Recognize avalanche risk: Experts have to pay attention to the risks!
Recognize avalanche risk: Experts have to pay attention to the risks!
The dangers of avalanches are a serious topic, the meaning of which is often underestimated. An impressive warning by Swiss avalanche expert André Roch that the avalanche does not know whether you are an expert illustrates this. This message should be particularly for the experienced mountain athletes who think they have been under control.
The latest statement by Michael Larcher, head of the mountain sports department in the Austrian Alpine Club, emphasizes that around 369 people were involved in avalanche accidents in the 2023/24 winter season alone, with 14 people lost their lives. It is worrying that many of these accidents also met experienced alpinists. "We have to put the cliché that only ignorant beginners are in danger," says Larcher. Instead, it is often the supposedly "secure" who fall into an "expert trap".
The "expert trap": a dangerous myth
larcher calls three main reasons why experts are particularly susceptible to these traps. First, tend to develop an illusion of control over the dangers on the mountain. After numerous successful tours, the feeling could appear that one was invincible. However, this is a dangerous fallacy, because caution is always required in avalanches. Fortunately, there are no statistics on tours.
Another point is the arrogance that can occur in particular for experts. These often no longer carry out safety precautions because they believe that they are only necessary for beginners. "Unfortunately, such settings can have fatal consequences," warns Larcher.
For mountain guides, there is also the pressure to meet expectations, which can lead to risks that you might normally avoid. This can lead to such fatal accidents in particular in situations with a high avalanche warning level.
lectures on awareness
In the lecture hours, larch past avalanches analyzed to raise awareness of hazard patterns. It is also explained how modern technologies, such as apps, can contribute to ski tours for safety. The second part of the lecture includes practical topics such as the application of emergency equipment and the search for spilled.
The lecture tour starts on November 27, 2024 and leads throughout Austria and Germany. A special date is December 12th in Innsbruck, which as a livestream is available free of charge via the YouTube channel of the Alpine Club. Interested parties can also look for more information on the website of the Alpine Club www.alpenverein .
The upcoming appointments are far -reaching and offer many opportunities to participate in expanding your own knowledge of avalanches and security on the mountain and thus minimizing the risk. Sensitization and education are keys to improve security in the mountains and to reduce tragic accidents.
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