Avalanche videos part 4

December 05th, 2013 * Comments(0)

Starting off the 2013/14 winter season with some fresh avalanche videos to get you thinking about safety.

A reminder an avalanche can get you anywhere. These people were just lucky it was a very small one.

A great example of the confusion in a large group search resulting from a full burial of one member. Skip to about 4:15.

Massive release on the first turn while filming

Somewhat controversial (even if unintentional) ABS promo video

Aymar Navarro – Interview regarding the video above

On safe zones and runnout distances

That’s one massive powder cloud

You can skip to 3:35 if you only care for the full footage of the actual avalanche. Watch the whole thing for a self analysis.

Sluff caught on two helmet cameras in Les Deux Alpes. No damage but a decent reminder of what could happen.

A river of snow

A lucky escape in quite complex terrain

Avalanche while climbing in canale Holzer

Small slab release in Tignes

Post ISSW13 discussion

October 29th, 2013 * Comments(0)
a fork in the road, Col du Midi
a fork in the road, Col du Midi

In October I attended ISSW (International Snow Science Workshop) in Grenoble. One of the few science conferences that are not a total waste of time. One of the few conferences where you don’t just spend time running around the city until it’s your turn to present. One of the few conferences where you actually sit through days of lectures and poster sessions with sustained interested (though I can’t claim that siestas were completely avoided). Basically, a conference that should not be missed if you spend any time in the mountains during winter months regardless if your interest is scientific, professional or just recreational.

Grandes Jorasses ©Jaka Ortar
Grandes Jorasses ©Jaka Ortar

A day trip to Chamonix and Aiguille du Midi were of course very welcome but a sideshow nevertheless. What truly did it for me, apart from meeting some cool people, was the realisation akin to the eureka moment of Archimedes. On the final two days all the pieces came together into a realization just how and why our avalanche risk communication is broken. A paper based on this realization is already in progress so I don’t want to spill the beans too early, but let’s say we created a mess out of avalanche problems and danger patterns.

Full reveal to follow soon (I hope). More photos in the gallery.

Col du Midi & Refuge des Cosmiques
Col du Midi & Refuge des Cosmiques

Many thanks to Glòria Martí, Solveig Kosberg, Jaka Ortar, Dušan Polajnar, Klemen Volontar, Eric Johnsen, Arnold Studeregger, Arnulf Wurzer, Grant Statham, Karl Klassen, Joe Obad and many others for their opinions, presentations and conversations.

Reading & Snow Avalanches

May 31st, 2013 * Comments(0)
X2-West Side Story on Kitzsteinhorn ©Jonna
X2-West Side Story on Kitzsteinhorn ©Jonna

A post on a local website provoked me into starting an assembly of a list of magazines and websites regularly writing about snow avalanches. To top it off I added a small section on snow & avalanche science resources for those with a curious mind.

The lists below are a broad mix with a bit of everything. Some offer very good writing, none very bad. Some are available completely free of charge, others require subscription to access even the basic features. And don’t forget there’s a lot to find on some websites of individual Avalanche Warning Services.

No guarantees these links won’t go broken at some point!

Print Magazines and Newsletters

Websites & Blogs with frequent snow avalanche themes

Snow & Avalanche Science

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