---
title: 'Terrain as a first filter'
date: 2026-10-10
summary: 'Seed. Terrain choice does more risk reduction than snowpack assessment, because it is the variable you actually control.'
status: seed
topics: [snow-science, skiing]
canonical: 'https://yhzhan.me/notes/terrain-as-a-first-filter/'
source:
  type: own
linked_from: [how-notes-work, loss-landscapes-and-terrain]
links_to: [loss-landscapes-and-terrain]
---
Seed, to be filled in from the avalanche literature rather than from memory.

The argument in one line: snowpack assessment is an estimate with wide error
bars, while terrain is a measurement. Choosing less consequential terrain is
therefore the higher-leverage move, and it is available before you leave the
car.

To do: find the actual decision-framework papers and cite them properly instead
of paraphrasing a vibe. Related: [[loss-landscapes-and-terrain]].