Topic: Health & Wellness

Eagle County Sheriff Joe Hoy visited Fresh Tracks in April 2008 to discuss Street Survival - how to drive defensively and responsibly.

Genetics counselor Melanie Taylor sat down with Tim Stenovec to discuss the benefits of the Shaw Regional Cancer Center's genetic counseling program for individuals with a personal or family history of cancer. 

 

When it comes to avalanche danger, not many people know that their clothing could save their lives. That’s not to say there are magical, avalanche-proof jackets or sweaters out there. But there are boots, helmets, jackets, pants and belts made with RECCO avalanche reflectors that enhance the possibility of being found faster in a slide.

RECCO technology was developed in Sweden in the 1980s but has yet to establish a firm niche in North American mountain regions, although the systems have been incorporated in many popular brands of outerwear: The North Face, Marmot, Cloudveil and Quicksilver, not to mention Atomic and various other boot builders.

RECCO detectors are also used by ski area snow safety teams throughout Colorado, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Copper Mountain, Telluride, Aspen, Crested Butte and many others.

RECCO works on harmonic radar. The reflectors affixed to boots, helmets and apparel function in a similar fashion to an avalanche transmitter. Rescuers find them with a RECCO detector, but the process doesn’t interfere with beacon transmissions. RECCO can be used simultaneously with any other kind of avalanche rescue equipment.

“All we have to do is go out and search the area like you would with a beacon,” said Copper Mountain snow safety route leader Steve Kintigh, who is the RECCO liaison for Copper. “But beacons operate on an arc of magnetic energy and RECCO is a straight-line radar. It’s another tool to help find someone in an avalanche.”

While anyone playing in the backcountry should always have the standard avalanche safety equipment – shovel, probe, slope meter and beacons they know how to use, looking into wearing something with a RECCO reflector is an extra step should the worst unravel. And given the two individuals that lost their lives to avalanches in the East Vail Chutes in January and the fact that January, February and March are traditionally the highest-yielding months for slides in Colorado, backcountry enthusiasts need all the help they can get.

“Anybody that spends time in avalanche territory could benefit from RECCO,” Kintigh said. “It’s just another piece of equipment you can use, with no maintenance at all. If you’re in avalanche terrain, every little bit helps, for sure.”

For more information about RECCO, check out www.recco.com. Learn more about avalanche dangers and safety.

When there's lots of snow and lots of people, Vail visitors often set out for the backcountry. It's a thrill. It's a great escape. But beware. Skiing, riding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing in the backcountry always means avalanche danger on and under steep slopes.

An average of six people die in avalanches in Colorado every winter, according to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, and hundreds of other slides, both natural and human-triggered, are reported every month.

Vail and Beaver Creek both have access gates to backcountry skiing and riding at various locations within the ski area. The signs leading to such are not joking when they're splattered with crossbones and warnings.

Nobody should enter the backcountry without the proper equipment and knowledge of avalanche dangers.

Avalanches can occur on slopes that are 25 degrees or steeper and usually happen on slopes measuring 35 to 45 degrees. They can also be triggered from below if there is a steep slope above. Snowpack is a huge factor in determining avalanche dangers. Backcountry travelers should always dig a snow pit in an area where they're about to ski, ride or snowshoe to observe the layers of snow. If heavier, denser snow is sitting on top of layers that are weak, loose and sugary, it's a sure sign of danger. Weather is also a factor.

The high winds around the Vail area can load snow onto weak layers and make them ripe to slide. Cornices and pillows are signs of heavy wind loading and slab dangers.

For updated avalanche forecasts and dangers, visit the CAIC website.

Tips for safety in the backcountry:

• Never go alone

• Always bring a beacon and know how to use it, a shovel, slope meter, probe, First Aid kit, map, compass, whistle, headlamp, repair kit, food, water and extra clothes

• Dig a pit and test the area you're going for snowpack stability

• Never ski or ride above another person

• Don't assume an area is safe just because there are tracks there

Your pooch needs almost as much maintenance as your child. Dr. Charles Meynier from Eagle-Vail Animal Hospital brought some furry friends by Fresh Tracks on Feb. 16, 2008, to let dog owners know what it takes to keep their best buddy happy and healthy.

Polly Perkins of Cascade Resort and Spa's Aria Spa stopped by Fresh Tracks to fill us in on ski stretches. We all know what it feels like to be stiff and sore before and after a day on the mountain. Take a few minutes to stretch and recover faster.

It's that culprit we all fear on the coldest days: frostbite. Dr. Charles Tuft MD, of Vail Valley Medical Center, stopped by Fresh Tracks to explain the science of frostbite and to provide pointers on how to avoid it as well as how to handle it when it nips.

Dr. Stephen D. Fretz of The Smart Foundation and Glen Davis of Alpine Bank sit down with Jolana Leigh Smith on Fresh Tracks to talk about their growing partnership. The Smart Foundation seeks to provide quality care and social programs for autistic children in the Valley, with the goal of expanding coverage throughout the state.  Alpine Bank, the Valley's bank, is pleased to assist through fundraising efforts like The Smart Bank.

Plum's Jeniece Pettit joined Ellen Miller's Mountain Divas, a motivational fitness program for women who want to train while experiencing the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, for a morning trail running workout.

From top-notch weight equipment to lavish massages and facials, Allegria Spa at the Park Hyatt at Beaver Creek covers every square inch of what it takes to relax.