Lawinensicherheit

Mammut has stood for quality, safety and innovation since 1862. The safety and protection of their team of athletes and their customers are at the heart of everything they do. Therefore, they continuously test and improve their materials and products to uphold these high standards. During this process, Mammut identified a potential issue with the power switch of the new avalanche beacons Mammut Barryvox 2 and Mammut Barryvox S2 in some cases, and therefore decided to recall all potentially affected products for inspection, and where applicable, repair or exchange.

The large family of Mammut Alugator shovels now includes different style lengths, handle shapes and shovel blade variations for different needs and preferences. The Alugator Ultra is the lightest shovel in the range and promises stability and durability with minimum weight.

At the first stop of the finals, I had the opportunity to accompany the Freeride World Tour in Fieberbrunn and not only see the surface of a contest, but also get to know the people behind it. The entire organisational team, all the riders and some of the support staff spend the week of the weather window together in the hotel. The team does a lot of work and discusses details of the competition late into the evening. The dinners with the riders and staff have shown me that there is a very friendly relationship between the participants and the organisers.

Ich durfte das Set, bestehend aus dem ARVA EVO5, der 240 SKITRIP-Sonde und der SKITRIP-Schaufel diese Saison, im Zeitraum von November bis Februar, in den Tiroler Alpen testen. Hierbei ist es beim Freeriden und Splitboarden genutzt worden sowie in einem LVS-Workshop auf den Prüfstand gestellt worden.

In the search for weak layers within the snowpack, Salzburg-based GEORESEARCH GmbH and Tyrolean company Lo.La Peak Solutions GmbH are testing a new method for recording snowpack stratigraphy as part of the STRATIFY research project. In contrast to conventional snow profiles, the data is recorded from the air, more precisely by drone and GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar).

"Nothing can happen in the forest." - This is probably one of the most widespread misconceptions among skiers. It is true that statistically there are fewer avalanche accidents in the forest. However, those who are lulled into a false sense of security are unconsciously taking a high risk and acting carelessly. In today's SnowFlurries we therefore take a look at how the forest influences snowpack stability and what skiers need to bear in mind.

More and more adventurers are fascinated by the idea of exploring unspoilt nature away from the crowded pistes. However, the pursuit of freedom and adventure on the mountain requires an intensive examination of avalanche risks. Following a comprehensive revision in 2023, the Safety Academy Lab Snow from Ortovox offers a valuable and free resource to raise awareness of risk management.

The Powderfest, the freeride festival in the Silvretta Montafon, took place for the 4th time this year from 2-4 February 2024. Once again this year, a varied freeride programme awaited all participants with a focus on RIDE-LEARN-CONNECT.

The definitions of freeriding can sometimes differ from what we might be used to, leading to a great deal of confusion. I want to give a little introduction to Japan and share my experiences so far.

More than 40 different courses were on the programme at the Arc'teryx Freeride Academy from 1 to 4 February 2024. PowderGuide was able to attend the Avalanche Awareness & Mountain Safety Clinic with Recco at the Arc'teryx Freeride Academy on a sunny and cloudless day. The avalanche course took place in a group of six participants plus two mountain guides in the terrain of the St. Anton am Arlberg ski resort. The course was designed for all levels of skiers/snowboarders and yet each person was able to expand their knowledge and skills individually. The exact daily programme of the Arc'teryx Clinic and the most important aspects and procedures of an avalanche search can be found here.

Fortunately, this season got off to a very snowy start and provided a good foundation. It stayed that way until shortly before Christmas. The so-called Christmas thaw materialised just in time for Christmas.

A freeride camp where you have the opportunity to learn from the pros, refresh your knowledge of avalanche safety and get valuable first-hand tips on ski care and repair.