Backcountry Ski Risk Tolerance Questionnaire

Inspired by a recent guide forum discussion and by some of my own recent retirement planning (which, when done well, apparently includes a valuable discussion of risk tolerance), I cooked up this little set of questions. There is no “score” and there is no way to “win”. But it should rattle some stuff around in that brain.

Risks and rewards are intertwined, to put it mildly. When the reward is this, what are you willing to put on the line? Janelle Smiley photo

Risks and rewards are intertwined, to put it mildly. When the reward is this, what are you willing to put on the line? Janelle Smiley photo

  1. In general, how would your best friend describe your recreational risk taking tendencies?

    1. A go-getter

    2. Willing to shoulder some risk with research

    3. Cautious

    4. Risk avoider

  2. You have professional level guidance and information, but total freedom to choose where you go. In any situation, an avalanche has a 15% chance of badly injuring you and a 10% chance of killing you. What would you pick?

    1. Crusty, horrible snow that absolutely will not avalanche.

    2. Smooth hard snow that has a 5% chance of avalanching.

    3. Boot-top powder that has a 15% chance of avalanching.

    4. Movie-worthy face shots with a 25% chance of avalanching.

  3. When you think of the word “risk” which of the following words comes to mind first?

    1. Loss

    2. Uncertainty

    3. Opportunity

    4. Thrill

  4. You are packing for a day in the mountains. Your backpack is nearly full. Do you (and you can only fit one): 

    1. Bring another liter of water and ski an extra run 

    2. Bring your emergency shelter in case something bad happens

    3. Bring the bigger camera to better capture the experience

    4. Bring a seat cushion and a thermos of tea for an hour of summit serenity

  5. It is day 9 of your 12 day expedition to Peak XYZ. You stand on the summit with three descent options. Any one of the choices will take the remainder of your time on this long-anticipated dream trip. Which do you choose?

    1. Your ascent route. With wind-scoured conditions, boot tracks, and a line of others ascending. Little to no avalanche hazard and minimal slip and fall hazard. 

    2. The 35 degree powder couloir with minimal slip and fall hazard and about a 5% chance of a really bad avalanche. 

    3. The 50 degree “money line” with perfect snow, certain death if you fall, and about a 5% chance of a really bad avalanche.

  6. Mountaineers, on foot, rope up for nearly all glacier travel. The rope reduces or eliminates the consequences of a fall into an unseen crevasse. In the exact same conditions and terrain, ski mountaineers rarely descend roped together. A crevasse fall is slightly less likely on skis than on foot, but the consequences of an unroped fall into an unseen crevasse are dire. 

    1. "Going onto glaciers at all is preposterous"

    2. “It is a cool-looking environment. I could see going there, but taking all the precautions, regardless of my mode of travel”.

    3. “Skiing downhill roped to my buddy seems annoying, but better than the alternative”. 

    4. “I need a damn good reason to compromise the enjoyment of my skiing. I’ll gladly ski unroped on those glaciers”.

  7. Each morning you get an emailed avalanche advisory and a screen full of ski stoke. Today is your day to shred. The advisory says that, on your favorite type of terrain, human triggered avalanches are possible. Reports indicate that your favorite type of terrain will be untracked, sunny, and perfect snow. Do you?

    1. Stay home

    2. Go to less enjoyable but lower likelihood terrain

    3. “Possible” isn’t “for sure”. Go to that untracked, sunny, perfect spot. 

  8. You most admire/seek to emulate/wish to be:

    1. The 75 year old you’ve never heard of that has ridden the same “Hippie Trees” for 50 years

    2. The 40 year old quiet crusher that has 20 years of perfect snow, an occasional expedition, and a handful of close calls

    3. The 30 year old magazine star with a dozen first descents, roving and growing resume of amazing imagery and experiences, a deceased close ski partner, and annual (or more) big mountain incidents/close calls. 


Jediah Porter