 Poster: A snowHead
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www.PisteHors.com has drawn attention to the high number of fatalities already this season in the French mountains.
A ski instructor fell victim to a slide on Saturday in Les Arcs, with another skier injured off piste in a separate incident.
I'm talking to the Piste Security Director, Serges Gio on Friday - about general security issues, warnings, education, etc. Any other issues anyone would like me to raise, let me know...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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PG,
Prior to my one week Off-Piste Ski hol this year I tried to educate myself on the dangers associated with Off-piste sking and the precautions one should take. Following my week and my involvement in an Avalanche (previously posted details), i've been even more keen to understand the risks and how to avoid them and try and understand where we went wrong.
What has come from all my reading is that no matter how experienced you are, your knowledge of the local terrain and the weather patterns, it is still possible to get it wrong. (as the loss of guides and instructors has shown this year).
As a one week a year skier, I have to rely very heavily on the guide / instructor that I use and other than take the necessary precuations about making sure they know what they are doing, what else can / should I do, because if the experienced still get it wrong what chance do I have.
I accept that there is a risk and do what I can to minimise it. Is that enough, or is the other option to stop enjoying the delights of off-piste sking.
Bod
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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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BOD, have you thought about skiing in the trees? That comes with its own risks of course, but somehow I feel they're more in the skier's control.
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Perhaps the people who need educating most are those who, like me, do a bit of mild off piste close to pistes. Those who go 'properly' off piste either know what they're doing, go with a guide who knows what they're doing (and passes it on) or are too stupid to matter (give Darwinian selection a fair chance, I say). I had assumed that nipping down the odd slope next to or between pistes is safe; it seems (from postings on here) not to be, and that could usefully be drummed home.
What would be great is to have the N.American system where everything in the ski area which is not roped off is (reasonably) safe. That might be tricky in Europe.
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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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Without common consensus of all slope users, eliminating or reducing risks seems virtually impossible e.g. The desire to be the one with first tracks -v- the need for conditions to settle down after big dumps. I'm not sure the extent to which risks are fully appreciated by all users. Personally I've learnt alot from reading some postings on here and its put me off off piste save perhaps with a highly experienced mountain guide. I'm more risk averse than 10 years ago now I have family considerations. Perhaps resorts could hand out with their piste maps, a sensible summary or risks and dos and don't of off piste skiing with piste maps and so they can be handed out to punters on the coaches. Whether such warnings would be heeded 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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richmond, couldn't agree with you more. (And like you I'd always thought that 'nipping between pistes' was OK. I'd defintely think twice now).
BTW two weeks ago in Alpe D'huez, after the huge dump Wednesday night/Thursday morning, there were serveral (at least three) places visible from the Petit Prince chair where relatively small avalanches had totally buried one of the gentle piste tracks. I don't think anyone was on the piste at the time, but the slides had really obliterated the track. Made me realise that even ON piste is not completely safe in some conditions.
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AxsMan, that happened at Megève too, the week before - track from Lanchettes to Côte 2000, for those who know it. Reckon I didn't miss it by much. I think a heavy fall of relatively wet snow coupled with a gale whipping over the ridge triggered in, but I don't know enough about these things.
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| PG wrote: |
| I'm talking to the Piste Security Director, Serges Gio on Friday - about general security issues, warnings, education, etc. Any other issues anyone would like me to raise, let me know... |
Ask him if there are any plans to install a permanent area for bleeper training in Les Arcs. The ones at Tignes and Zinal (and others?) seem to be a good way to help educate people about the use and limitations of bleepers, and provide somewhere for occasional users to practise.
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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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| AxsMan wrote: |
| ... after the huge dump Wednesday night/Thursday morning, there were serveral (at least three) places visible from the Petit Prince chair where relatively small avalanches had totally buried one of the gentle piste tracks. I don't think anyone was on the piste at the time, but the slides had really obliterated the track. Made me realise that even ON piste is not completely safe in some conditions. |
Was the piste/track open? The piste safety services goal is safe pistes. Pistes that are not safe are not opened. Part of the job of making pistes safe involves provoking controlled avalanches on slopes where snow could slide and finish on a piste. Alternatively, they determine that the snow is stable enough that it will not avalanche onto the piste.
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Adrian, To be honest I don't know if it was open (at the time of the avalanches) or not. It appeared to be closed when I was there, but that was after the slides had 'blocked' it. I don't know when they took place, but from the spacing, they looked like random 'natural' occurences (to my admittedly non-expert eye). They did not appear to have been deliberately 'triggered'.
Also worth mentioning, the area above this particular piste, and a couple of other nearby areas showed obvious (as in very visible) signs of avalanche slides and yet some people were still skiing/boarding across them, both above and below (and next to) where slides had already occured! It looked to me like another slide could happen at any moment and I wouldn't want to be the one triggering it or caught in it. richmond, 's point about Darwinism in action seems right on the money to me
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I would recommend all have a read of Snowstruck: In the Grip of Avalanches, by Jill Fredston. Not a textbook, but a very interesting read about one woman's career as an avalanche investigator / risk assessor. Really brings it home how people can so easily fall foul of avalanches, even those with a lot of experience.
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