Be Safe

Fattes

Thanks to Jvan for the below link

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/27/alps-avalanches-dead-injured-france-switzerland

So now that you realise just how dangerous and common it is and will be this season here is how to stay sage

Stay on piste! Easy really, a large % of European resorts are asking people to do this right now

Education, spend a few days learning while skiing Avalanche academy in Chamonix are excellent, they also do free weekly talks. The Austrian Avi academy do a free course that moves from resort to resort through the season

Never ski/ride alone

If you are going off piste always carry the holy trinity Shovel, probe & transceiver

Know how to use the holy trinity them no point in having them if you don't

Pay attention to local avalanche warnings and flags

Download the Mammut safety app on ITunes/ android it's an excellent resource

Off piste is the moment you pass the markers on the side if the piste

Stay safe and have fun guys that's what the mountains are for

Fattes

5 more deaths in the last two days 3 in Italy and 2 in Switzerland

Fattes

http://pistehors.com/watch-out-say-swiss-mountain-guides-23147387.htm

Yep it is that bad out there be careful

CardinalJ

"people are equipped far in advance of their knowledge, they would do better to invest in some avalanche education than buy the latest airbag. This season they need to know when not to go out or to change their route even if fresh powder is calling”.

Think that's the main bit of advice everyone should heed. Just because you have a helmet doesn't mean you won't severely damage your self. By the same token, an ABS bag and a transceiver won't stop you drowning in powder.

Fattes

Right we are now up to nearly 30 deaths and the same seriously injured including one Irish man.

The latest 3 fatalities in Switzerland were all experienced mountain guides killed while completing an Avalanche safety course!

CardinalJ

Fattes wrote: »

Right we are now up to nearly 30 deaths and the same seriously injured including one Irish man.

The latest 3 fatalities in Switzerland were all experienced mountain guides killed while completing an Avalanche safety course!

Where abouts in switz was that?

Fattes

Canton Grisons, last week news only coming out now, also the Grandson of the founder of Vail, was killed in an avalanche in the same resort this week

Also this week in the latest incident a mountain guide and three clients were killed in the Mase-Val d'Hérens region in the Valais on Sunday.
One of the clients was seriously ill in hospital after the accident but died on Tuesday.
According to the local police the group of ski tourers had climbed the Pointe de Masserey and were descending. Other members of the group alerted the rescue services. A major accident was declared with 26 people and 5 helicopters involved in the search and rescue operation.

CardinalJ

Fattes wrote: »

Canton Grisons, last week news only coming out now, also the Grandson of the founder of Vail, was killed in an avalanche in the same resort this week

Also this week in the latest incident a mountain guide and three clients were killed in the Mase-Val d'Hérens region in the Valais on Sunday.
One of the clients was seriously ill in hospital after the accident but died on Tuesday.
According to the local police the group of ski tourers had climbed the Pointe de Masserey and were descending. Other members of the group alerted the rescue services. A major accident was declared with 26 people and 5 helicopters involved in the search and rescue operation.

Given the conditions it's odd that avalanche safety courses are still going on. I'll be out in Switzerland in first week of March and will probably be avoiding off piste! Cheers.

Fattes

I am in a Swiss resort right now, the AVI rose is giving two aspects as safe and from talking to locals certain parts are safe. I wouldn't be making decisions just yet a lot could change in 6/7 weeks with the snowpack.

Its probably the best time to do an avalanche course to be honest! People can actually see the issues in the snowpack rather than doing it when there is nothing to see or learn.

Really weird season, weather wise!

prunudo

Saw this earlier, article about the latest Swiss avalanche that Fattes was talking about. There's a photo of the slide and also a good video at the end of the article.

http://www.planetski.eu/news/5651

Fattes

jvan wrote: »

http://www.planetski.eu/news/5651

Harry is a top lad have some pics for you from today of something we were thinking about skiing yesterday and well overnight.....

prunudo

Fattes wrote: »

Harry is a top lad have some pics for you from today of something we were thinking about skiing yesterday and well overnight.....

Comes across as a straight talking kind of chap and seems highly rated. I've watched some of his other videos on YouTube, very detailed information but gets the point across well.

Fattes

jvan; Surprised at some of his comments on the video as most people will interpret that very differently to what he means! If you ever get a chance to go to one of his talks it is well worth it.

So I have attached a few photos below, we were going to ski a shoot yesterday and basically the two islands of safety we thought we could use did not sit comfortably with us so we decided not to ski it. Basically the one under the cliff to the skiers left was to tight to get to and the one lower down to skiers right were not sufficient.

Plus if it went wrong we figured you would end up in the trees so we didn't ski it. On the way up the lift this am we were greeted with this!! A fracture just on the landing of our exit point, a full depth slide and a debris field about 300 meters long ending about 50 meters into the trees!!

prunudo

I'd say that was a sobering view this morning. What aspect was it and any idea if it was triggered naturally or by skiers/boarders?

Fattes

North to North west which would have been a warning area on the Avi rose for the past few days but the altitude should have made it all right, I am guessing a change in temps rising this AM triggered it as not tracks other than the ones we left there yesterday!

More vindicating than anything! But its always there, have finally given in and am getting an ABS bag! Going for the Mammut Rocker Protection 18L bag with their advanced Snowpulse bag!

prunudo

As a matter of interest why did you go for snow pulse vs the ABS or BCA packs?

Fattes

I ruled out the BCA not a fan of the bag shape or the single bag plus they are pretty heavy, although I love their transceivers! It was a straight shoot out between the North Face ABS bag and the Mammut one, the Mammut one with its new bag shape and extra protection it offers plus the lighter bag was the winner! The removable system also was a big USP. The fact that I can take it out when conditions are not suitable or during the summer was a help.

Then its also a Mammut product which are normally of the highest quality and work every time.