SnowCard

What goes on in an expert's mind when skiers or snowboarders ski down 40-degree deep snow slopes at avalanche warning level four? Martin Engler: It leaves me breathless at first. Last week, I was out touring on the Riedbergerhorn and saw people with binoculars at Fellbühl, an area above Riezlern that is popular with freeriders. It wasn't just a few individuals, but many. And that at warning level four. The slope is over 40 degrees steep at the top. I am clearly against the demonization of deep snow skiing and against bans. But when I see something like this, I shudder.

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.