Alpine Ski Mountaineering Vol 1 - Western Alps. Bill O'Connor

      Austria

      Telephone: Dial International Code (0043) followed by the number below.

Voralberg	www.voralberg.at/lawine	(05522) 1588
Salzburg	www.land-sbg.gv.at/lawinen	(0622) 1588
Oberosterreich	www.ooe.gv.at/lawinenwarndienst/	(0732) 1588
Tirol	www.larwine.at/tirol	(0512) 1588
Osttirol	www.larwine.at/tirol	(0512) 1588
Steiermark	www.larwine.at	(0316) 1588
Karnten	www.larwine.at	(0463) 1588

      Switzerland

      Dial International Code (0041) followed by number below.

All regions	www.slf.ch/avalanche/avalanche-de.html
	www.slf.ch/avalanche/avalanche-fr.html
	www.slf.ch/avalanche/avalanche-it.html	848 800 187

      Assessing Snow Stability

      There is a lot you can do to assess snow stability before you go on tour. Snowpack is the result of past snowfall and weather conditions, and you need this information to understand how it has built up. Weather reports, avalanche bulletins (see the ‘Avalanche Bulletins’ box above) and web sites provide an often detailed picture of what conditions have been and are now like on the hill. Tourist Offices and Guides Bureaus, as well as knowledgeable locals, can all provide additional information.

      Once on tour you need to evaluate snow stability constantly because the slope aspect, altitude and conditions are always changing. To some degree ski mountaineers gain a feel for slope angle, snow and conditions – it's called experience. I find it helps to have a procedure when evaluating snow stability. Aim to gather targeted information that will help you build up an informed picture. Eliminate unessential information and go straight for the bull's-eye.

      Above is a checklist for assessing snow stability similar to those used by British mountain guides and avalanche professionals around the world. I'm always surprised how easy it is to overlook obvious signs of both danger and stability. The checklist is useful as an aide-mémoire to help systematically observe, test and record pertinent information and so build up a profile of snow stability at a particular time and place. This information provides a more complete picture when the time comes to make a judgement about avalanche danger.

      Obviously some techniques here depend on knowledge and skill. Snow profiling and various stability tests, including the shovel shear test and Reusch blocks, although quickly learned, require training in interpretation. Anyone committed to ski mountaineering would be well advised to attend some kind of avalanche awareness training course where they can learn these skills.

      Stability tests need to be carried out regularly. Although they can seem like a chore they do not take a great deal of time and they provide essential information. Once armed with the information in the chart above the picture of snow stability becomes a lot clearer. It may not be perfect, but it is better than a piece of seaweed or the ‘It must be stable because someone else has skied it’ approach to avalanche risk assessment.

      Having made an assessment you can then modify your route or procedures on tour to maximise safety.

      KEY POINTS IN AVALANCHE AWARENESS

       Understand what causes avalanches, and learn to recognise, test and record these causes.

       Understand weather and find out about past, present and future conditions that have and are likely to influence snow stability. Snowfall, wind and temperature all influence avalanche risk.

       Appreciate the significance of slope angle and aspect to avalanche risk. Slopes between 25° and 40° are perfect for skiing on, but they also present the greatest risk.

       Be observant. Conditions on tour change fast not only from day to day but from one slope to another and even on the same slope. Look for indicators of instability.

       Ensure you are properly equipped and clothed, and that equipment is all in good working order.

       Ensure you are prepared for emergencies and have a fast and efficient procedure in place to deal with them.

       Choose your route with care, and avoid suspect slopes. Be prepared to change or abandon your route. Be aware of the danger presented by slopes above and below the one you are on.

       If you have to travel through high-risk terrain do so with care. Be prepared at all times, make everyone aware of the risks and ensure they know what's expected of them in the event of an avalanche.

       Organise your party for maximum safety. If possible let people know your route. On hut-to-hut tours this is relatively easy, as you move between huts and guardians are expecting you. If you change your plan let the guardian know. Don't simply fail to turn up at a hut where you have booked a place.

      European Avalanche Hazard Scale

      The European Avalanche Hazard Scale has been adopted throughout the Alps and is commonly used in conjunction with snow and avalanche reports. Often the degree of hazard existing at a given time is shown simply as level on a scale of 1–5 without further explanation. Understanding what the numbers mean is essential when weather reports are in a language you may not fully understand, but where a synoptic chart clearly indicates the level of hazard. The chart below provides a detailed explanation of the European Avalanche Hazard Scale.

Avalanche Accidents

      What do you do if you get caught in an avalanche? The fact is that once an avalanche has been triggered, unless it really is minor it is almost impossible to do anything. Things happen very fast, and you need a fair amount of luck if you are caught in one. Call out to alert your companions and try to outrun it or ski off to the side of the avalanche if possible.

      Snow profiling to gather information essential for avalanche risk assessment during a tour

      If you are caught:

       try to release your bindings

       release your ski poles

       try to stay on top of the snow by adopting a swimming or rolling motion

       before you are buried pull your knees up to your chest and cover your face in an attempt to create an air pocket

       if you can thrust a hand up and out of the snow do so

       try not to panic

       pray.

      If you are looking on:

       keep an eye on the victim/s for as long as possible

       point and follow the victim with your finger until they are buried – it's easy to lose track of them in a mass of moving snow

       keep pointing until the position can