Avy Probe Length

[Newman55]

Need to buy a probe for an upcoming avy class. What length should I be looking at?

 

I don't ski, so I generally would be using it snowshoeing and snow camping. Maybe a little winter mountaineering down the road on a volcano or two. All in the PNW.

 

What are folks carrying out there?

 

Thanks

[Bronco]

When assessing avalanche rescue gear, you should be thinking from the burial victim's perspective, "what would I want my partners to carry?"

 

Probes in the PNW need to be as long as possible, due to a relatively deep snow pack. 2.5 meter is barely acceptable in my opinion, a 3 meter is much more appropriate. I overheard a guide in Revelstoke BC telling his clients that their 2m probes were totally inadequate for the area.

 

I hope that helps, stay safe out there.

 

 

[ryanb]

I think ours are 350 cm but I would probably go 300 if we bought again. If you get a 300cm probe you can use it with one of brooks range's slick tents:

 

http://brooks-range.com/Propel-Tent.html

 

Also pay attention to the folded length of the probe (and shovel) if you plan to keep it in the avi tools pouch of a dedicated winter pack.

 

Edited January 3, 2013 by ryanb

[kurthicks]

I prefer my students to have at least a 260cm probe and a 300cm is great (albeit heavier). That said, the average burial depth is 140cm and you won't survive if you're over 200cm deep. I carry a 300cm quite often for measuring snowpack depth, although they don't hit the ground in many Cascades locations after January!

[chris]

For a quiver-of-one, something around 270cm for the Cascades. 300cm is too burly and heavy for all but ski patrollers, mountain rescue teams, and the occasional avie instructor.

[Jason4]

For what it's worth I carry a 203cm probe and plastic bladed shovel in my slacker pack when I typically won't be more than a couple of minutes outside of the ski area. When I'm not bumping on the lifts then I have a metal bladed shovel and a 300cm probe in my avy tool pocket.

[Alan Trick]

What is ideal in the Cascades will be quite different than what is ideal in the Rockies. We get a lot heavier snow on the coast and as some others have noted, if you're buried more than 2m from the surface, you're pretty much toast anyway.

[dirtysloper]

The longest!

[G-spotter]

1" longer than yours

[obwan]

BD makes the best one at 265cm, for $50.

I made a one out of tent poles once being cheap, and it wasn't that less expensive. (doesn't work that well either).

The main issue is you need one that works, it's a good lifetime investment.

[Jason4]

Avy probes are good for other things than just probing for avy victims. they can be handy for checking snow depth, feeling layers in the snow, checking thickness on overhanging cornices, tent poles, and other penetrating tasks. They also don't last a lifetime, in the last two avy courses that I've been involved in I've seen two probes fail. Last year it was mine, this year it was the instructors. Pick the longest and strongest probe you can handle carrying, the difference in weight and space in your pack won't really be that big of a deal.