Be Prepared For An Avalanche

You never think it is going to happen to you, but you need to be prepared for an avalanche during the upcoming winter months.


Before you go out into potential avalanche prone areas, make sure you have the training, equipment, and knowledge of what to do to prevent avalanches and how to respond if an avalanche were to occur. 


What is an avalanche?
An avalanche is a mass of snow sliding down a mountainside.

What causes an avalanche?
Avalanches occur when stresses (driving forces), such as the pulling of snow downhill by gravity, exceeds the strength (resisting forces) such as the bonds between snow grains. Four ingredients are needed to produce an avalanche:

  1. Snow
  2. Weak layer in the snow cover
  3. Steep slope
  4. A trigger

Where do avalanches occur?
About 90% of all avalanches start on slopes of 30 – 45 degrees; about 98% of all avalanches occur on slopes of 25 – 50 degrees. Avalanches release most often on slopes above timberline that face away from prevailing winds (leeward slopes collect snow blowing from the windward sides of ridges.)

Avalanches can run, however, on small slopes well below timberline, such as gullies, road cuts, and small openings in the trees. Very dense trees can anchor the snow to steep slopes and prevent avalanches from starting; however, avalanches can release and travel through a moderately dense forest.


Who gets caught in avalanches?
Avalanche victims are primarily backcountry recreationists: snowmobilers, climbers, snowboarders, skiers, and hikers.

How do people get caught in avalanches?
In 90% of avalanche incidents, the victim or someone in the victim’s party triggers the avalanche.


Additional Information Resources

Source: Utah Avalanche Forecast Center

5 Basic things that can prevent most avalanche accidents: *(watch this video for details)

Visit this page for information on what to do in back country emergencies. 

For your FREE Be Prepared For An Avalanche Flyer to to our free section.

Thank you for being prepared for an avalanche, feel free to share this with your friends and family that love the snow!

A ‘Hobbit House’ that I Would Love to Live In

A ‘Hobbit House’ that I Would Love to Live In

An adorable ‘Hobbit House’ that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I’m short and don’t need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me to grow my own food and Thrive.  

Epoch Times Photo

This house was created by, Stuart Grant, 1989, in Scotland. He started the home in the early 1980’s when he became a newly retired woodcutter. 

Epoch Times Photo

He mostly used materials that he found in the woods surrounding his property and near the village of Tomich, which is located deep in the Scottish Highlands. Little by little he created, with his own hands, this magical cozy home for himself.

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

Grant himself is only 5 foot, 3 inches tall and closely resembles Bilbo Baggins, which makes this home even more remarkable.

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

Grant enjoys wandering round barefoot, building hand crafted wooden furniture and tending to his beautiful plants in the greenhouse. 

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

The front door is carefully crafted round and perfect, just like any hobbit home with beautiful stained glass on both side that nearly perfectly matches.  

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

The project got underway in 1984, decades before “Lord of the Rings” was released onto screens, when Grant was approaching his 40th birthday.

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

In a YouTube interview with his friend Iain Maclean, who was in the area to film the project, Grant said that he’d been living in Australia prior to 1984, but returned home to Scotland following a divorce and a struggle with his health.

“I came back a broken man in every way, financially, physically … and spiritually,” he said.

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

Besides being an amazing woodworker, Grant is also a gifted artist.

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

He had originally intended on renovating the cottage on the property, but soon realized that the cow shed had better views and more potential to create his fairy tale home on a budget. 

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

The roof is covered in living green moss, climbing green ivy crawls up the exterior walls, the ceilings have beautiful wood beams and the windows mullioned.

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

Cozy touches are adorned throughout the cozy cottage, from sheepskin rugs and tartan throws to unique crochet quilts. 

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

Outside is a flower-filled garden with a pretty pond and a greenhouse for growing his own fruits and vegetables. A perfect way to Thrive in Life!

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

The delightfully secluded area has not been without visitors.

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

After Maclean’s video of the cottage emerged in 2009, a handful of “Lord of the Rings” fans made their way to the cottage to meet the man who dreamed and hand crafted his very own “Hobbit House.”

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

I hope you enjoyed taking a virtual visit of a hobbit house that I would love to live in.

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

This is a man who knows how to survive life, so he can Thrive in Life! 

(Photos Courtesy of Kahlum Grant, original article found at theepochtimes.com)

An adorable 'Hobbit House' that I would Love to live in at the drop of a hat. I'm short and don't need much space, the house is just my size and the greenhouse is perfect for me o grow my own food and Thrive in Life.

Find your thriving gear in our Prepping & Survival collection

5 Top Survival Hints

Here is your check off list:

____ 1. Get a living will made. There are many reasons to make a living will: to give guidance to your doctors and health care surrogates, provide clarity and closure to your loved ones, prevent conflict or disagreements among family members, and limit the emotional burden on your closest people at the time of your death.

____ 2. Prepare an emergency kit. Being prepared means being equipped with the proper supplies you may need in the event of an emergency or disaster. Keep your supplies in an easy-to-carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you in case you must evacuate. Be sure to take into account of the special needs you or your family might need, such as, medications, personal products, insulin, etc. Click here to get the American Red Cross Emergency Kit Ideas.

___ 3. Make a plan and tell it to your family. Know the fastest and most efficient escape routes from your home, neighborhood and city. Know where you’ll be meeting and who is going to bring what. Practice as many of these elements as possible and review the plan often. Click here to get your Free Family Disaster Plan. *

___ 4. Get trained in CPR and First Aid. A trained person is better able to assess their surroundings. Knowledge of first aid and CPR promotes a sense of safety and well-being among people. Having an awareness and desire to be accident-free keeps you safer and reduces the number of causalities and accidents.

___ 5. Put together a bug out bag. After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, waterfireshelter and other supplies to last for several days. I even keep some cash handy for the bug out kit. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency. Click here to get a free emergency preparedness template. **

Whether you’re worried about a sudden layoff, home invasions, car accidents, the power going out for a week, natural disasters, or long term economic and societal decline, it’s critical that you start getting prepared now. By definition, if you wait until you need it, it’s already too late.

*(this post is not endorsed by American Red Cross) Original content is located at https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/General_Preparedness___Recovery/Home/ARC_Family_Disaster_Plan_Template_r083012.pdf

**(this post is not endorsed by FEMA) Original content is located at https://www.ready.gov/