Winter Safety
from www.fs.fed.us/r6/w-w/recreation/winter-safety.shtml
Enjoy your outdoor wintertime activities, but be prepared. Winter-time weather can be unpredictable with strong winds, blizzards, heavy snows, and extreme cold.
The weather and snow conditions can change within hours leading to un-maintained trails; avalanches; wet, sticky snow, or icy conditions.
For you these conditions can lead to; exhaustion, hypothermia, over exertion, accidents and even death.
Before you travel, have you:
Checked the weather forecast by listening to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, and television for the latest winter storm watches, warnings, and advisories?
Check that your vehicle is fueled up and mechanically operational?
Let someone know your timetable and primary and alternate routes?
Take along communications- cell phone, two-way radio, etc?
Dressed appropriately in warm, water proof clothing.
Carry a Winter Storm Survival Kit with items such as:
blankets/sleeping bags;
flashlight with extra batteries;
first-aid kit;
knife;
high-calorie, non-perishable food;
extra clothing to keep dry;
water-proof matches (fire starting, melt snow for drinking water);
shovel;
tool kit;
tow rope;
booster cables;
water;
compass and area road maps.
Forest snowmobile and cross-country ski trails are periodically maintained YET winter conditions can alter their condition in a few hours. Watch out for un-maintained and unsafe trail conditions such as on slides, trees across trails, icy or melted sections, and avalanches. Report any unsafe trail conditions to your local Forest Service Office.