 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello Snowheads!
Following the accident last week in Les Arcs and trying really hard not to think about the risk of being caught in a slide on piste; I failed not to worry about it (what with my favourite area being Les Arcs/Paradiski) and am thinking about purchasing some basic avalanche kit and learning how to use it.
As an intermediate skier and a piste only girl, I ask the forces within this forum...what kind of stuff should I be looking at?
Thanks in advance and please be gentle. First post and all that.... 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Neraida, Welcome!
The incidence of on piste avalanches in general and on piste avalanches that actually cause and harm or injury is so small that you should simply stop worrying.
And smile and think happy, sunny thoughts of lovely spring skiing.
That is all.
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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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Hi Neraida, welcome to snowHeads.
I'd stop being paranoid if I were you. Save your money and don't worry about an on piste avalanch, you've more chance of being killed on the transfer to resort so worry about that instead 
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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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That was an exceptionally rare incident, Neraida. I've been skiing since 1959 and have never been close to being involved in an on-piste avalanche. On about three occasions in that span of time I've skied through avalanche debris on a piste. It's a core responsibility of ski patrol to see that pistes are safe from this danger. Off-piste is a different matter entirely, and it's vital to check the local avalanche risk (particularly anything at or above level 3) before skiing independently off-piste. It's vital to minimise the risk as no form of avalanche kit can offer more than marginal protection from the enormous forces that can maim or kill you.
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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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Thanks chaps! I'm sure I'll have forgotten all about it by the time I'm obsessing over snow reports from November this year.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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As far as I'm aware, that was the only on (an opened) piste avalanche death this season, out of MILLIONS of skier days.
Stop worrying.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 3-04-13 17:15; edited 1 time in total
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Thanks. Good point. I'll stop worrying about being mown down by a piste basher too, which is probably far more likely..
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Neraida, they are at least relatively slow moving, bright red, with flashing lights and noisy.
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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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| Quote: |
I'll stop worrying about being mown down by a piste basher too, which is probably far more likely..
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they are at least relatively slow moving, bright red, with flashing lights and noisy.
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In Zillertal last month we came upon the aftermath of two on-piste accidents that occurred within minutes of each other and within about 30 metres of each other. Both incidents required the victims to be helicoptered off the mountain. Can't be 100% sure but the scene definitely looked as though one of the accidents resulted from the skier hitting the stationary piste basher parked next to the bar. They don't even have to be moving 
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Crikey! They're not exactly camouflaged in the snow. They must attract people somehow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
As an intermediate skier and a piste only girl, I ask the forces within this forum...what kind of stuff should I be looking at?
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New jacket, cool hat, takeaway pizza, champagne cocktails .......... etc. Not safety kit for offpiste skiers.
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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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| Lizzard wrote: |
| Quote: |
As an intermediate skier and a piste only girl, I ask the forces within this forum...what kind of stuff should I be looking at?
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New jacket, cool hat, takeaway pizza, champagne cocktails .......... etc. Not safety kit for offpiste skiers. |
Something for the weekend ?
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Ah. Don't get me started. I've got the jacket, new planks, several cool hats, but could always use more stuff. Am thinking about some off-piste instruction for next season, so may need the avalanche kit at some point anyway..and the new jacket etc etc etc
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You know it makes sense.
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You're going to fit in well here with that attitude 
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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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I'll get me proverbial jacket 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Neraida, I wasn't kidding. Buying new kit and getting off-piste instruction; yes a good call. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Neraida, ah ha! So in the space of only one Snowheads page you've gone from being a 'piste-only girl' to 'thinking about some off-piste instruction for next season'?
You've just gained 30,000 new friends
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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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Yes. I have so far been a piste only girl, but I want to learn the cool stuff too! I often find myself peering at people wafting through powder and become rather envious, so it's a logical next step in my opinion.
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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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Many years ago I saw a piste hit by avalanche two buried one a Mark Warner Rep who had been on an avalanche course where he was buried. He survived being in the slide for 20 minutes, the avalanche was in, Les Arcs
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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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Erk. Did he ultimately survive or only for 20 minutes? Did the other person also survive? Which area?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Transceivers are not necessary for on-piste skiing. I think in that situation you should be more worried about death in airline crash on way to skiing than on-piste avalanche death. Off-piste (even side of piste) another matter though. On-piste you are much more likely to die from major head trauma due to collision/ crash. I assume you ski defensively on crowded piste and wear hemlet (not that either of those is any guarantee of safety)
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Neraida, Both were OK, can't remember piste.
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Out of interest, what would the standard operating procedure (assuming there is such a thing) be for an on or cross piste avalanche where its not known if there are burials? Would a transceiver sweep be done first off - seeing as it may waste time looking for people who probably weren't carrying TX boxes? Would a probe line even go through the debris? Anyone know?
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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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If nobody clearly witnessed the slide and could say for sure nobody was buried they would certainly do both. I'm not sure if they might not do it anyway.
Remember if you see some avalanche debris on a piste it probably doesn't mean it happened during the day. It is more likely it was set off as part of making safe the ski area before it opened.
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Neraida, welcome to the madhouse. Another way of looking at this is cost/benefit. How much money would you spend on a transceiver/harness/probe/shovel/avalung/airbag?. Could that money be better spent on other areas to improve your safety? Do you drive to your skiing holiday? - get winter tyres. Does the resort have a good safety record? - pay for one that does. Is the accommodation in a good position? - pay more for proximity to slopes/bars/restaurants. (there are deaths each year in ski resorts when people fall over or get lost walking back after a night out). Do you always ski in control? - pay for lessons so that you can.
If you look beyond your ski holiday for ways to spend your money more effectively then the list is endless.
Most of all - stop worrying - the risks of on piste avalanches are very small.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
| Should piste skiers carry avalanche kit |
Absolutely. With avalung, showel, transcievers, rope, abs, half liter of rum, double gloves, crampons, ice axes etc. and everything should be properly fitted by certified fitter, preferably somewhere 3000km to nearest ski piste
Seriously... shi**t happens. But let's try to find how many time in last 50 years sh**t like this happened? If you are worrying about this, then I think you won't even made it to ski place, since then you should also worry enough about car/plane crashes, that you won't even leave home, since you have much more chances getting killed in plane/car crash on way to ski resort, then getting buried under avalanche on piste. Not to mention all other dangers from heart attack and malaria to falling piano. 
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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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and night storage heater ...
Sorry HL, heal quickly.
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You know it makes sense.
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primoz, I have my avalanche dog with me at all times fortunately he hates snowboarders and will bare his teeth at anyone within range, he has his own lift pass, but has yet to master pomas, particularly those which go around corners.
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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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I'm pretty sure that the largest cause of death 'on piste' is heart attacks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Cynic, oh I totally forgot that. But then again... what if dog gets insane and eats you for breakfast one day? But on the other side, it can also protect you, when some masked guy with chain saw attacks you, especially since this dog is pretty used to attack people
AndAnotherThing.., it was, but if I remember right, I head this year on Austrian tv or radio, that this changed in last 2 or 3 years (at least for Austria), and nowadays accidents take biggest toll.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I always carry a resuscitation kit and electrocardiograph stand clear pumph recharging.
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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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Neraida, FWIW, had my first off piste lesson (3x3hrs) this January with TDC in Tignes and honestly it was the best thing I've ever done. I cannot praise Sarah at TDC enough. The amazing conditions when I went back in the middle of March meant that I had such a good time really because of the lessons, and with more of an awareness of the dangers too.
Honestly, Just do it, you'll never look back.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I and my OH just wear tranceiver, probe, shovel and ABS wherever we are.............we set out at 9am and who knows where you'll get to, if the mood takes you, worst thing is "oh I cant go there I havent got my gear with me", its just standard kit IMO and you wear it like you would leathers or helmet on a motorbike. If you don't need it great, but as someone who got knocked off a 1000cc motorbike in town doing 15mph a few years ago and got a broken wrist and thumb (OK not life-threatening but v painful at the time) I could have said well I'm only going down the shops and wore my jeans and tee shirt...... equivalent of skiing on/ off piste in my view, the road could open up at anytime!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| agw wrote: |
Neraida, welcome to the madhouse. Another way of looking at this is cost/benefit. How much money would you spend on a transceiver/harness/probe/shovel/avalung/airbag?. Could that money be better spent on other areas to improve your safety? Do you drive to your skiing holiday? - get winter tyres. Does the resort have a good safety record? - pay for one that does. Is the accommodation in a good position? - pay more for proximity to slopes/bars/restaurants. (there are deaths each year in ski resorts when people fall over or get lost walking back after a night out). Do you always ski in control? - pay for lessons so that you can.
If you look beyond your ski holiday for ways to spend your money more effectively then the list is endless.
Most of all - stop worrying - the risks of on piste avalanches are very small. |
Thanks for the welcome! I guess I have perhaps come across as a bit of a worryer, which is not exactly true.
We do drive to our holidays and have winter tyres etc. Accommodation is always ski in and out and the resort has a very good record for safety (Arc1950 is my fave, as I love the Paradiski area and their beds are comfy). I'm a competent intermediate that knows my ability/fitness level and skis to the conditions. I do always ski in control and wear a helmet because of the amount of people who don't, but also like hoolying down clear slopes (can't help it).
I know that I'm more likely to be hit by a truck on my way down the autoroute and that risk is involved in most sport. I sail on a racing boat and used to hang-glide too, so having good, but not unnecessary safety kit is part of the deal.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 4-04-13 14:20; edited 1 time in total
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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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Neraida, hope so, join the club!
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marmotte16, that one is clearly feral and is now hiding waiting for a passing skier. It's the modern equivalent of the troll under the bridge.
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