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We had fun too. Very much off piste though.
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Edukator and WhatNo - both very nice. Stevo from WhiteRoom says its really dumping in Ste Foy 🙂
my girlfriend loved it in val d'isere. i spent the week with her on greens and every now and then riding down myself. was great fun and i'd go aagin 🙂
Very interesting avalanche video! Thanks for posting jambalaya - I hadn't seen that before.
My initial thoughts were:
It very much showed how 'panic' can occur in such intense situations.
But his practice/training with his beacon paid off as without it he would have most likely struggled to locate Denis within 15 minutes.
The transition from 'coarse search' to 'fine search' and pin-pointing Denis and getting the shovel & probe out and used was excruciating to watch but I guess quite understandable given the panic/relief of the situation - just goes to reinforce the 'mantra' ... practice, practice, practice ...
Denis was very fortunate to have an air pocket.
@ whatnobeer - that looks fantastic ... gotta love tree riding in BC! 8)
Digby. Agreed, no beacon no finding his mate imho. Interested me that the steep pitch which I imagine triggered it immediately went into a fairly shallow pitch (on video of course could be steeper than it appered) which then slid a long way taking him with it. Also incredibly lucky his mate had visual on him and without that I certanly would have watsed a lot of time searching even with the beacon (it was a long slide), he was able to ski down with a decent idea of where his mate was.
Jedi (as I said on the pm) I love it there, something for everyone on and off the slopes. The off-piste is fabulous from easy to 'kin hard and a lot of it very accessible via a short hike or even off the lifts. We've done the favourite resorts list before on here but mine are Val/St Anton/Verbier/Jackson Hole in US.
on video of course could be steeper than it appered
Yeah - it never ceases to amaze me how 40+ degree slopes look like 30+ degree slopes on a PoV camera ... there were some pretty big blocks of snow there as well - some that had continued to slide on the surface after the much of it had stopped.
I'm guessing it was the shock loading of him hucking the cliff that triggered what looked like quite a deep but 'dry' slab - it certainly didn't appear to have 'set' like concrete as I've seen happen:- The snow they were digging Denis out of still had a slight powdery consistency.
Also incredibly lucky his mate had visual on him
100% agreed jambalya - although I would like to think they were skiing one at a time as a precaution rather than luck ...
Interestingly (for some perhaps), the avalanche in Courmayeur last week that killed 3 and injured 5, took place in an area where multiple groups totaling about 18 people ended up aggregating - highlighting the difficulties in 'group management' in the Backcountry. It was described as being like a 'battle zone' ... 😥
I also note that the fatalities in Italy last week seemingly received much less press coverage and media attention that the recent Tignes avalanche victims.
I wonder if the mainstream media are becoming 'hardened' to the increasing numbers of fatalities in the mountains?
The day after the incident loads of people (myself included) were taking the same traverse off piste to access the 'slack-country' as if nothing had happened - rather like when people slow down for a brief time after passing an RTA ... and then carry on speeding
Sitting on the plane in Turin feeling totally wasted. Serre Chevalier was all I remembered and much more. Just a fantastic playground where the pistes play second to the rest of the rest of the area which is just amazing terrain for fun skiing. Did masses of off piste stuff but this morning we were stuck above Briancon as the lifts across to Chantemerle were closed. The piste had a foot of powder on it, so just shattered after five hours of that. #specialplace
Interesting comments Digby. Looked quite fresh (from the digging) so I am guessing it was a lot of fresh snow on a frozen base and the slab slid off as you say from the "huck in". Anyone else ?
Happy times Rockape 🙂
Just a fantastic playground where the pistes play second to the rest of the rest of the area which is just amazing terrain for fun skiing
Don't tell everyone! 8)
Anyone else ?
No avi expert so not much to offer on top of Digby's more informed comments - but being STW I will anyway..
My main thought was that the rescuer did a good job traversing across the debris, shouting for contact, calling for help and paying attention to his beeper.
Strikes me it might be a lot harder to navigate a debris field on a snowboard - so that'd be more time wasted clipping out and trying to walk while doing the coarse search.
From an Armchair Expert, the shovelling looked a bit chaotic and almost got the guy in the face (aren't you meant to start shovelling from below the victim?) but totally understandable in the heat of the moment. Must be a terrifying thing for everyone involved. Main thing is they got the guy out and he was ok.
Rescuer did a great job IMHO. I thought he took a bit of a risk traversing across to the avalanche from where he was watching from. But he had no choice really.
Did well to shout for help, "call 112" (Every day's a school day, I didn't know that)
Painfull to watch it all unfold, extra helpers didn't have shovels. He did organise them well though, getting them to clear out behind him and to look out for secondary slides.
Good watch, thanks for posting.
Another one. Tignes.
🙁
Off to Les Gets on Sat for a week so snow is well timed.
Will be a powderkeg though with bad base, fluctuting temps and then a variable temp heavy snowfall. Tignes/Val etc and all the steep resorts will have 4-5 avi risks for a while. Looking at forward temps it will be v risky. I see theres a reportin Tignes already - be careful careful out there folks, likely some desperation as such a sparse snow season as well which may cloud judgement.
Big slide in Tignes, came across a blue piste but confirmed that no one buried. Very lucky!!
BBC.CO.UK NZCol - Member
Off to Les Gets on Sat for a week so snow is well timed.
Flying out from Edinburgh on Sat for a week in Les Gets too. Cheers Stoner for the previous transfer recommendation, booked with Alp Nav in the end. Massively looking forward to it esp with the recent snow, though as above can see avi risks remaining high for a while.
DougD - we're going from Glasgow for some reason with Ski Famille.
Big slide in Tignes, came across a blue piste but confirmed that no one buried.
That means I can look forward to another ear-bashing from my FiL about putting his grandchildren in "unnecessary danger" by taking them skiing. 🙄
Interesting that the BBC report says [i]"The avalanche risk at Tignes was said to be four on a scale of five, and part of the resort had been closed to skiers"[/i] but doesn't clarify if that closure included the piste that was hit.
French sites say piste and lift was open at the time. 4/5 in Tignes is BAD.
NZCol - which chalet you in?
French sites say piste and lift was open at the time.
Oooft! That's not good.
I suspect some poor [i]pisteur[/i] will be getting their [i]derriere[/i] felt then!
Le Marjorie
Yep, piste open and one of the few that was as they'd yet to open much else in the resort due to avi control.
We were in Majorie week before last. There was a big Kiwi named Jake running the place. Nice chalet.
Morning tip get the navette down to the Perrieres lift for a faster link in to the bowl than fighting the ski schools at the Chavannes.
igm I think you where there last week of French half term hols, should be less busy now.
We were. Perrieres still absolutely empty during the week - busier at weekends.
igm - thanks for the tips, never been there so good to know.
Was out in Les Gets too at same time as IGM. Good to bump into you Iain 🙂
We were using the Perrier too to get into the bowl quickly and it was great for a first few runs in the morning. Seen some updates from the chalet we stayed in and the garden was clear of snow last week (like late spring) but is now buried under 70 - 80 cm. Looks great. The snow up high on Poite de Nyon was good but a bit icy in parts and lower down it was thin/slushy - be interesting to see how all the new snow holds onto that base.
Nbt and myself have picked a super week in Passo Tonale. Plenty of snow and cold, looking as though it could last a while. Had an excellant lesson this morning. The instructor took us up to the Presena glacier. Very cold and windy but fabulous conditions on the red and black. Not so good on the Ponte Di Legno side, but that's because we've been spoiled in our area.
The lessons were completed with nbt and myself getting our certificates for silver level, both ticked as 'good'. I think nbt is a bit miffed as he's a much better skier than myself.
Waves at chimp
Loving this...!
Loads of fresh powder in the grand Massif over the last 2 days, the visibility has improved this morning and it is lining up for a great day to play in the powder. Hopefully the links will open and we can go roaming.
If anyone wants a last minute holiday at the moment the conditions are wonderful.
Oooft! That's not good.
I suspect some poor pisteur will be getting their derriere felt then!
Thankfully inbound/on-piste slides when runs are open are pretty rare (I remember one in Fernie years ago that came quite a long was down Lizzard Bowl).
I think pisteurs/patrollers do a pretty amazing job - it's a tough job to balance safety and keeping runs open for the enjoyment of clients - it will be interesting to know whether this recent Tignes slide was a 'natural' release or triggered by a skier/rider. Thankfully no one was injured.
Looks like there has been some epic snowfalls over many Italian & French resorts. Have fun folks and stay safe!
inbound/on-piste slides when runs are open are pretty rare.. pisteurs/patrollers do a pretty amazing job
Absolutely. Henry (from HAT) was quick to make the same points yesterday when he was being interviewed for Sky News, despite the typically inane line of 24hr "news" questions.
Absolutely. Henry (from HAT) was quick to make the same points yesterday when he was being interviewed for Sky News
I've been fortunate enough to spend time with the Pro-Patrollers in Fernie and the Avalanche Rescue Dog handlers - nothing short of inspirational!
And there's nothing brings a smile to my face more than seeing a dog riding a chair lift or a skidoo/sled with its paws on the handlebars ... 😆
Henry was on Sky, they'll have fat iDave on there next advising about fad diets.
Flashy - That chap in the video above is wearing my old ski suit (and very fetching it is to). 🙂
The reds and black from the Presena glacier were in tip top condition this morning.
To top the day off, I spotted an eagle, before you ask, it wasn't Eddie.
Yeah!CaptainFlashheart - Member
Loving this...!
For some of us the "windscreen-wiper" turn will never die 😳
Just got back from a tremendous mini break in Austria.
Day 1 in Obertauern - hadn't been there before and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't as bleak as I somehow thought it would be, the apres was very lively and a great kebab for dinner too! 😆 Vis was a bit poor on the day but the snow was good.
Day 2 in Turracher Hohe - oh my god, this place is heaven. It's a small resort with not very steep runs, but it is stunning. And deserted. I'm a much better skier than last time I visited and managed to enjoy a lot more of it.
Day 3 in Kreischberg - on old haunt where a mate has a chalet (where we were staying). Good fun and family friendly - I recommend this place if you have sproglets. The black running back down to the valley was slushy from the start though!
That's it now. Winter holidays are over for another year 😥
<rings Sky to offer Edukator's superior wealth of knowledge>
I'd refuse. In the unlikely event I applied I'd make sure my CV had qualifications on it that actually exist.
CFH, progression regression, brilliant.
My mum still has her K2 Onesie, same as the one in the vid..
Do you think Henry's qualifications are suspect Edukator?
Henry Schniewind is an internationally renowned snow and avalanche expert who studied avalanche forecasting as part of a Geology degree in the United States and then moved to the French Alps where he works as an off-piste ski guide and director of Henry's Avalanche Talk.He has given over 750 talks and courses in the last 20 years including presenting at international snow science conferences. He has published many papers and articles, often in the British press. Henry created Henry's Avalanche Talk (HAT) in response to the fact that 9 out of 10 victims of avalanches trigger the avalanche themselves and many of these could have been avoided.
Henry delivers a risk management formula that will help you to see how riding off piste can be no more dangerous than the activities that you engage in every day. Henry has been guiding off-piste for close to 20 seasons in Val d'Isère. In addition to his academic work in snow and avalanche forecasting, he holds a Fully Certified French Ski Instructor Degree from the [i]Ecole Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme[/i]. Henry Schniewind and HAT are endorsed by [url=
(The French National Association for Snow and Avalanche Study). Henry Schniewind is also a certified Professional Member of the [url=
Avalanche Association[/url] and has many ties with other snow and avalanche organisations worldwide.
ANENA.ORG 
AMERICANAVALANCHEASSOCIATION.ORG His AAA membership checks out. Not sure about the Anena endorsement.
my old ski suit
#strangest
progression regression, brilliant.
Some testicular fortitude required for some of those lines on skinny planks!
Been watching the facebook feeds of a few resorts and conditions look epic around Tignes/Val and from Stevo at White Room round the corner in Sainte Foy
CFH 5 mins well spent watching that. A mate had his 50th in Mayerhofen last year and they skied in similar era kit all week 🙂 I have a lovely set of SL Salomon's with the orange bottoms, been kept in the bag now for 20 years. Matching poles of course. They where a buggar for me to ski in powder, the new AM skis are such a massive progression there.