the forces of nature are never completely controllable. The avalanche from Crans-Montana VS, in which a 34-year-old Frenchman was killed. Just glide-snow avalanches are responsible for difficult to control – and a rather new phenomenon.
early On Tuesday afternoon was in Crans-Montana on 2500 meters in height, preceded by a avalanche on a busy ski slope. At least one Person has died. The Avalanche had a massive extent. An expert of the Institute for snow and avalanche research (SLF) in Davos in a first evaluation of a glide-snow avalanche.
“Such is a rather new phenomenon,” said Carlo Danioth, head of operations East of the Skiarena Andermatt-Sedrun, on Wednesday in an interview with Keystone-SDA. Danioth has over 20 years of experience as a mountain rescue chief. These are available in ski resorts is responsible for deciding when a ski area is sure.
“Of glide-snow avalanches, we talk for six, seven years,” white Danioth and explains that the phenomenon of a warm floor in the autumn. When it got early on this ground, will be deprived of this layer of snow and the moisture. Further, under certain circumstances, heavy layers of Snow were deposited, on which a cavity develops.
Video: Here is the avalanche The Video, whose authenticity is unconfirmed, comes to show the avalanche in Crans-Montana. (Video: readers ‘ reporter/Tamedia)
“Through the outer, warmer temperature that is to be found these days, explains these layers of Snow, then faster into the Slip”, Danioth. Albert Hegner, piste-rescue-in-chief of Saas-Fee, additionally explained that such full-depth avalanches harder to blow up also be, as usual avalanches.
Job experience
responsibility for winter athletes and employees in any danger. For your Job experience is very important, said Hegner. Important is the constant monitoring of the weather is also layers of the snowpack but also the long-term development of the winter, so Danioth.
The slopes responsible for, among other things, the avalanche Bulletin of SLF in Davos. “We must, however, especially in the area, the Situation can be, depending on the slope, Sun and weather situation is very different,” says Hegner.
the managers of the go against four in the morning to the area to analyze the Situation, depending on the weather. There has been snow in the night? There are snow drifts that are prone to failure? “The Wind is the farmer of the avalanche,” says Hegner in an interview with the news Agency Keystone-SDA. Depending on the there are avalanche blasting, some ski resorts open only in the course of the Morning.
fish mouths in the Snow
in Particular, the observation of Snow cover is extremely important, explains Danioth. Alarming so-called fish-mouths, so cracks in the Snow cover, the rise is always more. This would have to be observed, but could also be re-covered in snow and, therefore, unproblematic. In the Snow, a hole is also dug to look, how the layers develop.
To try also, already from the beginning of winter to the snow above and around the slopes get rid of, or not remove, in the course of the winter to be a threat. The risk for avalanches is after a fresh snow and strong Wind to the greatest, says Danioth.
In the spring increases with the warmer temperatures, the danger of sliding or wet snow avalanches. In Saas-Fee will be locked, therefore, for example, in the spring of certain slopes at the Plättjen because of the risk of a Abrutsches of wet snow. The ski area is a slope in the connection between Andermatt and Sedrun is blocked since Thursday due to the risk of glide avalanches during the lunch hours.
It is very difficult to predict, whether because of the sun or the heat of an avalanche solve will, says also Jean-Christophe Genoud, who is in the ski resort Grimentz-Zinal in the Val d’anniviers, in charge of security, to Keystone-SDA.
Big pressure for Slope managers
On the one at which the decision on the release of a ski area, accused of a “huge responsibility,” says Hegner. Because if a part or the entire base of the ski area is blocked, may respond to both tourists as well as business management upset.
Hegner and Danioth can deal with this pressure. However, it should be the longer the more difficult to find people who wanted to bear this responsibility, white Danioth. Finally, one can strive so much – “no avalanche danger prevails only when there is no snow,” says Hegner. A residual risk, there is always that “nature, you can not control the forces”. The disaster in Crans-Montana show once again how important the work of the mountain rescue leaders, says Danioth. (fal/sda)
Created: 20.02.2019, 14:44 PM
