Nationwide
MSC’s new video series looks at the decisions behind outdoor safety
Mountain Safety Council’s new six-part Mental Shortcuts series explores the habits that shape outdoor decisions, with a useful prompt for your next trip.
Mountain Safety Council has released a free six-part video series about the mental shortcuts that can affect decisions outdoors. Announced on 17 September, the series looks beyond gear and forecasts to how people actually choose what to do.
What the series covers
The topics are familiarity, social proof, scarcity, expert halo, commitment and conformity. They include habits such as trusting a familiar place too much, following what others are doing or feeling committed to a plan after investing time in it.
A useful pause before the next decision
One practical way to use the series is to watch an episode before a trip, then agree how your group will speak up. At a junction or weather change, pause and ask: does this still suit everyone, and would we choose it if we were starting fresh?
The series brings together outdoor perspectives across activities. You can find the videos through MSC’s release and playlist link.
Pair that discussion with a current weather check and a clear return plan.
Sources and photo credits
Source checks: 28 September 2026.
Archive Tongariro walking photograph. Photo: Tongariro Alpine Crossing.jpg — Jeffrey Pang from Madison, NJ, USA. CC BY 2.0. Resized for display.
