Avalanches

Ever had the opposite feeling of butterflies in your stomike when going out of bounds? Did you ever think of the risks? Avalanches can already break off in teretories with a aptitude of 30 degrees. Just when the weather is getting warmer and warmer, you hear the weatherforcast and they tell you the rest of the week there will be snow coming down in masses maybe its the last good day for shredding... You think:" Damned this guy in his wierd grey gay suit is right...!!! You call up your buddies and off you go .... still not thinking of what dangours are slepping underneath the fresh snow mantle.....

Here we post you some rough information on hown to secure your out of bounds tour:

First of all there are three types of avalanches a) the snow slab avalnache b) the wet snow slab avalanche and c) the dust snow avalnache

What are the main aspects of making a steep teretorie become an avalanche area?:

- Fresh snow with strong winds
- fast and distinctive termal shock
- fragilelayers of snow within the snow mantel

Explaining the different avalnaches:

a) The snow slab avalanche:
This is bonded snow (most of the time the fresh fallen snow) on a fragile snow mantel, a whole snow slap, up to 30 sq m can break off.

b) The wet snow slab avalanche:

This avalnach mostly happens in February to April, when the weather is getting warmer and

warmer. The snow matel is loosing more and more of his consistency through wetting. Riding

in this condition is very dangerous and should only be done together with a Guide who knows this terain very well. Still though if the night was very cold and clear, you can go out of bounds; still though you should leave very early as it is only possible to ride safe in the moring when its cloudy and still very cold, the snow will melt again in the afternoon creating the dangour of wetting!!!!

c) The dust snow avalanche :

This is the "most" nonhazardous avalnche.... still though you can die if you aint careful. as this

avalanche can also cause suffocation. This avalanche is generatded when the lower snow

mantel is propper frozen and a new very smal mantel of powder lays on top. Pro riders often

ride in these avalanches, for great videos (e.g. 91 words for snow), if you ain´t one of thoes

turn your back and leave the slope!!!

Here are some tipps for securing your ride, please be carefull these tipps should not be done without professional help!!! Also always check the teretorie wether an avalanche could hit a Skiing Slope, a village or anybody else!

The poor mans tests:

a) The Poor Mans Bomb:

take a very long climbing rope with you, tour up to your spot; Throw the rope infront of the

backlog and cut the snow tongue by moving fast across to your buddy holding the other end

of the rope. Be carefull no to fall behind the avalnache , always keep a big distence between

you and the point of "cutting".

b) The cloum Test:
this is to find a soft spot in the snow mantel; Hit a colum of 30 x 30 cm 30 hits from the wrist,

then another 20 times from the forearm and another 20 from the elbow, if it aint broke yet,

cut it out and try to break it the harder it is to break the better is the consistency of the snow.

Circumstances for avalanches:

Critical amount of fresh snow meaning deadly peril:
10 -20cm by advers circumstances

20 - 30cm by middel dangerous circumstances

30 - 50 cm by fortunate circumstances

Circumstances:

Adverse: intensive rain in a short time , heavy winds ( > 50 Km\h, you can hear the wind);

Cold temperatures (-5 to -10 degrees), glazed surface

Fortunate: light winds; temperatures just below 0 degrees and an abnormal surface

Also think about:

a) Gradiant: always measure the steepest point of the slope (use your snowboar or ski pole),

if you have to do switchbacks the gradiant should´t be above 30 degrees; if the

is interspersed with cliffs and rocks it should`t be above 40 degrees.

b) Hillside situation & Terain:

Rolling terain will give you a secure ride

slight winds will not secure your from avalances

Mountain backsides are more secure than dells;

Crests are of blowen off meaning good old snow surface (could also instabilise the snow tounge); Dells can be filled with droven snow high hazourd of getting submerged.

Keep this in mind when you start your tripp, check everything doubble and dont go out in too big groups, only go with peopel you can trust, only go freerideing with guides and only if you know the tereain, always be responsibel and never loos your head, always cary a mobile phone or an avalanche biper with you..

Enjoy and respect mother nature shes the one watching over you .. dont make her angry for her it´s a finger flipp and you checed out of the amazing Hotel....

keep it safe

c u soon!!!