He likes it best when it's "clinking and clattering". Today*, however, it was quiet, almost too quiet for his taste. Danger level 2 - moderate - little avalanche activity. The Friday interview with Radio Rumantsch at 5.50 pm - a home game for the 29-year-old avalanche forecaster from Ruschein in the Grisons Oberland - then it's time to call it a day.
* 'Today' is an exemplary, fictitious day. This is not the current avalanche situation.
Gian Darms has been on his feet since 5.30 a.m., as always when he's on bulletin duty. The first thing he does is go to the printer in the avalanche warning center. During the course of the night, data from over a hundred automatic measuring stations arrives there. Time is short until 8 o'clock. By then, the new risk assessment for the coming day must be available online. Darms concentrates on checking all the information, including weather models and reports. At 7 a.m., he sits down with team colleague Lukas Dürr for a briefing. "No fresh snow overnight, wind weak from the north-east, no deviations from the bulletin in the observers' danger assessments," he briefly and concisely describes the current weather and avalanche situation to his colleague and recommends: "I wouldn't make any changes to yesterday's bulletin." They discuss the danger level and danger descriptions and decide to leave everything as it is.
"Our avalanche bulletin is never produced single-handedly, but in collaboration with two or three avalanche forecasters," explains Darms. "A well-functioning team is therefore essential." Darms and his colleagues archive all the data on which the decisions are based so that a risk assessment can also be retraced in retrospect.
On calm days like today, a walk in the backcountry is definitely possible. With their skis shouldered, Darms and Dürr hurry to reach the 8.15 a.m. Parsennbahn. Having grown up directly below the ski slope, such excursions are a welcome change from everyday office life for Darms. The plan is to take a look at the snow cover on the Weissfluhjoch itself. With him, as always, the on-call cell phone. "We're available 24 hours a day when we're on duty."
In the middle of shoveling snow, the phone actually rings. "Tgau Fridolin," Darms greets the caller and listens attentively to his description of the snow load on the Glaspass. "The 200 or so observers who work for the SLF every day are the real heart of the avalanche warning system. Their feedback on the local snow and avalanche situation is essential for avalanche forecasting," explains Darms, himself a patroller and SLF observer for many years during his studies.
In the meantime, it's high time to return to the office. The next briefing will take place at 3 pm. Before then, all the new data that has come in needs to be interpreted. Safety services and snow sports enthusiasts are already waiting for the risk assessment for the following day, which should be available in four languages on the website and app at 5 pm.
Being exposed to this time pressure and responsibility throughout the winter is a burden that should not be underestimated. Nevertheless, Darms can sleep easy: "As a long-time practitioner, I am very aware of the limitations of the avalanche bulletin. It provides an important basis. On the ground, however, everyone is responsible for their own decisions."
"Ina biala sera", wishes Gian Darms to his listeners on Radio Rumantsch and heads off into the evening himself.
This article appeared in issue 1/2014 of the WSL magazine Diagonal and was kindly provided to PG by the SLF. The text was written by Christine Huovinen, SLF.
