Weekly report from HAT - 10/03/09

HAT Snow Report:

Fresh Snow – New Instability

There’s been some great new snow and with it a bit of instability. With the instability has come a few unfortunate accidents in the Northern French Alps.

Triggering avalanches:

Victims of avalanches almost always set the avalanche off themselves. This is good news because it means you’re more in control of your own destiny than you may think. The only problem is that triggering an avalanche is relatively rare even on unstable steep slopes that ‘should’ avalanche; but it is frequent enough so that all of us who have done a few seasons know someone who has died in an avalanche.

When the avalanche danger rating is high, there are numerous trigger points in unsecured off-piste areas. When the rating is low, there are fewer trigger points around, but there are still some out there. Trigger points are like land mines – you hit the wrong place and the whole slope can come down, possibly releasing from far above you.

So how do you start to reduce the risks of triggering an avalanche off piste?

• First, just because a steep slope (25° angle or more) off-piste with fresh snow on it is being skied, doesn’t mean it is stable. It may release on the 2nd, 10th or 100th person. So approach each steep slope with fresh snow as if it could go – remember you can trigger an avalanche from below on a low angle slope too!

• Second, look above you and below you: think about if the slope did avalanche, where would it take you and how much would end up on top of you? If a small avalanche takes you over a cliff, into trees/rocks or into a hole, then you could easily be killed by the avalanche itself. If you live through the ride and you’re head is buried for more than 15 minutes under the snow, you’re probably dead (don’t count on being able to move if buried, you won’t be able to!).

• Third, and most important, learn more! Go to an avalanche talk. Read and understand the avalanche forecast along with the avalanche danger rating definitions, know how to use the right equipment... You can access a lot of this info on www.henrysavalanchetalk.com and www.getoffpiste.com

Tip of the week:

Recent avalanche activity is a great clue that can tell you if the snowpack is unstable and where!

To find the avalanche forecast bulletin for Savoie for example, choose ‘Montagne’ from the home page Meteo France then choose ‘Bulletins’. Then where it says Choisir une montagne choose ‘Alpes de Nord’ and finally where it says Choisir un département, choose ‘Savoie’. This bulletin is updated at 4pm each day for the following day and includes a short weather forecast too!

You can also see a full summary of all the definitions of the international 1-5 avalanche danger rating scale on my blog and a recorded audio summary.

See Henry's Avalanche Talk for events this week!

Ski off piste.

Have Fun and Be Safe!

Henry

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