For years, nearly twenty, avalanche professionals across North America & beyond have been referencing the mythical twenty percent number. That twenty percent is representative of the amount of folks that succumb to traumatic injuries in avalanche accidents. A new study shows that the new number is much higher.

There are many reasons for not jumping straight into a REC 1 avalanche course with the primary being unfamiliarity with the gear, an overwhelming amount of information and lack of experience.