by The ski season has started with historic amounts of snow in the Alps. But after weeks of heavy storms, unseasonably warm temperatures and increased rainfall have raised mitigation alerts and triggered landslide and flood warnings across Europe.
The change in weather prompted the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology to increase the level of exchange risk in southern ski resorts to four out of five, “high,” on December 12.
In France, the high-altitude resort of Tignes raised its mitigation warning to three out of five, or “significant,” after reports of ski tourists getting caught in slides. No one was injured.
Experts warn: “We remind you that level 3 already describes a critical situation and above this level of danger it is best not to ski off-piste on unprotected terrain or without professional supervision unless the experience is necessary at you.”
Use our report to check the latest snow forecasts. Here are the best tips from Henry Schniewind, from Henry’s Avalanche Talks (HAT), on how to survive dangerous snow situations and stay safe in the mountains:
How to be ready for an avalanche
1. Know what the danger ratings mean
Familiarize yourself with the five levels of international buffer danger: 1 is low buffer risk, 2 is moderate, 3 is significant, 4 is high and 5 is extreme.
2. Check the forecast
Read the official avalanche forecast bulletin for your area the evening before you head out – this will tell you the height and slope features where the risk is greatest. This will be available in a resort.
3. Stick with like-minded riders
Ride with people who have a similar approach to having fun and being safe off piste. Your group should be between three and five people – if there are only two of you and one is trapped, the other person will be alone, and have to rescue you and get help. If there are more than five of you, the group can become fragmented and increase the safety risks.
4. Carry all the equipment you need
If you’re heading off piste in winter, have all the essentials – a flatness transceiver, a probe and a shovel – to get your friends out on the snow in 15 minutes or less. After 15 minutes of being buried in snow, your chances of survival decrease rapidly.
5. Training with the safety equipment
Do a two to three hour practical session on how to use your safety equipment, and refresh yourself every year. Know how your equipment works and make sure the others do as well – you’re relying on them to rescue you.
6. Save the key phone numbers
Your phone should have all the phone numbers for local emergency services.
7. Plan your routes
Have a good idea of the area and the routes you will be skiing (using maps, guidebooks and your personal experience) or hiking so you don’t end up stuck on a cliff. Be alert for danger signs as you progress, it’s all too easy to let their passion and enthusiasm get you down.
8. Learn about sloping angles
Know how to recognize slopes of 30 degrees or more – this is where most buffers occur.
9. Talk to local professionals
People like the ski patrol (piste patrol) and mountain guides are a good source of insider information on the area.
How to avoid causing an avalanche
1. Go one at a time where there is any possibility of danger
Avalanches are triggered when the weight of the snowpack causes the slab to break. One person puts much less pressure on a slope than two or three people. When you stop to wait for the rest of your group, make sure it’s somewhere safe (find a “safety island”) so you don’t get trapped there if they trigger an avalanche.
2. Keep your tracks close together
If the person in front of you doesn’t trigger a slide and you follow very close to the same line you’ll probably be safe too.
3. Look for signs of recent avalanche activity
Slab avalanches are responsible for most accidents and even small ones can be fatal. If you see recent releases, make a note of the most likely slope and height features, and avoid them.
4. Watch out for bumps
When the slope goes from flat to steep there is often a weakness in the snowpack that can trigger a skier.
5. Avoid wind-loaded slopes
Slopes covered in additional snow, swept by normal winds, may offer excellent freeriding conditions, but the added load of snow makes them susceptible to the added weight of a skier.
6. Watch out for what’s beneath you
If there is a cliff or a narrow bowl below then the consequences of the slide will be much more severe than if it is just a small stretch of slope and a smooth run out. And be sure not to offend others below you.
What to do if you are caught in an avalanche
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If you are wearing an ABS backpack, pull the trigger and release your airbag. I hope this keeps you afloat.
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Try to ski or fall to the side out of the path of the slide as quickly as possible.
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If possible get rid of your skis and poles (never wear wrist loops in a potential buffer zone).
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It feels like being in a high speed washing machine. Swim furiously for the surface and try to get your head above the snow. Maximize effort as the slide slows down.
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Try to keep your nose and mouth free of snow and use your arms to create space around your face before it finally stops. Buffering debris has a similar mass to setting concrete, and further movement is not possible.
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If you are completely buried wearing only a radio transceiver your chance of survival is 34 percent. After 15 minutes this starts to drop significantly. If you are not completely buried, the chance of survival is over 90 percent.
