Customer Reviews

Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own 6 of the most popular books on avalanche safety; this is by far the best. The core information needed to assess avalanche risk is given in some detail but the explanations are presented in "everyday" terms and are quite easy to understand. None-the-less,Tremper never talks down to his readers and the full level of complexity inherent in the subject matter is maintained. This is simply a very well written book by an author who appearantly is able to write well naturally. He would probably do very well writing about any subject.

Bruce Tremper has written the book compiling modern information about avalanche dragons & staying safe in their lair. From the first hand narrative of Bruce's introduction to the power of avalanches to the avalanche actuarial table illustrating the necessity of making good decisions to detailed specific information for backcountry travellers trying to stay safe on skis, snowboards & snowmobiles Bruce shares the knowledge gained from his 25yrs of professional avalanche experience. Full of firsthand wisdom, gentle humor, terrific illustrations & photographs this is a very readable text on what often is a very dry subject. Everyone who knows Bruce's Utah avalanche forecasts will have an idea of what to expect. Everyone else can look forward to enjoying a common-sense easy to understand book written with passion & humor on state of the art avalanche safety for backcountry travellers. If you travel in avalanche terrain you want to read this book.

In Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain, Tremper has found the "sweet spot" in modern avalanche education. With the changing demographics of winter backcountry users, it is becoming increasingly difficult to satisfy everyone all of the time. Tremper pulls it off with a writing style and progressive approach that is easily digested by novices, yet technically insightful for snow safety veterans. The book is also unique in its "cross-cultural" approach to snow safety, addressing the subject from the perspective of not just skiers, but snowmobilers and snowboarders. This comprehensive, yet entertaining book will become core reading material for students of snow safety for years to come.

This is an excellent, highly enjoyable introductory book to avalanche safety. Tremper nicely balances technical detail with readability far better than any avy book I've seen. With its copious figures and pictures, it's almost impossible to get bogged down in the middle chapters and abandon the effort. Additionally, his chapter discussing the influence of human nature on avalanche accidents is unique and highly insightful. This is a wonderful first book that will inspire many readers to pursue further avalanche training, and hopefully save lives.

This book is comprehensive and very thorough. Even though it's the first book I've read on avalanche safety and do not have much experience in winter mountain travel I found this book very easy to read and comprehend. Some parts are repetitive and I wish I could skip them but I'm afraid I might miss an important point. The last chapter on human mentality is very insightful and perhaps it sets this book apart from others.

The books is written in a easy to follow style,no-nonsense,and contains both academical info about avalanches and practical , hot tips. A lot of valuable information is packed up in this book. The book is also copiously illustrated with both photos and graphical drawings to reinforce the knowledge contained in the text.
All in all, it's a book that everybody which deals in mountain sports , or professionaly work in avalanche exposed terrains should read this book.

The Best Avalanche book I have ever read. I would recommend to pros and novices alike.

This book is perfect for an avalanche novice like myself, yet it contains a wealth of information that a seasoned backcountry traveler would probably find useful. Bruce Tremper clearly knows his stuff, and he has an ability to teach what he knows in a manner that is easy to understand. The prose is clear, and there are many excellent illustrations, figures, and photographs. This book will serve as a perfect companion to an avalanche course, and as a reference for years to come.

I took my Avy course 3 years ago, and before heading to the alps this past winter, bought this book to refresh.

it is very well written, and brought back to memory everything I had learned in my course.

Worth every penny.

Trempers concise writing takes complex concepts and explains them in very clear terms bringing the subject of the book to life. Avalanches kill so many people because most people know so little about them. Tremper does a wonderful job of educating readers as to the importance of avalanche safety while keeping the readers, not only interested, but entertained and excited to learn more