and behavioural science expert.
Indeed, the vast majority of accidental avalanches are triggered by the victim(s) and the victims were not applying their education and experience despite clear signs of danger.
The ‘Safety is Freedom Framework’ provides one solution to this problem by helping you apply what you know, or what you have learned, by distilling avalanche safety into a simple method that can make off-piste and ski touring acceptably safe.
To further help with ‘applying’, we have made two memory aid cards that helps to apply the Framework. These two cards make up the ‘The HAT Safety Pack’.
The HAT Safety Pack is a simplified ‘tool’ or guide for applying the key safety points in the Framework that can make entering into avalanche terrain acceptably safe… as safe as every day activities. It’s a great complement and memory aid for everyone of all levels. Even pros will find it useful as a quick training tool to get the group focusing on the points that can make the difference between things being as dangerous as base-jumping… or as acceptably safe as driving a car. For a quick summary of how to use the Framework and ‘Safety Pack’ see this link to the HAT YouTube channel or our Essentials Talk, which takes a more detailed look at each of the points.
Henry’s “Safety is Freedom” concept has deep parallels with our industry. Since having him talk in our head office we have unashamedly – and successfully – translated the accident reduction framework to risk management in algorithmic trading.
It sounds like a simple checklist: it is, and that is the point. Henry asking the question,
“Are we good, or are we just lucky?”
joins the dots for a different audience than The Checklist Manifesto.
“You need easily applied decision making tools” says Ian McCammon.
The ‘Framework solution’ comes from years of risk management research in similar “high consequence, low validity-low feedback” risk contexts (aviation, finance, surgery etc.) where clear and unambiguous feedback is absent. As a result, we are dangerously easily misled. Simplified decision making, risk reduction and crisis management tools are what work as a solution.
We have lots more cool theoretical and practical things that enhance this Framework – Safety Pack focus. See below!
“Henry has worked in collaboration with The French Avalanche Association (ANENA) for over 30 years. His superb accident prevention work has prevented over 100 avalanche deaths over the last three decades according to recent estimates.”
“As a former F-16 pilot and United Airlines pilot, I strongly believe in Henry’s framework / checklist system for all off-piste skiers & tourers.
His type of disciplined approach has saved numerous lives in the world of aviation, healthcare and other professions that include potential high-risk contexts.”
Read our most recent blog post
In the season and the season warm up we regularly post advice, HAT updates, weather, snow reports and news on our blog
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Some recent blog posts
Avalanche Airbag Backpacks : Should I wear one?
Avalanche Airbags: How They Work, Do They Reduce Injury/Death, and Do They Increase Risk?
This blog introduces an upcoming series of articles on avalanche airbags, created in response to questions raised over the past few years during accident prevention sessions and discussions of the Henry’s Avalanche Talk risk management method.
The article is organized around four topics: how avalanche airbags work; whether they reduce injury and fatalities; whether airbags increase risk-taking; and a survey of the many brands and models available. Viewers are invited to share additional questions and themes via comments on the Henry’s Avalanche Talk YouTube channel and website, or by contacting hat@henrysavalanchetalk.com.
The goal is to shape future articles—potentially a series—based on audience interests, with the current article to be posted in the blog section.
Backcountry Smarter: On-Snow Training for Safer, Smarter Off-Piste Skiing !
Ski Safer, Smarter & More Confidently in the Backcountry After a fantastic first season, we're excited to bring Backcountry Smarter back for winter 2026/27! Launched last year, these on-snow training courses quickly became a hit, attracting skiers keen to improve...
Backcountry Smarter : On-Snow Course Dates for next Season & Free Webinar Next Week!
New on-snow course dates for next season, 2026/27 plus a short live webinar next week on : New hybrid ski touring equipment : how to mix and match Avalanche danger levels 1–5 : what they mean and how to use them to help you be safer off-piste and in the backcountry...