AVALANCHE TIPS

Over 100 people die every year in off-piste avalanches. The vast majority of avalanches are triggered by the victims themselves. Prevention, in other words the avoidance of avalanches, is by far the most important off-piste tip. Only then do self-rescue and the rescue of other team members become important.

Good planning is the basic prerequisite for an enjoyable, accident-free tour and can significantly reduce the likelihood of dangerous situations.

Before you venture off the slopes, avalanche training is highly recommended as it will teach you the basic risk strategies and proper use of avalanche equipment (avalanche training link).

You should take a close look at the area you intend to visit. The slope inclination, slope form and surface information provided in maps and by ski tour guides are especially important. You should check the precise snow and weather conditions in the evening before you set off and, ideally, once again in the morning (weather/avalanche links).

Even if you are well informed and prepared, there is always a residual risk. Professional equipment is therefore essential. ABS® TwinBags in combination with an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel are recommended as the ideal avalanche emergency equipment (avalanche equipment link).

If you are caught in an avalanche, your chances of survival depend greatly on where you are when the avalanche comes to a stop: under the mass of snow or visible on the surface.

If you are completely buried, there is nothing you can do that will help you to be rescued. You are helplessly dependent on others. Even if victims are usually buried at a depth of just 1 meter, they are basically encased in concrete by the dense avalanche snow and normally cannot move. Your buddies only have about 15 minutes to get you out of the snow.

Despite the avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe, about half of all avalanche victims die because they cannot be located and dug out in time.

You must do everything within your power to stay on the surface, because this will give you the highest chance of survival. Without the aid of equipment, there is little you can do to influence this. With the ABS® TwinBag system, you have an additional volume of 170 l by simply pulling the activation handle. The chances of remaining on the surface are thus considerably increased during the critical phase when the avalanche comes to a stop.

In 97% of avalanches in which ABS® TwinBag systems were activated, the airbag was visible on the surface when the avalanche came to a stop. This allows the person to immediately take self-rescue measures or be rescued by a friend.

The top priority is always to avoid being buried yourself, because you can only help your buddies if you are not buried yourself.

The search for buried team members, i.e. using avalanche transceivers and probes, should start as soon as possible, once the avalanche has come to a stop. After just 15 minutes, the chances of a victim surviving drop significantly. If you consider that, even with an avalanche shovel, it takes at least 10 minutes to dig out a team member, on average, 1 meter below highly compressed snow, it becomes clear that there is very little time.

For this reason, all tour participants must carry the entire emergency equipment set, must know how to use it and be perfectly familiar with search strategies.

All freeriders and ski tourers are responsible for their own lives and those of their buddies. This means that a certain amount of preparation is essential and must be repeated from the start, whenever venturing off-piste. State-of-the-art equipment that increases your chances of not being buried and hence allows you to save lives is an important part of this preparation.