Just like my biology teacher said to me in sex-ed, ‘play with fire and you’ll get burned.’ I’m not sure what kind of kinky stuff Mr Beasley was into outside of school hours, but it’s pretty obvious that if you don’t ride gnarly faces on risky days, you won’t die in an avalanche.

It can be hard to turn down the steepest, deepest powder when there’s a huge queue at the lifts and you’re near the front, but if your gut is saying no then it’s worth listening to. Especially with groups of inexperienced guys, the tendency is to be macho and take the risk, but not going for it will significantly increase the chances of you being around for next year’s trip.

Like I said before, just reading this article is not enough; get the gear and get trained. Remember that this could be one of the worst winters for avalanches in Europe ever, so make sure you stay safe.