Messages posted by : davidof
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If you have a login on snowheads.com you should change your password now as the password database has been hacked and published online. You should also change any other accounts that share the same login information. There is no information about when or how the data breach occured.
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=4675542#4675542 "In November 2020, a collection of more than 23,000 breached websites known as Cit0day were made available for download on several hacking forums. The data consisted of 226M unique email address alongside password pairs, often represented as both password hashes and the cracked, plain text versions. Independent verification of the data established it contains many legitimate, previously undisclosed breaches." |
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The policy document and any subsequent written communication between you and the insurance company form your contract with the insurers. Not what Fred said on a forum or Bill wrote on a Facebook page.
Fogg travel have in the past used CNA as their underwriter. CNA have already refused to pay out for S&R costs at an avalanche risk of 3 (back in 2005 so this subject is nothing new). This was even after an avalanche expert wrote a report stating that the victims had not taken a "foresable risk" and the head of piste security for the ski resort had said they been just unlucky. So we've established the principal of not paying out at risk 3. We'll have to see if HAT give us any specific examples. Fogg now use Union Reiseversicherung as do many other winter travel insurance companies. Ok different underwriter, so maybe different cover. However the policy wording is the same as in the case I've mentioned above. The principal difference between a risk 3 and 4 is the range of slopes where avalanches can occur. At risk level 3 avalanches are still possible on the slope aspects specified in the bulletin. Fogg's underwriters: Union Reiseversicherung will not cover you if you enter an "avalanche risk area" or take act unreasonably. As a further data point, the majority of avalanche incidents are at risk level 3, which should be considered as a "higher" end risk level for the purposes of backcountry travel. Avalanche experts say "you need a lot of experience to travel safely at this risk level". I would suggest that anyone using Fogg travel who wants to ski off piste at risk 3 or above gets a written addendum to their policy. Lets turn to the "information" that is doing the rounds, for example on the first page of this thread. Fogg may have said something like "do not ski at risk 4 or 5". I would advise that what is posted to this thread or on facebook is far from legally binding and that they are not giving you a green light to ski at risk 3 or otherwise but specifically excluding risks 4 and 5. I would suggest that HAT and anyone else involve a insurance lawyer in their investigation. We can assume Henry is duly qualified for the avalanche side of things. Obviously you will have to test this with an actual claim from Fogg. Good luck with that. |
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Interesting photos. You should post them to data-avalanches.org.
It takes a lot of force to trigger a slab. A 100x50x50cm slab may contain a 750 tonnes of snow, a 70 kg (or even 85kg if we take a typical swiss or brit) is nothing in comparison. What probably happens is that there is a localized collapse on a weak layer and that causes a domino effect. But for that to happen there needs to be a weak layer. In the above case either a layer of surface hoar or depth hoar formed by a temperature gradient formed at the interface between the two layers or where there is a crust. Your photos clearly show another danger. A shallow surface slab, maybe not too nasty, but its weight can take a second more deeply buried slab to create a big slide. |
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Compagnie des Alpes expects business up 2 percent on previous season
Started by User in Ski News, 10 Replies |
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The CDA had a very good last season so it would be hard to top that. I haven't looked in detail at the CDA figures, I'm currently looking into other resorts in more detail. However given that lift pass costs rose again this season it might be that a 2% increase in turnover (if that is what they are reporting) equates to a 1% loss when adjusted for price increases of around 3%. March was poor for everyone as there were no school holidays during that time. CDA resorts actually do better in poor snow years because skiers migrate from the mid and low mountain resorts. |
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After erratic weather, a series of thefts, vandalism and a near riot some people, included exhibitors, are questionning the future of the Mondial du Ski and Snowboard held over half term at les Deux Alpes. The event should have been an astounding success with tens of thousands of visitors. Maybe these problems are part and parcel of such a large number of young visitors?
Intifada, theft and vandalism at the Mondial |
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The U.S. military is demanding the return of five howitzers on loan for avalanche prevention in the Sierra Nevada. It says it needs the guns for the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Alpine Meadows and Mammoth Mountain are using the guns to fire rounds into mountainsides to trigger avalanches. Now Don Bowen, the Army command's team leader in charge of the howitzers has said: "I need to have them back in the troops' hands within 60 to 90 days. It's a very short time frame to get them serviceable and back into the theater in southwest Asia. Afghanistan-Iraq is the immediate concern." Alpine Meadows and Mammoth Mountain are the only ski resorts in the nation using the 119-A howitzer which cost around $1 million. Other resorts have older 105mm howitzers. The US military have provided the ski resorts with recoilless rifles and other guns for avalanche control for 30 years but the howitzers are the most effective. |
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Hi Ivana. You'll no doubt be aware that the snow cover on many of the glaciers is not wonderful this year due to last summer's heatwave and the poor snow at altitude this winter. Just a thought which may affect the routes you choose. |
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