you Should stop currently at all in the Alps? And how to behave, when really there’s an avalanche? A conversation with Roland Ampenberger of the Bavarian mountain rescue service.
Interview of Nadine rule Nadine rule
Nadine rule, Born 1985, works in the area of Social Media and writes for the areas of sports and travel. Her policy studies completed in Munich, Granada and Dar es Salaam. For the German society for International cooperation, she worked in South Africa, Mongolia, Ghana, and Berlin. Favorite subjects: mountains, adventure travel and extreme sports. Place: Patagonia.
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“snow hell”: Such terms are just to hear, when it comes to the German and Austrian Alps. In the past few days, there fell so much snow, that he turned sometimes into a threat. What this means for winter sports? An Interview with Roland Ampenberger of the Bavarian mountain rescue service.
SZ: Mr Ampenberger, that is a lot of snow falls in the Winter in the Alps. What makes the current Situation so threatening?
Roland Ampenberger: Currently at risk level three, partially four in Bavaria. This means that an avalanche can depart with small additional loads, especially on steep slopes. And it can also lead to spontaneous Avalanches. Thus, the opportunities to move in the open, Alpine terrain, limited. In such conditions, you have to have a lot of Knowledge about how avalanches occur. Better would be to think outside the protected area.
Not even experienced tourers or freeriders?
no, because Knowledge does not protect in any case. There was also a danger, they were not even on the screen. At the Blomberg, a man at the ski was going from falling Branches killed: The crown was no longer able to hold the weight of Snow. The same is true for deep wells. If the snow, you can be to Fall. If you fall in the deep, cardboard, heavy snow, no longer come out of it alone.
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How should set winter sports on these conditions?
here was the view from the window and in the avalanche situation report. The daily published twice at 8 am and 17.30 PM from the Bavarian avalanche warning service. The report refers to the whole of the Bavarian Alps and is specific to the six areas.
And what you can currently make in the mountains?
piste tours are a good Alternative. Also skiing on the slope with so much snow fun. Who wants to go for it, though not necessarily off track, you should note a few things. Steep you should avoid slopes and also to avoid the catchment area of avalanches, i.e. the area in which avalanches can spread, widely. However, since the point of view of continuous fall of snow greatly limited, the steepness of Slopes, and even the judge. You do not know, where the slope begins and where it ends. Because you lose the orientation and closing triggers finally an avalanche.
What is the role of the safety equipment?
The must be taken. An avalanche is part of avalanche victim search device with sufficient battery, a shovel, and probe. At the beginning of each season to make, for example, when DAV is an avalanche course. If available, can also prove to be the avalanche backpack with an Airbag.
But are people not more willing to take risks, if you carry the backpack?
The most one can do when one moves outside of the secured room and not the safety equipment lead. Clear, and the avalanche airbag is not a guarantee of not to be spilled. The same applies to safety equipment. It does not guarantee that you survive. This is how the seat belt in a car. The belt will not avoid per se the accident, but can maximum reduce the effects of the accident.
prepare As you should in front of a Tour?
it is Important to take precautionary measures in advance. You should have a cell phone and safety equipment. It is better also to be in groups, because so as to better help organize. The avalanche search device should be provided before the Start of the Tour and a group check is performed on.
And what do you do when you’re in an avalanche device?
You should try to get out of the avalanche track. If this is not possible: from the Plug and from the Ski free, and try to stay by the swimming movements on the surface. As soon as the avalanche comes to a stop, the hands and arms in front of your face to form a breathing cave. In the best case, non-distributed accompanying person should choose the number “112”. The use of forces, where one is about where you started and where you wanted to go. This helps in localization. Also, you should not block the phone by other phone calls, so that it remains accessible. Primarily, the search for the Victim, because to survive with each passing Minute his Chance is reduced. After 15 minutes, the probability of Survival drops to ten percent.
How is now more in Bavaria?
in the coming days maximum restraint is regarded, because it’s supposed to continue snowing. There should also be more Wind. This is the second Problem. The Wind is the architect of avalanches. Thus, an unstable snow slab structure. By transport and conversion of snow in weak form between the layers, which are considered to be sliding surfaces for the large masses of Snow. It is important to be informed constantly about the Situation in the mountains and not to act reckless. In Bavaria, there are 3500 active mountain rescuers. They are ready for deployment, but their safety should not be risked dearly.
