 Poster: A snowHead
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I always at least one stupid question every season, so I might as well get it in early:
What do the numbers on the piste markers mean? I always assumed that they measure the length of the run in hundreds of meters, so going from 21 > 20 would be 100m of piste length. I started to notice last year that this may not be true. So, do they mean anything or are they just and arbitrary countdown?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It depends on the resort - in some places the numbers are the the same, as it's the number of the piste.
When the numbers vary, IME it's more of a generic countdown of "there are xxx posts remaining" rather than a specific measurement of distance
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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?
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In some resorts the piste marker poles have an orange band at the top, this marks the left hand side of the piste, which can help in fog or whiteout 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anywhere I can recall in Switzerland there are fluo orange to to the marker poles in between the numbered poles - longer on one side than the other.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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depends in what order the pisteurs put them out 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I always thought they were a rough guide of distance to the end fo the piste, as nbt, said but more to the point they're useful to tell lifties/pisteurs where to find the casualty after an accident.
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I'd go with nbt and tafflondon. They don't seem to be equal distances apart all the time so can't be proper distance measures. The right and left hand indicators are super useful in low light - I had skied in our area for two entire seasons before discovering that by accident, leaving a white topped (and hence starboard) marker to port, ending up in thigh deep powder a metre below the piste.  I know now.
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ringingmaster, Depends on the country!
In France the piste are genearlly named and the numbers on the markers are for rescue and mountain patrols so example I am on piste x between marker 9 & 10 and we have an injury.
In Austria they are just the number of the piste the whole way down so run 7 Red will have red markers with the number 7 the whole way down.
Hope that helps a little.
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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.
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In the Skiwelt they used to (haven't been in 10years) number the runs depending on which lift they access, so a run might have more than 1 number on it, for example it might be 1a, 1b, 1c as well as 2 - a, b & c being 3 different runs that go to lift 1 and 2 being the run that goes to lift 2.
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In the Skiwelt they are part of your navigation around the area. They are in conjunction with the piste map, and from this you can see what runs lead where. They also have they names of the particular region in some cases. And obviously coloured according to the piste difficulty, and yes the orange tipped poles show the outline of the piste boundaries.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Most resorts I have been to have coloured tips to the poles only on one side of the piste -usually orange. This is designed for very poor visibility so you can work out if you are on piste or have inadvertently gone on safari i.e. gone off piste. I usually stop if I cannot see poles on both sides.
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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.
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orange or red tips on the starboard side, white on port, in our neck of the woods. Very useful when you can't see poles on both sides (which is common when vis is poor). sometimes you can't see any markers at all. Don't like that. 
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Well for years I have been telling my kids that only 2km to go... only 1 km to go, based on the numbers. I have been lying to them. 
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You know it makes sense.
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ringingmaster, True, or true-ish in some places.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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FAQ
