BOULDER, CO – Avalanche researchers and new-age wellness influencers mingle in similar circles at times, but usually not in the pursuit of science. A new study recently published in Powder details the findings of budding snow scientist Blake Turnbach. The study attempted to find if there is any effect of speaking “Words of Affirmation” to a Rocky Mountain snowpack to increase bonding between snowpack layers.
“Knowing how much of a difference speaking kindly to my drinking water makes made me wonder if it could affect the snowpack,” said Chloe Mintzer. “My belief is based on the work of Masaru Emoto. “I know if I speak strong, cohesive thoughts to the snow it will form stronger bonds between its layers.”
Mintzer reportedly has been doing this since she started ski touring in 2018 and thought there must be a correlation since she hasn’t been caught in an avalanche yet.
Blake Turnbach is pursuing a master’s in snow science and met Mintzer at an ecstatic dance event in the summer of 2022. “We started dating and talked about how excited we were to begin touring together in the coming winter. Well a few months later I was taken aback when I brought up the avalanche forecast to her and she said she had her own secret to avoid avalanches.”
A man of science and self-preservation Turnbach decided to test Mitzner’s theory. He dug a series of pits, some dug silently and others dug while speaking words of affirmation. He then performed multiple ECT evaluations to check for bonding between snowpack layers and snow stability in the pits and recorded his findings. Some examples of the words of affirmation Turnbach used are:
- You’re a stable snowpack.
- You are cohesive.
- You are an example of stability.
- I have total confidence in you.
After digging 54 different pits and finding no discernable difference in the findings, Turnbach concluded his girlfriend’s theory was false. Mitzner has now added to her theory that her words of affirmation are more effective than Turnbach’s because he is a Scorpio.
