Essential training, advice and equipment for off piste skiers
Do you ski off piste?
Would you like to understand the risks and know how to manage them so you can stay safe and have more fun?
We have discovered that if you enter avalanche terrain and do not apply good risk management then it is as risky as base jumping. However if you do apply good risk management, then it is no riskier than driving to the resort.
Watch Henry in this video where he explains the HAT approach to managing the risk and how we can help you to have more fun and stay safe at the same time. As we say.
Safety is Freedom
Here are 5 ways we can help you
Free practical advice
Discover the HAT checklist, get our snow reports, read our free articles, watch our You Tube live broadcasts, follow the HAT blog for the latest insight and advice.
Avalanche talks
Attend our talks to learn how to apply the HAT checklist so you can make going off piste no more risky than driving to the resort. This is an introduction to avalanche awareness
Transceiver training
Join one of our sessions so that if the worst happens, learn how to locate a victim in 5 minutes and dig them out in 15 minutes using the transceiver, shovel and probe.
On snow courses
Experience the off piste and learn how to apply the HAT checklist and risk management on the snow. Spend time with Henry discovering the amazing off piste terrain in Val d’Isere and Tignes.
Online training
Invest time studying our avalanche talks and transceiver training before you go out to the mountains. Use these as a reminder.
Recent blog posts
In the season and the season warm up we regularly post advice, HAT updates, weather, snow reports and news on our blog
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Henry does live broadcasts and updates on conditions during the season on You Tube
Stay in touch on social media to get our updates
Formal decision on Wednesday or Thursday.
https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2021/01/18/covid-19-vers-une-non-reouverture-des-stations-de-ski-en-fevrier_6066714_3234.html
Following and complementing our post this past Friday, “An exceptional avalanche situation, … in the Northern French Alps and surrounding areas – worth noting, following and learning from. “
This video in Tignes, France is of a massive avalanche set off during avalanche control procedures (PIDA) this morning in the ‘Col de la Leisse’ facing area ...
https://henrysavalanchetalk.com/massive-avalanche-results-from-avalanche-control-in-the-alps/
https://www.ledauphine.com/faits-divers-justice/2021/01/16/tignes-avalanche-mortelle-dans-le-massif-de-l-aiguille-percee
https://henrysavalanchetalk.com/an-exceptional-avalanche-situation/
ORTOVOX ANENA
This video shows current snowpack observation on North'ish and shaded slopes :
***thick layer of facets and/or surface hoar***
The situation is likely to evolve very unfavorably in the coming days in all these orientations (North-West to East), especially on slopes that have not been skied or skied very little (i.e. little to no skier compaction). There are already numerous examples of recent accidental avalanche activity (remotely triggered and some very big).
Thanks to ANENA (The French Avalanche Association) for publishing this video.
Constat actuel en versants ombragés ou au soleil rasant : belle épaisseur de faces planes et/ou givre de surface.
La situation risque d'évoluer très défavorablement dans les jours qui viennent dans toutes ces orientations (Nord-Ouest à Est), dans les pentes peu ou pas tracées.
https://t.co/SjllE0Sja0
Ski resorts not opening in February. wonder how the ski resorts will react. They will have to consider whether to mothball their operations Will be a commercial balancing act.
Formal decision on Wednesday or Thursday.
Some more of our blog posts
Massive Avalanche Results from Avalanche Control in the Alps
Following and complementing our post this past Friday, "An exceptional avalanche situation, ... in the Northern French Alps and surrounding areas - worth noting, following and learning from. " The following video in Tignes, France, is of a massive avalanche set off...
An exceptional avalanche situation…
... in the Northern French Alps and surrounding areas - worth noting, following and learning from. "But", you may say, "Every year there's a weak layer - it's always there". Yes, but every year 'the weak layer' is different. Plus, weak layers can evolve with new ones...
Companion Avalanche Rescue Training
Are you able to locate and dig out your friend or family member in 15 mins?
Off Piste & Ski Touring Snow Stability Update for 19-22 Dec. N French Alps
More snow on the way for the "opening" of the ski areas, but not the ski-lifts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ToRfZlOWkM The avalanche danger rating has decreased from a 4 last Sunday to a 2 below 2300 m and a 3 at altitudes higher than this. The lower rating of 2...
Safety is Freedom Webinars
Next Event 21st December 2020 @ 1700 GMT Safety is Freedom defines an attitude and an approach to risk management. We have talked about this at Henry's Avalanche Talk ever since we started. Now we produce webinars to explore the subject of risk management and decision...