Who skis on their own off piste or goes ski touring tout seul?

A snowHead

Been thinking about this post for a while, and then today I was out in conditions on the sea when all the time I kept thinking this was not a good idea to be out there.

So just wondering, if I'm the only naughty boy ?

I use to regularly windsurf on my tod (for nigh on thirty years), and I hasten to add in pretty wild conditions and now it's kiting (which is far more dangerous) on your own, and I'm certainly not the only one!

When I ski tour I often see others on their own too, in fact have hooked up with them on a couple of occasions, and they like me know it's better to be two than one.

But in some ways it's like going for a run or a bike ride on your own, in fact me on a MTB I'm probably more likely to prang myself on that than on skis!

And off piste I do a lot on my own, even the likes of La Grave.

So it's not so much an unwritten rule but common sense, and as someone who has injured them-self very badly, twice, I'm also conscious of that scenario.

So am I the only naughty / stupid guy here?

A snowHead

No I ski tour solo.

Prefer to ski with others, but will go solo rather than not go.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I ski off piste on my own sometimes, more cautiously, and on terrain I know well. In Chamonix on standard routes it hardly like being on your own. I do it mainly if I'm out with Mrs Jbob and we meet at the lift at the bottom. She knows where I'm going and would report it if I didn't turn up. I've never toured on my own apart from skinning up an in resort skin track. If Chamonix is busy I feel substantially safer off than on.

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On occasion I Ski / Hike / MTB / Surf on my own....

Generally you end up taking more cautious approach as result.
Which got me wondering if going on your own is in reality statistically "safer" - less peer presure Wink

Being alone out in nature alone is great. Doesn't stress me out - especially in the era of mobile phones.
Though I do think in back of my head that water sports, like surfing, could be particularly dangerous solo.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I've hiked, scrambled and skied off-piste on my own (but in a similar way to jbob describes).
Although I'd prefer to go with someone else I do enjoy being on my own in the mountains too.

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@Haggis_Trap, trouble is on the water more "things" can go wrong and some are defo out of your control.

This afternoon wind was a gusty cross shore and veering off shore every now and again and easing, so was a high% risk of getting caught out. With a kite all the more stress as kite can fall out of the sky and then in light winds hard to relaunch especially in big waves.

Then the biggest fear is kit failure, like a line breaking which does frequently happen. Injury is not high on the list of concerns apart from coming back in and kite falling out of the sky and then powering back up again potentially dragging you across beach.

So all during the session this avro concerns were going through the mind, not least how to get back in safely, so was NOT a good session feeling that, even though got a few nice rides.

But being out on your own be it the mountains / sea is a great feeling, especially with a bit of adrenalin flowing. I also get a good feeling of accomplishment especially route finding etc and once back in / back down you feel you've earned that beer Cool

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After all it is free

I used to think that if I fell into a crevasse I would just call up the piste service and get them to come and fish me out! Fortunately I haven't yet, as I doubt my theory would actually work! There'd be no telephone reception, or I'd be injured, or upside down, Which crevasse anyway? So now I try to make a rule of only skiing off-piste in view of a piste, or under a lift or something, but I don't always stick to the rules.

I guess it's all about risk assesment, and as others have said you probably err on greater caution when solo. I figure my %age risk is greatest on my daily cycle-commute in Bristol, so have no qualms about the occasional off-piste solo foray.

Some of the best do it, and some do bear the consequences

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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I enjoy being in the mountains on my own - whatever the game. It creates in me a heightened sense of my environment. I miss lots of little details when I'm with someone else.

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I have found the magnitude of the landscape has always recalibrated any internal turbulence that I have taken to to it, the process of moving through of it's beauty locates a harmony that I have only found at altitude with or without human company....

I am never alone when by myself.

You know it makes sense.

Just me, myself and I...

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

http://youtube.com/v/mBRNfWGxBp8

A snowHead

I LOVE solo skitouring, but I generally restrict it to terrain I know well, and am always happy to call it it and turn around before reaching the top if I feel it's dangerous.

I also like skiing offpiste alone, and have done quite a lot of it, but generally find lift skiing more fun with groups.

I also occasionally go whitewater kayaking solo, which I really enjoy, but am very cautious as to what river at what water level. Small stuff can go wrong far worse and more quickly than skiing, and if you swim on anything interesting while solo you've got a very high chance of losing €1000+ worth of kit. Plus shouting mega train and routing down chunky stuff in a big group is crazy fun!

I love the feeling of being alone and totally self-reliant, and tbh I think a lot of the time I'm safer by myself.

I really dislike the notion that soloing is inherently dangerous and irresponsible.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I often ski off piste on my own. But!!!... I really pay attention to the avi forecasts and to the terrain. I am extremely cautious and concentrate fuly on small scale terrain risks as well as the overall picture if I have not had long term experience in the area. I also ice climb on my own (to a fairly low standard) and in some ways the shorter exposure to risk off sets the 'no one at hand to rescue you* scenario*.

To me the feeling of being alone in the mountains and of just being able to relax when you want, in whatever situation you want, makes those days something to be treasured.

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Honestly much more concerned when i take a few friends off piste and realize i am the most experienced and therefore the guide by default. No thank you.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

It's sort of like solo rock climbing or working alone in an office: impossible to explain to "safety manual" type people, but completely natural and obvious . I do have a "rescue" background and I've dealt with people getting these things wrong: perhaps my refusal to see risk in a daily mail binary/moral way is related to that. I've rescued tons of boy scouts, all of whom had lots of rules to follow and all of whom were helpless in the real world.

Sure, I'd be safer sitting at home, but what then would be the point of being alive at all?

So no, you're not the only person who does that. I'd guess many rounded people will, in one way or another.

I windsurfed in hooligan conditions alone for years, but with an eye on single points of failure. I've had some long days but nothing I felt seriously excited about. There were a lot of rescues in the early days but I think the protocol got a lot better quickly (people worked out what not to do). Most rescue activity, from what I remember, was hapless tourists: beginners. Sure, the ocean doesn't know you're an expert...

After all it is free

So sat here waiting for the wind reading this, though looks like we're in for a skunking as with the rain it's so up and down.

Good to read that there are a fair few windsurfers and the like that take the same approach to skiing.

And I sort of suspected a few SnowHeads just by their previous postings were like minded.

And I do like some of the quotes especially this

Alone but not lonely.

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@jbob, beautiful photo!
But I very rarely go off piste on my own. However since I ski with groups of my own standard I almost never have to. I was very glad 2 years ago that I had company since I broke my leg on very ordinary, gentle bit of off piste. I've dialled down my ski binding release settings since then to compensate for more elderly bones and muscles.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

People often think "off piste" means skiing down a steep couloir where avalanches occur frequently. It does not. It means skiing where the snow has not been pisted. So this can include skiing on the back lawn, when the snow conditions are good enough.

Climbing mountains alone is often considered dangerous. However, in well trodden paths, you are very rarely "alone" climbing a mountain. Many people climb mountains alone, and they are often the type who check weather conditions, and pack more safely than those in groups who climb up in flip flops and shorts.

If you know the terrain, are aware of the weather forecasts, and its variability, then skiing off piste on your own back lawn is probably a lot safer than trying to navigate around beginners who have absolutely no control and are not being shepharded by an instructor.

You take less risks on your own, and you are not in danger of being dragged down a crevasse by an idiot in your group.

I ski on the back lawn sometimes.

Laughing

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@geoffers, I'll see your Joan Armatrading and raise you a De La Soul:

http://youtube.com/v/FJEzEDMqXQQ

Solitude:

You know it makes sense.

Interesting. No posts yet from anyone who would never go into the Back Country alone (sorry if i missed one)
I'm sure that's what Weathercam means, rather than skiing his back lawn.
Back county: over the hills and far away where no one can see you - unlike kite surfing where you can be seen from the shore.
I would never go Back Counry skiing alone - always at least 3 of us.
Skiing ungroomed stuff between pistes or within the piste-map terrain is an entirely different matter (i believe it is customary to add here imho . . . )

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I really enjoy the experience of being out in the hills alone, whether snowboarding/splitboarding, mountain biking or walking/scrambling. The sense of self-reliance and the chance to just be alone with your thoughts is part of what makes the day enjoyable for me.

I do take a different approach to risk in this circumstances though - avoid high-consequence stuff (both avalanche-wise and terrain-wise in winter) and ride somewhat more sensibly in summer, but you can never totally eliminate risk. In mountain biking in particular, I ride at a pretty high level (full-time bike guide!) and will happily ride stuff that would freak most people out - but on my own I would at least be sticking within my own comfort zone if not within other people's.

A snowHead

As above, if I'm soloing I adapt what I do. Good point.

And I don't think anyone who is in the slightest bit concerned about this should go anywhere near it. If you understand the risk and still do it, you're probably pretty safe. I suspect someone could dig out the stats on [rock] climbing accidents, but I'd guess more people die during descent than soloing.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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As long as you understand the risks and are competent for the the terrain you are skiing then I don't see a problem at all. I've skied a lot solo on everything from plods around a plateau to steep lines. I think there is some real value in relying solely on yourself. I find it a lot harder to deal with the mental aspects by myself.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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To quote Andreas Bjorklund of HAT "Never ski off-piste alone and never criticise anyone who does." Always seemed to sum it up quite well IMHO.

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After all it is free

@davidof, He skis with two pairs of skis, two rucksacks and makes selfies?

@Steilhang, Laughing

Roald Amundsen spent months doing the most hairy solo ski-touring in 19th century Norway. Probably one of the reasons why he beat Scott to the Pole. Twisted Evil

I don't see any problem with lone ski touring (or walking, climbing or crossing the Atlantic in a small boat) provided you're OK with the higher risk of dying.

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"provided you're ok with the higher risk of dying"
Hmmmm.
Lots of us do risky things every now and then.
But do we really accept the risk?
Or do we deny it, pretend its not really there: not for us, not today.

And of course its not just us - there is family, friends, and the rescue service . . .

Help!!

Who skis on their own off piste or goes ski touring tout seul?

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