Lawinensicherheit

Surface frost is certainly one of the most impressive crystal forms that we can admire: Beautiful to look at, especially when it glitters and sparkles in the sunlight. However, if it is covered by snow, it turns into a highly dangerous and treacherous weak layer. As is so often the case, beauty is so close to danger.

Ortovox is launching an innovation onto the market with the Diract Voice. In search mode, the avalanche transceiver provides spoken instructions to help you find buried victims as quickly as possible.

A recent SLF study uses GPS tracks from the Skitourenguru.ch database to correlate avalanche accidents with the number of accident-free ascents. This makes it possible to calculate which danger levels and terrain characteristics are particularly risky. There are some interesting differences to the reduction factors known from the Munter reduction method.

PowderGuide partner Ortovox has produced a summary of important basics on the subject of avalanche safety. The content is available online for reference and is intended as an introduction to the topic (or as a refresher!). Of course, it is no substitute for an avalanche course in the backcountry, but it does provide a good basis on which to build.

January wasn't exactly at its best: down in the valley, climbing and mountain biking were already back on the agenda and up on the mountain, the last remnants of snow and artificial snow slopes were slowly but surely melting away. But before we get back into winter mode and start thinking about ski tours and freeride adventures, we ask ourselves when we last really took a close look at our equipment.

They ensure the safety of winter sports enthusiasts every day - one for around 8 guests a day in an unsecured area with all the dangers of the Alps, the other for up to 8,000 people on secured slopes. We are talking about ski and mountain guide Christian Räss from "Engelberg Mountain Guides" and Christoph Bissig, head of the Titlis piste and rescue service for 20 years.

What avalanche problem is there, at what altitude and exposure is it present, how can I recognize it, can I recognize it at all, what do I have to watch out for, why are the others going further - is it safe, have I made the right decision? The snow is great, should I take the risk.....?

Michael Larcher, head of the mountaineering department at the ÖAV and mountain guide, will address various aspects of the topic in his annual lecture at the start of the winter touring season, from rescuing companions to recurring accident patterns. The live stream will take place on December 8 at 19:00.

Avalanche warning services, the media, numerous avalanche accidents and the first avalanche victims of the season in Salzburg have all issued impressive warnings about the current snowpack build-up over the last few days. We take a look at a current snow profile from Sölden in Ötztal.

The Austrian Society for Snow and Avalanches (ÖGSL) is organizing an open Zoom workshop on Monday, 29. 11. 2021, at 19:00 on the subject of first aid in avalanche accidents with Manuel Genswein.

Anyone who has been out and about on touring skis for a while can observe a welcome development: More and more children and young people are on the mountain with their parents and are enthusiastic about this sport. This may be because fewer and fewer families are willing to pay the high lift prices or because long lift queues encourage them to climb up together using their own muscle power.

Once again this year, the Alpinforum will not take place at the Insbruck trade fair as usual, but digitally. The top-class presentations are therefore accessible to everyone with an internet connection, either as a live stream on Friday or later on YouTube.