Which elements compose the AVI triangle?

• A. Snowpack, Weather, People, Wind
• B. Snowpack, People, Weather, Terrain
• C. Snowpack, People, Vehicles, Terrain
• D. Snowpack, People, Weather, Atmosphere

Answer: (B)

Avalanche risk comes from four factors that interact: the snowpack, the weather, the terrain, and people. The snowpack describes the layers and weak interfaces that can fail under load. Weather drives that loading and the temperature changes that affect stability, including wind loading. Terrain determines how likely a slope is to slide and how severe the consequences can be, with slope angle, aspect, and features like gullies or treelines shaping both release and danger. People refer to human factors—exposure, decision making, group dynamics, and risk tolerance—that influence how long you stay on a slope and how quickly you react.

The option that lists all four elements—snowpack, weather, terrain, and people—best captures how avalanche danger emerges in real-world conditions. For example, unstable snowpack layered after a storm can fail on a steep, windy slope where you and your teammates are exposed for longer, illustrating how all four factors come together.

Other choices miss or misplace elements (for instance, treating wind as separate from weather, or including vehicles or atmosphere), which doesn’t align with how the AVI triangle is structured.