Can shouting start an avalanche?

Not according to science studies: “Based on order of magnitude estimates of the pressure amplitude of various sources that cause elastic or pressure (sound) waves it can be ruled out that shouting or loud noise can trigger snow slab avalanches. read more

The unfortunate answer is yes they can. Avalanches are generally formed in mountainous regions that have received a lot of snow fall. These same areas are notorious for allowing sound to travel long distances through the valleys. read more

That’s not to say that certain frequencies of sound couldn’t cause an avalanche, but the source would need to be much louder than a shout. That said, the snowpack can be sufficiently unstable that it will slide ‘on it’s own’ - with no obvious intervention. read more

In 1970, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Chimbote, Peru set off the deadliest avalanche in recorded history. A mass of glacial ice and rock cascaded down into the towns of Yungay and Ranrahirca, killing more than 20,000. read more