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Reading tip | SLF accident analyses 2016/17

The accident analysis has now been added to the season report

by Andreas Huwiler 01/08/2018
The Winter Report 2016/17 of the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF is online as a pdf. The review of the weather, snow cover and avalanche danger was already published in summer 2017, and the report has now been supplemented with a description of selected avalanche accidents.

On almost 20 additional pages, all avalanches reported to the SLF are presented, including personal injury and material damage. Of particular interest are selected accidents that the SLF considers particularly instructive and informative. In these accidents, the course of the accident and the weather and avalanche situation are described in detail and illustrated with photos, map sections and snow profiles. The history, circumstances and any rescue operations are described objectively, cautiously and without apportioning blame.

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I will look through the accident reports several more times - as I do every year. But even on first reading, I have to admit that I recognize myself in one situation or another and I can't help but ask myself critical questions:

Would I have recognized this one orange-coloured, 10 x 10 m pixel in the slope gradient map as a danger? How was it again when we were poking around in the fog with the 50'000 map back then?

Why didn't I say anything on the last tour when my buddy left his airbag at home with the reason " we are careful"? Or someone stowed his release unit because we're in the forest now?

And how many times have I talked myself into snow bags and sweated blood and water in the process? Instead of simply switching to an alternative?

"Lessons can always be learned from other people's accidents," writes the SLF in its report.

Let's take this opportunity!

Read also the SLF season report as pdf, chapter 3 - Avalanches with personal injury and property damage 2016/17 (starts on p.39)..

Here you can find the joint seasonal report of the Austrian Avalanche Warning Services, which also contains impressive accident analyses.

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