Don't Go it Alone
Backcountry, sidecountry, slackcountry. Call it whatever you like, it's skiable terrain that is not managed by a resort or patrol organization. Once you duck a rope, step through a gate or start skinning up a slope you are taking a risk with the snow you will slide down.
Avalanche risk can be easy to take lightly, especially in familiar terrain. Many popular and well-traveled runs lay enticingly just outside of ski resort boundaries. When you decide to ski or snowboard in uncontrolled terrain, educate yourself, equip yourself (avalanche beacon, probe and shovel), check the weather and snow conditions, and travel with a partner. It's difficult to turn yourself around when snow conditions are uncertain, but it's even harder to dig your partner out of an avalanche debris field.
More Info:
Backcountry Avalanche Awareness
American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education
Northern New Mexico Avalanche Exchange
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