 Poster: A snowHead
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Four years now since the death of French star Régine Cavagnoud, during race training on the Pitztal glacier. The French trial of those allegedly responsible has thrown up more doubts about the safety of the glaciers, with the defendants and witnesses claiming that anyone can wander onto the unprotected runs where racers are descending at speeds of over 100kph at times. The suggestion is that cost remains a major factor preventing positive steps being taken to secure training areas.
Anyone who has visited the Tignes and Deux Alpes glaciers during the summer months can see tourists, oblivious to the dangers, regularly winding their way through the sets of gates, none of which are cordoned off.
More details in this article over in snowRacers.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 5-07-05 6:18; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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It doesn't really seem to make a difference if the area is cordoned off, some people will either choose to ignore signs/ropes/nets/gates or be completely oblivious to them.
I spent quite a bit of time training in the gates this season at Whistler and despite the run being used being roped off and signed as closed many an individual/family strayed onto the course, gently snowplowing/falling down it - Fortunately not too dangerous as the run in question had good visability so you could easily see people and bale out of the course - just a bit irritating. The Dave Murray Downhill (course for the 2010 Olympics and usual race training site (not this year though because all the snow got taken by a helicopter!)), is much worse because it has trees at the side and more roll-offs. Despite signs warning people of the danger, they ski/board through the trees to avoid the ropes/netting - if the course is set with turns close to the trees it is really scary when someone pops out in front of you.
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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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stuarth, in Les Arcs we cordon off the stadiums completely - the only way to get onto a course is to climb over or squeeze under netting. "Roping off" is not so effective, but netting is. Of course nothing is 100% guaranteed against the more determined, but casual skiers/boarders are kept out, on the whole.
On the glaciers you can have 20 or 30 courses set in close proximity, with no netting around the external boundaries. It can be very hazardous indeed, even without the tourists, as the runs are often extremely close together.
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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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PG, I agree that this is a major hazzard. Naturally I do explain to all my students (big and small) about the lanes and warn them to be extrmemly careful when crossing. I also explain that a racer is not really looking at anything except their line, and therefore the normal rules of the piste don't apply (the person higher up etc.)
I don't know what can be done about it. There is some justification for taking most of the available space for race training lanes when it comes to national teams etc., but when the skiable space is reduced for "normal" skiers, who can blame them for ski-ing wherever they like? They've paid the lift pass after all.
It seems to me that the resorts/lift companies are largely at fault for allowing too many training lanes, and presumably not charging (here), or not charging enough for them. I know that the Swiss Espoirs come here because it's too expensive to train at Zermatt or Saas Fee!
I would not like to see all the race training lanes closed off, but perhaps they could use one part of the mountain for the national teams (including juniors) and fence that off, and the rest could be uncordoned? Perhaps the clubs could also remove their poles a bit earlier to give the "ordinary" holiday-maker a better chance at more ski-ing???
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hmmmm I think human nature will always circumvent mountain operators attempts to control areas. I have friends to whom a rope across a piste seems to be an open invite, God knows why I think they reason that they're exploring and there won't be other people there or that it somehow doesn't apply to them. When I was doing some race training in Meribel I was amazed at how many skiiers (mainly holiday makers judging from standard and awareness) just wandered onto the piste we had courses set on. This is despite it being netted off by the mountain for use by training groups (we weren't the only users), warning signs at top and sides and there being an almost identical parallel piste 50m away. As far as I know this fairly minor run was the only area closed like this in the whole of Meribel and it was mostly only in the mornings. We even had families who'd be watching us train and then just potter off with their kids in tow despite having been told what we were doing and then look surprised if anyone was irritated while they wended across the piste. 10% of the population's lack of imagination and common sense always astounds me but there it is have a look at a UK motorway. In short the mountains can do a bit more and maybe explain he situation on the piste/trail maps but ususally the warning codes are explained on them and look how much people read them, there will always be idiots you just have to allow for them. Conversely how many fools have we all seen going way too fast in green learning zones?
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