Avalanche Beacons

Does everyone in the group need their own beacon?

Yes. Every person, not some of them. This one is not negotiable.

The reason is simple: avalanche rescue is a group activity. If only one person carries a beacon and that person is the one buried, nobody can search. The beacon only works as a system where everybody has one and everybody knows how to use it.

What should you look for in a beacon?

A triple-antenna digital beacon with a search range of at least 40 metres and a clear, intuitive interface.

Interface clarity matters more than the feature list. Under the stress of a real search you want a display that tells you distance and direction without interpretation. The BCA Tracker range is widely used for exactly that reason. More advanced models add multiple-burial marking, which is worth having if you ride complex terrain in larger groups.

Where should you wear it?

On your body, under your outer layer, in the harness it comes with. Not in your backpack and not in a jacket pocket.

A pack can be torn off in a slide and a pocket can empty. If the beacon separates from you, it is transmitting from somewhere you are not, which is worse than useless because it sends searchers to the wrong place.

How do you actually practise with one?

Bury a transmitting beacon in a field or in snow and search for it with yours in search mode. Aim to locate it in under 60 seconds before you rely on the skill for real. Some Australian resorts have beacon parks set up for structured practice.

Run drills at the start of every season, not just when you buy the beacon. The switch from transmit to search needs to be automatic, because you will be doing it with cold hands under pressure.

Should you do a course?

Yes, and beacon technique is a large part of why. A course puts you through timed searches under supervision, which is the only way to know whether your practice has actually worked.

We run an Extended AST1 Course through the store. AST 1 is the minimum qualification for independent backcountry travel in Australia, and it covers beacon searching, terrain assessment and group rescue procedure.

Buying an avalanche beacon in Australia

We carry BCA, Mammut, Pieps and Black Diamond. Come into the Richmond showroom and we will walk you through beacon use properly rather than handing you a box. Free shipping on orders over $90, with same and next-day dispatch from Melbourne.

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