Sports and recreation
Backcountry skiing
Estimated acute risk associated with a day of off-piste or backcountry skiing.
Base risk estimate
2 micromorts per days
Population-level estimate. Not a personal prediction.
Assumptions
Assumes backcountry skiing in avalanche terrain with basic avalanche safety equipment.
Limitations
Risk is highly variable depending on avalanche conditions, terrain, party preparedness, rescue access, and snowpack stability.
Source notes
Placeholder value for development only. Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and the American Avalanche Association (AAA) publish annual avalanche fatality statistics (approximately 20–30 avalanche deaths/year in the US). Backcountry skiing participation exposure data is not routinely published, making per-day rate calculation difficult. Avalanche deaths represent a subset of total backcountry skiing fatalities.
Last reviewed
6/10/2026