Safety is Freedom webinar programme

You can choose. There’s almost always a choice of avoiding avalanche terrain, AND still having fun when off-piste and ski touring.

Avalanche terrain is defined as areas with steep slopes of 30° steepness above, around or below you. When you’re unsure and in the decision making process about where to go, choose the ‘low hanging fruit’ of the no risk zone to avoid these potential risk areas in avalanche terrain. Here’s a simple way of identifying these areas.

Looking at slope angles is the first key point in our HAT Accident Reduction Framework. It comes under the heading of Where to Go /Decision -Making. The article below on Slope Angle Measurement should help you to get more from all our upcoming events, and to have more fun off-piste and ski touring.  All the key points are wrapped up in our Accident Reduction Framework * helping you to train, remember and apply the things that matter to make yourself safer in avalanche terrain. For a more complete version of the ‘Framework’ with more information, see the HAT Safety Pack.*  You can also get a lot more info and advice at one our events lined up as part of the ORTOVOX/HAT Avalanche Awareness Tour.

Our next webinars are live online talks delivered by Henry

Click below to get full details for each event and book your spot. All the webinars start at 1830 UK time and will last around 90 minutes depending on the number of questions and discussion. 

Bruce Tremper reaches a fascinating and encouraging conclusion

Skiing and riding in avalanche terrain are surprisingly safe as long as it’s done using all the risk reduction measures taught in avalanche classes. It’s about the same risk as driving one hour to the trailhead.

There is a big BUT

But randomly riding in 10 potential avalanche paths per day without any risk reduction measures at Considerable or High Danger can be one of the most dangerous sports in the world.

Someone who randomly (i.e. without taking risk reduction measures) rides the centre line of 10 slopes per day in terrain rated as Moderate Danger (2 on a scale of 5) is roughly the same risk as whitewater kayaking or skydiving. but still much less dangerous than riding a motorcycle

Randomly riding the centre line of 10 slopes per day in terrain rated as Considerable Danger (3 on a scale of 5) has roughly the same risk as base jumping, which is considered to be one of the world’s most dangerous sports and one with a notoriously short expected lifespan for regular participants.

Doing the same in terrain rated as High Danger (4 on a scale of 5) is one of the most dangerous activities in the world besides climbing above 8,000 meters.