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ParticipantReport | With risk'n'fun at the "Next Level" on the Kitzsteinhorn

In the second part of the r'n'f freeride training, you plan and carry out tours independently.

by Lisa Hempfer 03/02/2018
Lisa Hempfer, winner of this year's risk'n'fun camp competition on PowderGuide.com, reports from the Next Level Camp on the Kitzsteinhorn. After injuring her knee during a training session at the beginning of the season, she was fortunately able to take part in the second training level after a speedy recovery. The Next Level Camp is primarily about independent tour planning and execution.

After my injury during the risk'n'fun training session in Sölden turned out to be a bit more unfortunate than expected, it wasn't entirely clear whether I would be able to snowboard again this season. But after a six-week turbo recovery phase, I finally got the green light to get back on the board. So I was delighted when I was able to tell Dani from risk'n'fun that I would be taking part in Next Level. This time, the focus would be on tour planning and execution, exactly the area in which I wanted to develop further. In the meantime, I was able to go on a few fine tours and slowly approach more challenging activities.

On arrival in Kaprun, I went straight into the gondola with bag and baggage to get to our accommodation. This was ingeniously located at 2400 m in the middle of the ski resort. After a brief introduction, we got straight into the program and brought ourselves up to date with the latest avalanche transceiver equipment, as some of the participants had been training for a few years. However, it quickly became apparent that a lot had been retained and a first simple search scenario worked safely and quickly.

The training session (Level 1) as the basis for the next level

Since there was nothing but white when we looked out of the window on Sunday, we started the day in a fairly relaxed manner. We went over our freeride strategies from the first camp again, presented them to the rest of the group and discussed them together. Then, despite the mediocre view, we finally went outside to warm up. However, the summit station was already just above the fog, so we were able to make our first observations of the current avalanche situation and the prevailing danger signs in the terrain and were also able to start directly with a fine powder descent. We spent the rest of the day in an interplay of sunshine and whiteout, with the latter unfortunately clearly having the upper hand.

The program was quickly adjusted and we replaced major activities in the terrain with an extensive snowpack analysis with a slide block test and a small soft skills exercise. When we arrived above the fog again in the afternoon, we had the choice between a pretty mogul slope to our right and an untracked dream slope to our left, where we had to make a short ascent. This fitted perfectly into our program anyway and the first short hike was rewarded with a brilliant powder descent above the clouds, with which we ended the day.

The good old Alpine Club map

Immediately afterwards, we continued with a theory session on mapping, which I personally found particularly exciting. There were lots of helpful tips and information about reading topographical maps and how to use them for planning. It also showed that, despite all the technical progress, the good old paper Alpine Club map is far from obsolete. Apps and online maps with features such as displayed slope inclination simplify reading immensely and are great for getting an overview of the tour and the terrain. However, they quickly reach their limits when it comes to more detailed planning. With a topographical map, you can read the shape of the terrain much more precisely. And it's also nice not to be completely lost if your cell phone breaks down on the mountain.

After dinner, our mountain guides gave us a short talk on tour planning, which we were able to put into practice immediately afterwards by planning different variants for a tour tomorrow in teams of three.

Different conditions

As a dream day was already on the horizon at breakfast, we decided to put the most extensive of our three variants into practice. In brilliant conditions, we set off highly motivated, only to be confronted with the first complication as soon as we started skinning up. Despite his best efforts, Sven couldn't get his skins to stick to the freshly waxed splitboard. In an exemplary group effort, these were then provisionally fastened with a considerable amount of cable ties plus our mountain guide's Skifix, so that we were all able to make our way to the summit together with a little delay.

While we were still a totally homogeneous group on the descent, different conditions quickly emerged on the ascent. For most of us, it was a fully enjoyable tour, but the only participant with snowshoes had to make a much greater effort. And our solo entertainer Dimitri was able to fight his way to the summit "by willpower alone". After all, it was the first time he had ever stood on a splitboard. However, the hairpin bends worked out quite well and the exertions were rewarded with a magnificent view and a fantastic descent.

The tips on track setting, optimal use of the terrain and how to avoid typical terrain traps were totally helpful and our mountain guide Herwig also made sure that nobody, no matter how exhausted, could avoid the track work, as you learn a lot more than if you just trudge along blindly. We ended the day with a short reflection on the tour, independent planning for the next day and a little exercise on our own willingness to take risks.

In case of poor visibility: FORGET!

Because of the unclear weather forecast, we had made two plans as a precaution. The first time we looked out of the window, it was cloudy, but the visibility was actually quite reasonable. But by the time we had finished our bowls of muesli, the accommodation was already shrouded in fog again. Objectively speaking, there were of course a few factors against our Plan A, a fairly short and easy ski tour. Despite everything, our motivation was unbroken. We thought it could be a nice orientation exercise with a map and compass, and we also had a mountain guide with us. When we presented our plan to him, he told us that he thought it was pretty rubbish to start the planned tour in the conditions.

To reinforce the learning effect, we then went straight onto the ski route to test out how you feel in the terrain without any visibility. We felt our way from marker to marker at a snail's pace and definitely not at the peak of our skiing skills. The idea of starting this action in open terrain without any artificial clues and with all kinds of alpine dangers really didn't seem very well thought out to us. So the conclusion of the day was: "In poor visibility, REALLY do without." Nevertheless, we didn't get bored and we were able to use the day perfectly for practising again and simulating an emergency in the form of a multiple burial and an avalanche path.

On the last day, we were free to decide which content we wanted to delve into and how we wanted to use the day. We would have liked to take advantage of the good visibility in the meantime to make another ascent. However, one member of our group was once again struggling with (this time unsolvable) equipment problems, so we had to change our plan without further ado in order to get as much out of the day as possible for everyone. Then there were a few fine off-piste runs, some decision-making situations and, armed with a snow magnifying glass, an in-depth and now independent look at the snowpack.

All in all, it was another incredibly instructive camp with lots of new input, new experiences and a brilliant group, and we were definitely able to make the most of the changeable conditions. It's really impressive to see the progress we've made over the course of the first two camps, both individually and as a team. A big "thank you" goes to our mountain guide Herwig and our trainer Gitti, who, in addition to providing input on soft skills, was also on hand with great technique training for us snowboarders. And of course to Eva and Matthias, as well as all the participants. I'm already looking forward to the chill-out in March. And the plan for in between: As much time on the mountain as possible and, of course, always busy: perceiving, assessing and deciding.

All further information and registration for risk'n'fun FREERIDE I KLETTERN I BIKE at www.risk-fun.com

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