Is it safe to ski off piste today?

Posted by IanLocke on under Ski Technique | Be the First to Comment

And other safety FAQ’s answered by Henry Schniewind of HAT adventures.

With the recent tragic death of Natasha Richardson hitting the headlines, ski safety is high on the agenda. We covered helmets in our last issue, but avalanche safety and the risks associated with off-piste skiing are ever present.

We’ve asked Henry Schniewind, qualified French ski instructor and off-piste guide in the Tarentaise for 15 years, for his top tips on minimising avalanche risk.

About Henry
Henry regularly works in Val d’Isere as a guide for the top off-piste ski school Alpine Experience. He’s become something of an avalanche safety expert: following a close shave with an avalanche when he was 22 years old, Henry decided to take safety more seriously and went to the USA to study avalanche forecasting and snow science.

Henry’s HAT
Since then, Henry has developed the Henrys Avalanche Talk (HAT) programme which delivers avalanche safety talks, beeper training and on snow training in Val d’Isere and Sainte Foy. You can sign up on their website for weekly updates and free advice about staying safe and having more fun in the off piste.

Here are Henry’s top safety tips.

1. Never go alone.
If anything happens, there is a good chance no-one will discover you. It is not like the pistes. Pistes are busy with people and even when they are quiet, they are patrolled. So if you have an accident, you will be found and can be rescued. In the off-piste, there is no patrol and you might be the only person there.
So this is one of the few absolutes in off-piste skiing: never means never.

2. Take a guide.
If you have to ask someone the question “Is it safe to ski off piste today?”- you are not experienced enough to make a judgement. If you don’t know if it is safe, either don’t go - or hire a guide. As you learn more, you can make judgements about where to go, where the best snow is and the capabilities of your group. But just because you have learned a bit this is not a carte blanche to go offpiste.

3. Have the right kit and know how to use it (probe pole, shovel, transceiver, plus
supplies).
Being prepared, means that in the event of an accident you increase your chances of survival several times over. Clearly though, just carrying the kit is not enough. You need to have some training in how to use it. All major resorts in the French Tarentaise, operate beeper training sessions. HAT also runs training in Val d’Isere and Sainte Foy.

Risk Management – 8 tips:

1 - Ask the pisteurs or piste patrol for advice.
We know that sometimes they can look a bit scary and like “the authorities”. But their primary job is to make the mountain safe and they will give you clear advice about where to go and where not to go. Naturally, they will be cautious and warn you that off-piste always carries risks. They will never give an unlimited guarantee it is safe. But if they say it is dangerous and you should not go, they will be right about the dangers. They will also explain why a run is closed and why you should avoid it. Consulting with the piste patrol is something the experts do as well. I often consult with the pisteurs and take account of their advice.

2 - Think twice about skiing steeper slopes after heavy snow.
Stay clear of large deposits of snow or overhangs or any areas where there are steeper slopes above you. The significance of this advice varies according to the avalanche risk as advertised by the safety authorities. But interpreting the level of danger is not straightforward, many accidents happen on low avalanche risk days as people get more confident and less careful.

3 - Look at where the wind blew the snow.
The evidence lies in wind stripped slopes in contrast to wind loaded slopes. Cornices will provide clues about this. Unfortunately, the wind loaded slope not only offers the nicest snow, but also carries very high risks. Usually it is wise to avoid them by sticking to the ridges and the wind blown areas. You can only go on wind loaded areas if you have local and current advice about snow stability and can interpret the risks inherent in the slope angle.

4 - Ski the slope one at a time.
When you think about it, this is common sense. One person weighs less than two or three. So by going one at a time you reduce the risk of triggering a slide. This also means you can look out for each other.

5 - Look for islands of safety
Do not linger anywhere that looks exposed, find places for the group to congregate where you will not risk setting off a slab avalanche or be standing underneath a potential slide. These islands usually exist below rocky outcrops or on small ridges. But you need experience and guidance from experts to learn how to spot them.

This picture shows skiers waiting on an island of safety and the group proceeding one at a time.

6 - Do not ski slopes that are directly above holes, cliffs, gullies or lakes;
If an avalanche is triggered you are greatly increasing your chances of being killed or seriously hurt.

7 - Do not ski directly above other skiers.
This is simply bad etiquette as you risk triggering an avalanche on top of them; wait until they are out of sight.

8 - Do not assume that skiing in trees will give you safety; this is not always the case.

9 - Check the weather forecast and understand the avalanche risk assessment for that day, look out for avalanche flags, talk to the piste patrol.

Henry says, “This paper cannot suddenly turn anyone into an expert who is safe to go off-piste. It is a short introduction to the subject. But if you got this far you probably already know something or you are keen to learn. Either way we can all benefit from continual reminders about safe conduct and how to enjoy the off-piste. So this is here to help.”

Thanks, Henry!

For more information about HAT (Henry’s Avalache Talk)

Henrys Avalanche Talk advice and programmes www.henrysavalanchetalk.com
Where Henry also operates as an off-piste guide www.alpineexperience.com
Sainte Foy website www.saintefoy.net/
Val d d’Isere website www.valdisere.com