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Accident statistics: different user groups, different avalanches

Drift snow in the variant area is particularly problematic

by Lea Hartl • 11/11/2020
Targeted approach to user groups: in North America, for example, there are special training programs for snowmobilers

Targeting user groups: in North America, for example, there are special training programs for snowmobilers

LH

Targeting user groups: in North America, for example, there are special training programs for snowmobilers

LH
Peter Höller, avalanche expert at the BFW in Innsbruck, has analyzed accident statistics from the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety. He found that fatal avalanches in the variant area close to ski resorts are often due to new and drift snow problems, while there are proportionately more fatal accidents on classic ski tours with old snow problems.

The Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety maintains a database in which key data on alpine accidents is collected. If you look at larger amounts of data over longer periods of time, patterns become visible that remain hidden when analyzing individual incidents. This is why the KURASI database is the basis for many statistical studies: Where do what kind of accidents happen? When and to whom do they happen?

Peter Höller deals with questions such as these in the Natural Hazards Department of the Federal Research Center for Forests (BFW) in Innsbruck. As the KURASI database differentiates between off-piste and touring terrain when recording avalanche accidents, the accidents can be broken down by user group. Of course, the distinction between "off-piste skiers" and "ski tourers" is rather fluid in practice and not always possible in a meaningful way. On the other hand, many of the PowderGuide readers know from personal experience that a line next to the piste is a different experience than a 1800-meter ski tour far away from the ski resort infrastructure. In terms of statistics, off-piste terrain refers to terrain close to the lift that can be reached with no or only short ascents. Touring terrain refers to ski tours in the classic sense, without lift options and at a greater distance from the ski resorts.

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Blown-in slopes and drift snowboard

Blown-in slopes and drift snowboard

LH

Blown-in slopes and drift snowboard

LH

New and drifting snow accidents in off-piste terrain are proportionally more prevalent

The available data goes back to the winter of 1981/82. Overall, around two thirds of avalanche accidents occur in touring terrain, the rest in off-piste terrain. In the variant area, 18% of fatal accidents occurred in a combination of new and drift snow problems, and 32% in a "pure" drift snow problem. Old snow avalanches are also important in these sad statistics at 28%, but are less strongly represented. The proportion of new and/or drift snow avalanches in fatal accidents in off-piste terrain is three times higher than on classic ski tours, where it is mainly old snow avalanches that end fatally (proportion of fatal accidents with a combination of new and drift snow problems in off-piste terrain: 18%. In touring terrain: 6%).

New and drifting snow situations occur frequently over the course of the winter, which may contribute to the increase in accidents. However, Höller emphasizes that the problem of new and drifting snow in the terrain is usually easy to recognize even for people who are not very experienced, especially compared to the treacherous problem of old snow, which is a difficult challenge even for experts.

So where does the higher proportion of fatal avalanches in new and drift snow problems in the off-piste area come from? Generalizations about various groups of people are always difficult, but the reason probably lies in the behaviour of the different types of winter sports. Off-piste skiers are increasingly out and about when there is fresh snow because they (we) like to ski untracked slopes. When there is fresh snow, there is often wind and the risk of drifting snow is virtually pre-programmed. Classic ski tourers, on the other hand, are more often concerned with the overall experience on the mountain or reaching a specific summit. Tourers are proportionately more often affected by wet snow avalanches because they are still out and about a lot in late spring. Wet snow is less of a problem in the off-piste area because freeriding in rotten wet snow is simply no fun. There is no general answer as to whether the willingness to take risks in off-piste terrain is generally higher in new or drifting snow than on ski tours.

Targeted approach to user groups: in North America, for example, there are special training programs for snowmobilers

Targeting user groups: in North America, for example, there are special training programs for snowmobilers

LH

Targeting user groups: in North America, for example, there are special training programs for snowmobilers

LH

Strengthen prevention work in well-known freeride areas

The data set analyzed by Höller shows a strong accumulation of fatal off-piste accidents in four Austrian communities: St. Anton, Lech, Ischgl, Sölden. In other ski resort communities, such as Galtür or Neustift, on the other hand, accidents in the touring area predominate. In Galtür, there was not a single fatal avalanche in the off-piste area in the period studied, but a total of 21 fatal accidents in the touring area - mainly due to the two accidents with several fatalities in March 1988 and December 1999. In Neustift, there were 4 fatal accidents in the off-piste area in the same period, but a total of 11 in the touring area.

Of course, the Arlberg, Ischgl and Sölden are not the only areas where there is a lot going on in the area close to the lifts on powder days, but accidents seem to be particularly frequent here. Höller suggests placing a stronger focus on these regions in prevention work and targeting the public there, for example with announcements in the gondola and notices with information on the avalanche situation. He sees comparatively high potential here for reducing the number of victims by providing more specific information, as accidents in variant terrain could often be avoided by better assessment of the danger situation. This is known to be much more difficult in the case of the old snow problem, which cannot be recognized by a superficial glance at the terrain.

There are also studies by the LWD Val D'Aran in the Pyrenees, which conclude that communication of the avalanche risk should be tailored more closely to specific user groups. Accident analyses have shown, for example, that non-local freeriders sometimes cannot find the situation report at all, or do not speak the local language and cannot find an English version. In the Pyrenees, closer cooperation between the warning services and the ski resorts is also mentioned as an approach to tackling the problem.

Peter Höller presented his analyses as part of a lecture at the Austrian Society for Snow and Avalanches.

Ascent close to the snowboard

Ascent close to the snowboard

LH

Ascent close to the snowboard

LH

This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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