This vid makes me cry every time I see it...
Anyway. I'm conscious this thread could easily go south, but I'll try nonetheless..
My son is doing winter in the German Alps and I want to get him as genned up as possible on avalanches.
We've done Pieps practice in the garden, park and at various Arva parks in resort.
I've explained what I know, given him a book to read.
I'm trying to find some videos that might be educational and get some of the key stuff sticking in his mind. The key thing I want to get him to realise is how hideous an avalanche can be, and to try to get him to think twice, three times before setting off down some beautiful powdery expanse. We all know what a draw it can be.
The next thing I'd like is some more educational videos, which cover stuff in more detail. Anyone got any suggestions?
And lastly, and most unlikely, anything be got any contacts for good guides/ safety course in Obertsdorf?
cheers
Buy him an airbag and some spare bottles. It was my present to junior when he went off to do the off-piste and rando bit of his brevet d'état moniteur de ski. It isn't guaranteed to save you but it improves your chances. The problme bing that avalanches tend to contain ice and rocks and trees and all sorts of crap that smash you up. Friends that have died in an avalanches through trees were dead before the snow stopped moving.
I worked with the Austrian who was part of the team that developped the air bag. He was the one who did the first real world test and deliberately set of a light powder avalanche; it proved he stayed on the surface of the flow. He was an engineer with a touch of crazy.
I'm French so can't recommend any courses in Germany Oberstdorf.
He needs a mapping app with slope steepness overlays on. When condition are high risk you make sure the slope above and under your feet isn't in the 20-35° range. That needs extending a bit for some conditions.
Digging a profile to look for break surfaces is an art I don't feel particularly confident about. Wind slab can be quite localised.
Then there's years of living in and observing the mountains, and even then locals still make mistakes.
Black art.
And lastly, and most unlikely, anything be got any contacts for good guides/ safety course in Obertsdorf?
Get in touch with the local DAV section (Deutsche Alpen Verein/German Alpine Club).
If he's playing around in the hills it's worth being a member as it comes with insurance that covers you if you ever need rescuing anywhere in the Alps (nope it's not free, in Germany you pay for your rescue).
https://alpenverein-oberstdorf.de/
The local Bergwacht post avalanche (Lawine) updates/warnings during the winter season.
https://lawinenwarndienst.bayern.de/regionen/allgaeuer-alpen/
Oooh my brother and his wife went on an alpine skiing course (or whatever its called when you skin up your skis to climb under your own power and then ski down) somewhere German. The first day was the 'what to do in an avalanche and how to use your transponder' bit. The two of them took it all in and bounded down to breakfast the next day ready to start actual skiing - to find everyone else on the course had decided that it was too dangerous and sacked it off. So they basically had 4 days skiing with just them and the guide. I'll see where it was and whether he has any contact details.
Buy him an airbag and some spare bottles
Funny you should say that.... He's taking one of our Scott Capacitor airbags with him. Just needs plugging in each time rather than new cylinders. Much easier for flying.
I didn't mention it in the OP as I was expecting someone to jump in with the whole avoidance is better than cure Helmet Effect diatribe.
In the end we decided that buying two and making the kids wear them was a reasonable compromise. The hope was that it wouldn't sway our decisions, but was there as a backup for them.
As I've been going through the Pieps/probe/search spiel with him it's become painfully obvious that teaching the family that shit to ski together is one thing..... teaching him to do it when we're not there isn't actually going to make a jot of difference to his safety. At best it might get him entry into a more skilled group, but apart from that we're just increasing the safety level of whoever he skis with.
So yes, airbag seemed like a good plan, along with some education on avoidance.
I'll check out the DAV and that other link.
From what you've said on this and other threads I think you are realisitc about comprises that will inevitably be made, thegeneralist. Everything you've said says your son has a culture of risk assessment and limitation, but not letting excessive risk aversion get in the way of a good day out.
In the case of my son we skied and mountaineered as a family, then he joined a ski club, then he went away on training courses at ENSA ever year in his training. At some point in all that I had to tell myself to let him trust himself. I'm still there as a supplier of safety kit if ever I think the cost of something means he might not buy it, but I'm not going to nag or try to advise anymore (unless asked). It seems to me you're doing exactly th esame for your son.
Junior is accutely aware that putting clients at risk is a big no, no. When he skis with his mates (all instructors themselves) the bar is higher but they aren't stupid or suicidal, however I'm not going to kid myself there's no risk.
Reasonable risks, resonable precautions. Some will make mistakes, some will be plain unlucky and most of us will still be a round at our ages with some good memories even if a few still send a shiver down our spine.