CALGARY- Backcountry users are being urged to avoid some new apps that have hit the market, as they may give a false sense of protection.
Three European-made apps have been touted as economical alternatives to avalanche transceivers, which can help locate people in the event that they’re buried in an avalanche.
However, the Canadian Avalanche Centre (CAC) says they’re concerned about them, due to a lack of frequency range and incompatibility.
For example, avalanche transceivers have an international standard of 457 kHz, and can find other transceivers regardless of brand. The apps cannot.
“None of the various communication methods used by these apps come close to that standard,” explains Gilles Valade, executive director of the CAC. “WiFi and Bluetooth signals are significantly weakened when passing through snow, and easily deflected by the solid objects we expect to see in avalanche debris. And the accuracy of a GPS signal is nowhere near the precision required for finding an avalanche victim.”
He adds that the CAC is also concerned about battery life, reliability and interference.
“We are warning all backcountry users to not use any of these apps in place of an avalanche transceiver.”
The apps they’re concerned about are:
“These apps are being marketed as inexpensive, viable alternatives to avalanche transceivers when they are absolutely not,” Valade adds. “If backcountry users choose a smartphone app over an avalanche transceiver, they are endangering themselves and their companions.”
Backcountry users are urged to equip themselves with an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel before heading out, and the CAC recommends training and checking the avalanche forecast before heading out.
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