Österreichischer Alpenverein

Polluters, bad boys/girls, egoists: take your pick. We skiers are the climate's nightmare come true. Or are we? This column will look at the reality and how we can ski in a more environmentally friendly way. But first of all, why can't we get rid of this climate monster that is skiing?

The "Alliance for the Soul of the Alps", consisting of the ÖAV, Friends of Nature and WWF, and the DAV want to prevent the planned merger of the Ötztal and Pitztal glacier ski areas. The lift operators as well as the SPÖ and FPÖ hope that the so-called "glacier marriage" will boost the region's economy.

We are delighted to be able to offer a place at the training session, the next level camp and the end-of-season chillout again this year together with risk'n'fun. risk'n'fun is the training program of the Alpine Club Youth. In addition to learning technical skills, the freeride camps also focus on "human" topics such as group dynamics and personal risk perception.

The Working Group of Austrian Avalanche Warning Services has published its seasonal report for winter 2017/18. As always, the report not only contains statistical evaluations of the past avalanche winter, but also many detailed and impressively illustrated analyses of specific accidental avalanches. In addition to the LWDs of the Austrian federal states, the SLF and the LWD South Tyrol are also represented with guest contributions. New this year: print version available from the Alpine Club store.

The Austrian Alpine Association is once again offering evening lectures to get in the mood for the ski season, where winter sports enthusiasts can update their avalanche knowledge.

I keep waking up and staring at a white, uneven ceiling. The air around me is cold and only a red light illuminates the room. There are three other people lying next to me, all wrapped up in bivouac bags and sleeping bags and protected as best they can with winter clothing. When I fall asleep again, I dream of shoveling snow for hours. Sometimes I feel slightly panicky and cramped.

This year, together with risk'n'fun, we have once again awarded a training place for the r'n'f Camps Training Session, Next Level and for the Chillout. Lisa, this year's winner, reports on the training session in Sölden. By the way, the next free places are at the camp on the Hochkönig in February!

The Austrian Alpine Association is once again offering evening lectures to get in the mood for the ski season, where winter sports enthusiasts can update their avalanche knowledge.

We are delighted to be able to offer a place at the training session, the next level camp and the end-of-season chillout again this year together with risk'n'fun. risk'n'fun is the training program of the Alpine Club Youth. In addition to learning technical skills, the freeride camps also focus on "human" topics such as group dynamics and personal risk perception.

The Austrian Alpine Club combines the various facets of its training program under the umbrella term "Safe on the Mountain" (SAB). In addition to the SAB courses on various mountain sports disciplines for section members, there are the so-called SAB booklets, in which the relevant teaching content can be found. In addition to the already well-known booklets on ski touring, via ferrata, sport climbing and mountain biking, there is now Hochtouren - Sicher unterwegs im vergletscherten Hochgebirge.

After a few dry, clear days, a change in the weather is on the horizon and fans of thunder and lightning are looking forward to the start of the thunderstorm season. The medium-term outlook is uncertain, but at least there is no threat of midsummer yet. Also: The Alpine Association presents its glacier report for the 2014/15 season.

Exactly three years ago, I ended my ski season in Fieberbrunn: a few last turns including the obligatory sunburn. However, the friendly lady at the tourist office drew my attention to the chill-out weekend organized by Risk'n'Fun. The crowning final event of an association which, as part of the Austrian Alpine Association (OEAV), undoubtedly does exceptional work in terms of avalanche awareness and training young freeriders.