The notion that making loud noises, such as shouting or clapping one’s hands, near dangerous snow conditions will trigger an avalanche is an old myth. Actually, it would take a tremendous sound, such as a nearby sonic boom where an avalanche is about to occur anyway, for noise to make a difference. In 90 percent of cases, avalanches are precipitated by a person’s or persons’ weight, or the weight of a snowmobile or other machine, on top of unstable snow.