Beacon, probe, shovel
Every person in the party carries all three and knows how to use them. The app cannot find a buried partner.
Safety
Because things don't
always go to plan.
Aventerra gives you better information before you go and keeps your group in sight once you are out there. Here is exactly what that covers, what it does not, and where it sits beside the gear and training you already carry.
What the app is for
Aventerra is a decision-support tool. It puts daily snow depth from government models, a point forecast, slope angle drawn on the map, 3D terrain and the position of everyone in your group in one place, so the group can talk about the day with the same picture in front of them.
When the network drops, a paired Meshtastic radio keeps positions, short messages, waypoints, hazard reports and SOS moving between the people who have one. When someone falls behind, the out-of-range alert says so and shows their last known position.
What it is not
- It is not an avalanche bulletin. Aventerra does not publish or display regional avalanche forecasts; read them at the source before you go.
- It is not a rescue service. SOS and the out-of-range alert reach other app users, never emergency services or a rescue centre.
- It is not a beacon, a probe or a shovel, and it does not replace the training to use them.
- It is not a substitute for judgment. Slope and terrain data describe the ground; only you can decide whether to cross it today.
Where it sits beside your kit
Aventerra is one layer. These are the others, and none of them is optional.
A course
Take an avalanche skills course and a wilderness first aid course. Practise with your group every season. The app assumes you have.
The regional forecast
Read your regional avalanche centre's bulletin the morning you go, and plan the day from it. Aventerra's terrain data is a complement to the forecast, not a replacement.
A satellite communicator
A PLB or inReach-type device reaches rescue services from anywhere. Aventerra's SOS does not. Carry one when you travel beyond cell coverage.
Where to get the forecast
These organisations publish the regional avalanche bulletins for Canada and Quebec. Aventerra does not integrate or display their bulletins; open them directly.
Avalanche Canada
Public avalanche forecasts and the Mountain Information Network for most of Canada's mountain regions.
Avalanche Québec
The avalanche forecast for the Chic-Chocs and the Gaspé Peninsula, plus courses and field observations.
What the app does when it goes wrong
SOS Alert
Send your GPS position and an SOS signal to your group, your friends or anyone nearby, with a situation: injury, stuck or mechanical, lost, or need help. Every device on the mesh receives the notification automatically. No cell network required.
Community Hazard Reports
Mark hazards on the map: downed trees, ice crossings, avalanche debris. Visible to your group and the community in real time.
Out-of-Range Alert
If someone in your group falls too far behind (past a distance threshold tuned to your activity type), the app flags it for the group and shows their last known position. It is an early heads-up, not a rescue system. It does not replace SOS, a dedicated satellite communicator (PLB / inReach), or official emergency protocols.
What SOS does and does not do
The app says it on the SOS screen itself: "Alerts app users only, not emergency services. For life-threatening emergencies use your phone's Emergency SOS."
- SOS goes to your ride group, your friends or the public pin on the map, over the internet and over the mesh.
- Responders answer from the app: on my way, reached them, can't help right now. You can escalate to friends or make it public, and you close it yourself when you are safe.
- Nobody outside the app is notified. No dispatcher, no rescue centre, no 911.
Important
Aventerra is a decision-support tool. It does not replace avalanche training, professional forecasts from your regional avalanche centre, rescue equipment (beacon, probe, shovel), or sound judgment. For any serious emergency, use the appropriate emergency services (911, satellite communicator). Backcountry travel carries serious risk of injury or death. You are solely responsible for your safety and the safety of your group.