tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6262241061441269838.post5000503737122270460..comments2024-02-27T23:16:37.621+00:00Comments on CrankitupGear Glencoe: Avalanche Jenga Season Crankitup Bikes & Gearhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10067430013849216148noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6262241061441269838.post-13921561151829688012013-04-16T16:39:43.487+01:002013-04-16T16:39:43.487+01:00Thanks Doug. I wouldn't give up on the off pis...Thanks Doug. I wouldn't give up on the off piste! Back in 2005 Tignes more or less conceded that it's selling of itself as an off piste mecca(SPOT- ski the powder of Tignes)had created the environment that had caused an icrease in avlanche fatalities. They even had/have a dedicated freeride off piste lift served area at the col de Ves and at one time had the first ARVA park, all to mitigate the attrition rate. The chef de piste at that time Jean Louis Touaillon is a great supporter of FIPS and BASP and is now heading up the pistuers at Chatel and for the Sochi winter olympics. The best skiing is when there is some risk, and I for one would not think of stopping doing it. Managing the risk means accepting the uncertainty and replacing it with knowledge, judgement and ways of reducing the consequences. I didn't want to use the gulch as an example, but as a terrain trap it changed any risk assesement as no matter what you or frinds carry or wear the consequence of going in it are huge. This is an example of looking and talking about conditions and running through scenarios of consequences before skiing an area and one that every self respecting guide would intuitively be doing as well as analyticaly doing profiles and other measures to support (or not) their intuition. I dont know that avlx education is anymore than making folk think, look and feel and importantly talk through where and what they are doing.Crankitup Bikes & Gearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10067430013849216148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6262241061441269838.post-77923683543598085742013-04-16T15:06:15.653+01:002013-04-16T15:06:15.653+01:00Good read Davy.
1 = no snow
2 = off piste is mogu...Good read Davy.<br /><br />1 = no snow<br />2 = off piste is moguls<br />3 = off piste is tracked<br />4 = off piste is fresh<br />5 = lifts are shut<br /><br />Obviously not a responsible way to look at things. BUT... for many ski resorts , especially big popular ones in alps it is very close to reality of situation. Something many formal education sources overlook is that skiers are actively looking for fresh snow on 25+ degrees slopes, as its fun skiing. However with fresh snow the risk is almost always going to be level 3 or more. Of course a climber wouldn't go near such a slope on foot if it could be in anyway avoided. But in Scotland we can often only ski where the snow has drifted - which is an added complication.<br /><br />Now as a skier I fully accept that lvl 3 = 'considerable'. The problem is that at level 1 or 2 the snow off piste is often not that fun to ski either... (boiler plate scares me too!). Have thought about this a lot over the last 2 weeks and the only conclusion I can come to is that skiers seeking fresh snow (including myself) need to learn to be much smarter about terrain decisions / traps and the consequences of what could potentially happen if something released. The only other option is to stick to piste carving.Doug Brycehttp://haggistrap.co.uknoreply@blogger.com