Avalanche studies have undergone a transition in recent years. Early research focused mainly on environmental factors. More recently, attention has turned to human factors in decision making, such as behavioural and cognitive biases. This article adds a "social" component to this human turn in avalanche studies. It identifies lessons for…

Adventure tourism is a rapidly growing segment of the tourism industry, which can be regarded as specific activities that are alluring for their uncertain and potentially dangerous outcomes. Risk-taking attitudes and behaviors may be common among adventure recreationists and increase the potential for litigation against recreation operators. In…

Background: This paper is part two of a discussion about a new pedagogical model for adventure in the curriculum. It builds upon part one, the advocacy paper, which considered important theoretical foundations, historical influences and research outcomes of outdoor adventure education (OAE) in the UK. Purpose: This paper outlines how a model for…

Many outdoor organizations integrate whitewater rafting into their programmes. Often this is accomplished by contracting with a whitewater outfitter. This paper analyses rafting accident data collected by the American Canoe Association in an effort to suggest ways in which programmes can better manage risk while contracting with outfitters for…

Over the years researchers have attempted to gather information on outdoor orientation programs. Past researchers used different sampling techniques to locate programs, but all concluded more outdoor orientation programs probably existed than they were able to find. In the fall of 2005, a research group for the present study set out to create a…

The popularity of adventure recreation and adventure education has arisen, in part, from an assumption that adventure experiences are radically different from those of everyday life in modern societies. A paradox previously pointed out is that those seeking adventurous experiences often make use of technical and technological prosthetics, thus…

This paper stresses the outdoor recreation and education professionals should understand aspects of liability, negligence, and risk management. There are four elements that must be present if a person or organization is to be considered negligent: the presence of a legal duty of care, a breach of duty, proximate cause, and actual damages. When…

To ensure that the rapidly growing climbing gym industry maintains the excellent safety record established so far, the Climbing Gym Association (CGA) has developed the Peer Review and Accreditation Program, a process of review between qualified and experienced CGA reviewers and a climbing facility operator to assess the facility's risk management…

This document presents the proceedings of the Wilderness Education Association's 2005 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership. Following a brief history of the Wilderness Education Association (WEA), 21 conference papers are presented. Topics of the conference papers include: wilderness education curriculum, programs, history, environmental…