Lawinenlagebericht

I've almost forgotten how to interpret weather maps, it's been so awful the last few weeks. But October is finally over and January seems to want to live up to its image as a winter month, at least for a few days.

As every year, the Austrian Avalanche Warning Services have made last winter's report available for free download (pdf) just in time for the start of the new season. It's worth a look, if only for the many sobering pictures and accident reports. The report contains guest contributions from avalanche wardens from Bavaria, Slovenia and South Tyrol. We have summarized a few key facts.

Most people have noticed that winter is here. The mainstream and the media are also rediscovering snow and cold weather. And while the weather nerds are still debating whether this is real winter in Pusemuckel and Schloss Holte Stutenbrock (this place exists!) in the North German Plain and would rather have the horror winter of 10/11 (Oh God, no!), we ask ourselves: Uh, early December and third alarm.... Wasn't there something? That's right! We have a deja vue, because what's more important for us freeriders is that this week we're already seeing another intense north-westerly storm - just like 2011, only colder! So you've been good enough to light candles in the Ullrschrein! Very good.

Avalanche Awareness is the name of an American book about avalanches and for me this title best expresses what it is all about. Intensive, inner contact with nature and with the snow, an alert and responsive mood that constantly adapts to new situations and impressions in the terrain. Without this contact with the surroundings, I can neither find the best snow for the descent nor assess the avalanche danger, even though I have been intensively involved with avalanches for over twenty years now. It used to be different in my early days. I still believed that I simply had to get off the lift at the top and after a few snow cover tests I had everything under control. But over time, after a few very dangerous experiences with avalanches, I've been cut down to size.