powder; that light, ‘fluffy’ snow that gives you the sensation that you are floating down the mountainside. Seasoned ski tourers know that spring snow, produced by the freeze-thaw action of the sun, can be equally sublime to ski. They delight in finding rock-hard névé, knowing that when the top few centimetres melt as the day warms-up, they will have the perfect skiing surface. It is rare for powder to last long on south-facing slopes, even the middle of winter.
On the other hand, after two weeks of good weather, spring snow can be found sometimes as early as February. With an astute choice of itinerary you can usually find good snow. No one makes the perfect choice every time and, because many tours include slopes with different aspects, you will undoubtedly come across difficult snow conditions from time to time. In crusty or very heavy snow, survival skiing becomes the watchword: ‘hop and hope’ often being the best turning technique! When slopes are very icy it may even be best to descend in crampons.
Avalanches
In an average year, 100 people are killed by avalanches in the Alps and you must be aware of the dangers. Please see the table on Avalanche Safety Information on the next page.
Information on snow conditions and the avalanche risk can be obtained (in French) by telephoning 08 92 68 10 20. These bulletins are updated every day at 4pm. The information they give is extremely useful in planning a tour but conditions can still vary locally. A seven day weather forecast can be obtained by dialling 08 92 68 02 73. The forecast is updated three times a day, at 7.30am, 12 noon and 6pm.
AVALANCHE SAFETY INFORMATION
This book is not a guide to avalanche awareness but some general points must be borne in mind when deciding where, or even whether, to go.
1 It is difficult to assess the snow conditions in an area without good knowledge of the terrain and recent weather conditions. Telephone snow reports, hut wardens, local mountain guides and, if you are in a resort, the ski-patrol can all provide indispensable information.
2 Even after several days of good weather, certain slopes can still be very dangerous. Weak layers in the snow-pack can last a surprisingly long time.
3 Learn to read the signs that may indicate unstable accumulations of snow; for example cornices, ripple marks, snow dunes etc.
4 If you are uncertain about the stability of a slope and it is impossible to avoid crossing it, do so one at a time and only stop in ‘safe’ zones, such as behind large rocks or trees.
5 The first person to ski a slope will not always be the person who triggers an avalanche. Sometimes several skiers can pass before the slope avalanches.
6 All members of a group should carry an avalanche transceiver and know how to use it. Each skier must also have an avalanche probe, in order to pin-point the exact position of the victim, and a snow shovel, to dig them out. A person buried by an avalanche has a good chance of survival if they are found within twenty minutes, however, by the time outside help arrives they will probably be dead. Your ability to find and free an avalanche victim could save a life.
7 There is no such thing as zero risk. Each party must assess the risks involved at any particular moment and make a decision accordingly.
Nearing the Refuge du Carro on the first day of the Carro/Evettes tour
Emergencies
Where necessary (ie. when the route is not obvious or where the logistics are complicated) details of the quickest ways to reach civilisation in the event of bad weather or an accident occuring have been given. Often these escape routes are quite long but they are the fastest ways to evacuate an accident victim or the best ways out in bad weather.
It must be remembered that mobile phone coverage, away from ski-resorts, is still not perfect. The emergency services can be contacted by dialling 18.
The mountains are much more hostile in winter than in summer and the rescue services, although they will do their best, may not be able to reach accident victims quickly. In one famous case in 1998, four ski tourers were trapped by bad weather near the Col de la Vanoise. They survived the ten days it took the rescue services to find them because they were extremely well equipped. Having the right equipment, and knowing how to use it, is vitally important.
N.B. All decisions about where to go, or even whether to go at all, must be taken by the individuals concerned, taking into account the weather and snow conditions at the time.
Equipment
It is possible to buy touring adaptors for standard downhill bindings but, for all but the shortest of tours, it is worth considering having special touring skis, boots and bindings. The gains in weight and comfort during the climb more than compensate for the loss of performance during the descent.
A full set of touring gear is a big investment but it is possible to rent touring gear in many of the larger towns and resorts. A week’s rental for touring skis, skins, boots, poles, avalanche transceiver, snow shovel and avalanche probe cost around 150€ to 200€ in 2002. As ski touring is growing in popularity, more and more outdoor shops have gear to rent: the local tourist office (see Appendix 3) should be able to give details of where you can rent ski touring gear (matériel de ski de randonnée in French).
Telemark skiers do not have to invest so heavily; all they need to add to standard telemark gear is a set of skins and couteaux/harscheisen.
It is often a good idea to carry a pair of crampons; the rock-hard nevé that you climb in the morning can turn into perfect spring snow by lunchtime. When touring in the high mountains you should also take standard glacier gear (ie. ice-axe, rope, harness, one or two ice-screws, slings and prussick loops or jumars).
Avalanche transceivers are not an unnecessary luxury. These small devices, when correctly used, allow an avalanche victim to be found very quickly. Each member of the party should have one and know how to use it. They should be turned on and tested at the beginning of each day, even if the snow-pack seems perfectly stable. The day you decide to leave it at home is the day you will be caught by a very unexpected avalanche. The transceiver should allow you to localise the victim to within a metre or two, at which point an avalanche probe will be necessary to pinpoint him/her. Transceivers are of little use unless you also have a snow shovel to dig a buried friend out of an avalanche.
Approaching the summit of Mont Bellacha on the second day of the Lauzière tour
Leaving the Refuge du Fond d’Assois on Day 4 of the Glaceirs de la Vanoise tour
A map and compass are also essential items. An altimeter, or a GPS if you are feeling rich and technologically minded, can prove useful, especially in poor visibility.
In terms of clothing it is better to use a multi-layer system so you can adapt your clothing to the conditions. Standard alpine walking/climbing clothing will suffice but with perhaps an extra layer (or two). Even in February it is sometimes possible to be in shorts and t-shirt for the climb but thermals, fleece jackets and a duvet are very welcome as soon as you stop. Two pairs of gloves, a lightweight pair for the climb and standard ski gloves for the descent, make life more comfortable.
Skinning uphill burns calories at an incredible rate so it is important to eat, and even more so to drink
