Instant inclinometry and visual risk check: Attitude development through a simple tool? - Matti Verkasalo

Age-old quick and easy ski pole (contact) inclinometry was upgraded into reliable precision tool by simple spirit level vial and geometric tables. With it, inclinometry of any slope angle can be done in three seconds. Commercially available line-of-sight PoleClinometer was added.

The slope angle recommendations from Afterski and Elementary Reduction methods were painted as avalanche risk symbols (avalanche danger grades 2-4) over the slope angle scale on the measuring pole. So doing inclinometry, you automatically check your avalanche risk where you are.
This could help the novice to learn avalanche avoidance behaviour and quicker development of healthy attitudes.

Om opphavsfolk/foredragsholder(e)

Matti Verkasalo, 72 years, retired M.D. Helsinki, Finland (Flatlands). Backcountry snowboarding for 25 years, with only 10-15 days/year on real mountains. When I started, there was no information on the sport available in Finnish. So after studying all the books and browsing all Web pages I ended up co-authoring the first Finnish freeride/-ski and snow safety book (Vapaalasku – tieto, taito, turvallisuus) with Jarkko-Juhani Henttonen in 2013.

I was rather disappointed at my own development in avalanche awareness, and my laziness to do inclinometry, so about 15 years ago started to experiment on improving the accuracy of fast and simple ski pole inclinometry. I presented the results at ISSW 2018 in Innsbruck as a poster.

My website for updated do-it-yourself instructions.