The Avalanche Factor

The Avalanche Safety Book For Human-Powered Backcountry Travelers

Winner of the 2024 National Outdoor Book Award!

 

The Avalanche Factor is a 304-page handbook for recreational skiers and climbers who want to get into backcountry avalanche terrain using their own power. It contains the knowledge to both understand and avoid avalanches. IFMGA Mountain Guide Joe Stock has distilled decades of skiing, climbing, guiding and teaching avalanche courses into a step-by-step system that will lower your risk from avalanches while improving trip success. It combines modern knowledge from scientists and practitioners with Joe's time-tested method for avoiding avalanches, including the Avalanche Avoidance System, margins for safety, tips for climbers and mountaineers, and how to make good decisions. Over half of the book is color photos and graphics to explain the topics and stoke your learning.

A Fresh Perspective on Avalanches

  • Distilled from Joe’s decades of skiing, climbing, guiding, and teaching.

  • Focussing on human-powered access without machines.

  • Modern knowledge from scientists and practitioners.

  • A step-by-step avalanche avoidance system.

  • Decision making beyond the human factor.

  • Tips for climbers and mountaineers.

  • Updated in 2024.

  • 309 color photos

  • 45 graphics

  • 304 pages

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Reviews

“The Avalanche Factor is the most accessible avalanche resource on the market.”
— Luc Mehl, thingstolucat.com
“The Avalanche Factor serves two seemingly disparate functions regarding books: textbook-dense (in a good way) and readable. It is a must read and a good read.”
— Jason Albert, the-high-route.com
“Just finished my first read thru, nice job Joe!”
— Jake Hutchinson, avalanche professional
“I taught avalanche safety here at the university for 40 years - and I know a good book when I see it - and you nailed it.”
— Ron Watters, National Outdoor Book Awards
“Factor should be on your bookshelf. Kudos to Joe Stock for undertaking such a labor of love and pulling it off with elegance”
— Rob Coppolillo, The Avalanche Review
“I got the book! Wow, what an accomplishment. I bet that took years to compile. The photos are super awesome and instructive and I like how it is laid out. Nicely done!”
— Doug Chabot, director of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center
“...love your new book BTW. Our community has needed a book like that for a long time. Nice work!”
— Ian McCammon, avalanche researcher and educator
“You are the perfect example of a Professional Mountain Guide in every way: Your background in formal snow/avalanche education; along with many years of AMGA and IFMGA guiding experience in the snowy mountains of the world/ your positive attitude/ your humor /your love of people and your passion to educate folks! It all spills out for the reader of this book.”
— Denny Hogan, avalanche professional
“This wonderful book covers everything from snow conditions to pit tests to waterfall ice climbing. It’s a treasure trove of information. But the most amazing part of this book, I thought, is the visuals. I’ve never seen any kind of how-to guide so liberally pimped out with both fantastic photos and diagrams. The photos are so striking they’re worth the price of admission alone.”
— Cam Burns, powder.com