So, yes, by my thinking, it is safe to ski off piste, as long as you are prepared, take account of the conidtions and ski with someone who knows/guides the area very very well.
In St Anton in the early part of last season a very well known local guide with over 30yrs experience was killed leading a group.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
brian, per square meter of mountain that make the piste a lot more dangerous !
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
stanton wrote:
In St Anton in the early part of last season a very well known local guide with over 30yrs experience was killed leading a group.
kitenski, i seem to recall 40 or so deaths on average in the alps per year, so perhaps you are safer off piste ?
Which is a tiny weeny % of the number of skiers.
But alot more than off piste deaths.....
No, almost certainly a LOT less.
I doubt very much if anywhere near 10% of all skiers spend any significant amount of time properly off-piste.
And yet only 4.5 times the number of deaths on-piste as skiing off-piste (not counting the ski-touring ones above).
You might be suprised... 10% of Brit skiers maybe, but don't forget that the French/Austrians/Swiss/Skandis are usually pretty good skiers - I reckon it'd be closer to 50%
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
clarky999, I doubt it very much.
If I had only been thinking of Brits, then I would be surprised if it were as many as 1%.
Remember, Snowheads is not nearly representative of the "general" skiing population. Obviously, I can't judge the sorts of numbers going way off, ski touring etc (but those are counted as a separate category in the figures above anyhow).
But where there is reasonable off-piste visible from teh piste, I have never seen anywhere near 1/10th as many people on that as have been on the piste.
After all it is free
After all it is free
stanton wrote:
RE: Video
The video says at the end they were with ESF
Going off piste - 3/5 risk
Non looked comfortable on the pitch, skiing in a line stopping above each other, overtaking above, Skiing one after the other, skiing heavy footed hockey stops
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
alex_heney wrote:
And yet only 4.5 times the number of deaths on-piste as skiing off-piste (not counting the ski-touring ones above).
I missed that bits of stat. Which link was that in?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
daehwons,
Quote:
stanton wrote:
RE: Video
The video says at the end they were with ESF
Going off piste - 3/5 risk
Non looked comfortable on the pitch, skiing in a line stopping above each other, overtaking above, Skiing one after the other, skiing heavy footed hockey stops
Digging out with their hands! Obviously carrying no gear either.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:
local guide would make a level 3 day 100% safe.
bar shaker, Level 3 are the level there most avalance catch skier/snowboarder, beacause they ignore, if there is a 4 or 5, they tace care and think,, I have also ignore a 3, but I try now when Im older to but security higher
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
brian,
Although any death is a tragedy, that's a tiny number when you look at the numbers of off piste skiers in switzerland. Good balancing argent to make me feel a little safer again !
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
12 ski tourers, 9 off piste skiers, 8 piste skiers, 6 off piste boarders, 1 piste boarder. 42% due to avalanches.
That's 15 off piste and 9 on piste that's 1.7:1, by my observations, there has to be at least 50 people on piste to every one off piste 1.7x50=85 times more likely to be killed off piste, not an accurate figure I know, but you get the idea.
Personally, I love off piste but in about 60+ weeks of skiing over the past 25 years I have never seen an avalance occur and certainly never been in one thankfully. I did see the remains of a lift station in Italy that had been hit, A 70mm diameter hydraulic ram piston was bent like a bananna.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I'm off to Verbier tomorrow, does anyone know the situation there? Is there an unusual amount of Depth Hoar in that region too?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Snowball ...
Issue in Verbier at the moment is ....
Rained last night up to 2300m, anything below that is very unpleasant.
Above that there is at least 10cm fresh, although you are often riding on what is underneath.
There is considerable evidence of wind / soft slab and I would consider this the major risk.
There is some depth hoar but it tends to be localised on N facing slopes, particularly ridge lines.
As ever ... you can never really tell with depth hoar.
It's quite difficult to be specific at the moment, there is a lot going on in the snow pack.
As ever, good choice of line is critical, especially convex slopes, and watch for lee slopes / slab formation.
It still never ceases to amaze me the lines that get skied & don't go
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
abc wrote:
alex_heney wrote:
And yet only 4.5 times the number of deaths on-piste as skiing off-piste (not counting the ski-touring ones above).
I missed that bits of stat. Which link was that in?
first
rob@rar
Quote:
Quick look at Piste Hors shows for 2008/09 there were 18 avalanche deaths when ski touring and 9 when off-piste skiing.
Then rayscoops
Quote:
i seem to recall 40 or so deaths on average in the alps per year, so perhaps you are safer off piste ?
Although I have now noticed this one from Brian which suggests only about the same number for skiers, and LESS for boarders, never mind 4.5 times:
Quote:
Article on mountain deaths in Switzerland 2004 - 2008.
12 ski tourers, 9 off piste skiers, 8 piste skiers, 6 off piste boarders, 1 piste boarder. 42% due to avalanches.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
sah wrote:
stanton wrote:
In St Anton in the early part of last season a very well known local guide with over 30yrs experience was killed leading a group.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
