Tips - Three Steps To Safer Heli Skiing

One of the most serious threats to the rear or Heli skiers and snowboarders are avalanches. But the fact that almost all avalanches that endanger people are triggered by skiers or boarders themselves means that in most cases they are preventable.

An avalanche does not recognize whether or not you are an expert. But if you are well aware or not, you can minimize your exposure to risk and the chances of ending up as a statistic. A combination of experience, education and awareness continuingly changing environmental factors will allow you to find a balance between good or rear Heli-skiing with a high degree of security.

There are three factors that contribute to the possibility of avalanche - terrain, snow and weather.

Understanding these factors and how they interact to cause avalanches can save your life:

1. Land

Most fatal avalanches occur on slopes of 35 to 45 degrees - the ones we like most ski and snowboard! Those who are less stiff, rarely produce avalanches, and those of 50 degrees or more are generally too stiff to allow a critical amount of snow to accumulate.

Be careful of tracks that are similar in slope to a term or red steep. And remember that all the snow on the slope you're on is logged in to trigger a slide above if you snowpack is sufficiently unstable.

Avoid being in positions where there was no leak if an avalanche starts and avoid exposure to traps "- features that will aggravate the effects if an avalanche occurs. It could be depression or rivers, cliffs or rocks.

2. Understanding the stability of the snowpack

To play safely in the rear, if Heli skiing or ski touring, be able to recognize and avoid unstable snow that will keep you out of trouble. The properties of snow cover are to a large extent, affected by precipitation, temperature and wind. Layers of snow to accumulate and change continuously throughout the winter - some are strongly related and some are not.

Even though fort layers typically small, rounded snow grains, very well packed and bonded, weak layers tend to be poorly composed of crystals bonded with little cohesion. Low layers appear often in bulk or "sweet".

The weak layers prevent permanent liaison between a heavy snowfall and thus affect the overall stability of the snowpack. In times of stability, strength of the link between the layers is greater than the stress on them. As the stress level approaches of force, snow cover is becoming increasingly unstable.

The stress increases may be the result of fast loading of precipitation, a sudden increase in temperature, wind, snow or human pressure.

Anchors such as trees and rocks protruding through the snowpack can help stabilizer but clumps of trees must be thick to be effective, often too dense for skiing. In addition, the rupture may occur stress hubs such as trees and rocks.

3. Observe the weather and understand how it affects stability

There are four main weather factors that contribute to avalanches - precipitation, wind, temperature and sunlight.

The earliest precipitation falls, the less time the snow cover has to adapt to the pressure, leading to a greater danger of avalanche. Of course, the type of precipitation and quantity can also have an impact.

Take note of wind speed and direction when you are. Wind can quickly redistribute the burden of snow and slopes in the wind slabs with "Snow who are not bonded existing layers. Cornices (overhanging large slabs of snow) give a good indication of the prevailing wind direction and therefore tracks that could be loaded.

The two hot and cold conditions can lead to instability. In general, a hot snowpack be resolved more quickly, compacting become denser and stronger than a cold snow cover. But if the warming is intense and persistent snow cover can become very moist and unstable. Be especially cautious if temperatures do not fall below zero at night.

The combination of cold temperatures and a blanket of snow led to a process called faceting which can lead to the formation of layers extremely unstable. With little change in the temperature of these layers can persist for long periods of time. So beware at Heli skiing on the northern shadow aspects especially at the beginning of the season when it is cold and relatively little snow has accumulated.

Later in the spring, when the sun can trigger avalanches wet, south-facing slopes may be more dangerous.

Other ways to reduce risks

If you are heading back or under your own steam or by helicopter, take an experienced guide with local knowledge - the best ski UIAGM Heli guides are certified, which means they have undergone years of training and adopted a series of examinations. Inform people of your planned route and time and listen to local councils and avalanche warnings.

You should Heli skiing with reputable companies who employ guides and agreed to follow safety procedures. But remember that just because you're with a guide or operator Heli ski, you are not immune to the danger of avalanche, and you should always keep in mind the factors in this article.