When Liam Goettelman heads out for a backcountry ski in the San Juan Mountains, he starts by checking the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s avalanche danger forecast, decides on a safe route with his ski partners and makes sure his equipment is in order.
In addition to his skis, boots and poles, Goettelman carries an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe – crucial pieces of safety gear that no skier or snowboarder galavanting in the mountains should forego.
Goettelman also carries a portable radio, which have become increasingly common as backcountry skiing has grown in popularity – as much as eight-fold since 1995, according to a study presented in Montana State University’s 2024 International Snow Science Workshop.
On Dec. 29, the Friends of the San Juans introduced the San Juan Backcountry Radio Program. The program assigns radio frequencies to different ski zones – called open channels – which are visible through a map published on the organization’s website.
Board member Evan Tyler said the radio frequency map was a community effort partially facilitated by Friends of the San Juans that came about as a result of the growing popularity of backcountry skiing.
On the web
To view the radio frequency map, visit thesanjuans.org/radio-program.
“All of a sudden we’re seeing a lot more traffic out there on radio channels,” he said. “The goal was to create a tool where groups could effectively communicate between groups, in a consistent manner that was also facilitating safe use.”
Goettelman said he was all in when he learned about the program.
“I saw it and was really excited about it,” he said. “It means that you can have effective communication and really be on the same page as all sorts of different users, which increases safety and ease of use in the backcountry.”
Radios geared specifically toward backcountry recreators – brands like Backcountry Access and Rocky Talkie – range in price from $110 to $205, though many commercially available two-way radios can perform the same function.
Open radio channels, as they are called by Friends of the San Juans, assign a specific radio frequency to different zones in the mountains and are open to anyone to use. These community radio channels are not a new concept.
Ophir, a small town near Telluride, has had one for years, and is something investigators said could have saved a man’s life if he had carried a radio when he died after being caught in an avalanche in 2024.
The open channels serve several functions, including:
- Allowing people to communicate within one’s party and other parties in a given vicinity.
- Announcing one’s “drop in” and “all clear” when skiing a specific line or piece of terrain.
- Alerting recreators about hazards like changing conditions or avalanches.
- Sending distress calls.
- Allowing for communication with search and rescue operations.
Chris Trullaz, a guide with San Juan Expeditions, said the frequency map is a handy new resource.
“The backcountry user group in Silverton is growing quite rapidly, and the ability to hear if there’s other people going out or that there’s potentially a rescue needed in the same zone can mean the potential difference of saving someone’s life or not,” he said.
Tyler George, director of Silverton Mountain Rescue, said standardized radio channels could help recreators avoid triggering an avalanche that slides onto other people below them on a given slope.
“Knowing who is recreating above (or below) you could help mitigate accidents, and if you need help you may be able to contact other recreationalists nearby to lend a hand,” he said.
From a search and rescue standpoint, George said the map could help improve communication between an injured party and rescuers.
While Silverton Mountain Rescue has not yet used the map for any rescues, rescuers are now incorporating it into their rescue checklist. Though rescuers do not monitor the channels, once they are alerted to an emergency, they can use them to communicate with those in need of help.
“It could be incredibly helpful if we can communicate with people from the trailhead and get a detailed idea of their conditions and needs,” he said.
Recreators should still carry a satellite communication device, like a SPOT or inReach to communicate directly with search and rescue, George said.
Josh Kling, director of Fort Lewis College’s Outdoor Pursuits and International Federation of Mountain Guides Association certified guide, and Jamie Bernstein, Outdoor Pursuit’s program coordinator, brought radios while out for a ski in Prospect Gulch. They had a clear plan of where they were going, and said they would use their radios sparingly and as an emergency backup.
“Most avalanche accidents occur as a result of a breakdown in communication,” Bernstein said. “Radios make communication easier. You’re not always right next to your partner. So it makes it easier to space appropriately and still have crystal-clear, reliable communication.”
Kling said the radio map is a promising tool. But he thinks people could become overreliant on radios and forget to have clear communication before heading into the backcountry.
“They’re a rad tool, but I think people use them as a crutch when they don’t discuss things very good ahead of time,” he said.
Goettelman said he comes up with a clear plan with his group well ahead of time, and sometimes never even uses his radio.
“You usually have some sort of route that you’re wanting to ski, then it’s just kind of that constant communication with the group and assessments of conditions in order to make smart decisions on how you’re traveling and skiing,” he said.
Backcountry radios don’t always work, either. It is hard for them to receive a signal over ridgelines or other terrain features, and they could run out of battery while out in the backcountry. Therefore, Kling said having a clear plan and good group dynamics is more important than solely relying on a radio.
Additionally, he said good etiquette is important when using an open channel. During one recent ski tour, he recalled hearing someone singing Lady Gaga on the open channel. Not only is that annoying, he said, it could prevent someone from calling for help.
“The button on the radio that says ‘PTT’ on it means ‘Push To Talk,’ not ‘Push To Think,’” Kling said. “You should use syllables, not sentences, and sentences, not paragraphs. Clear, concise communication.”
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
