J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by SwingBeep

Ski pistes in Italy are graded in accordance with the Italian standard: UNI 8137:2003 Segnaletica specifica per piste da sci – Caratteristiche (Specific signage for ski slopes – Characteristics)

They are graded blue, if the longitudinal or transversal slope does not exceed 25%, except for short stretches of open terrain.

Red, if the longitudinal or transverse slope does not exceed 40%, except for short stretches of open terrain.

Black, if the steepness of the slope exceeds that of a red piste; they represent the most difficult slopes suitable only for expert skiers.

Austria, France, Germany and Switzerland also have grading standards.

If the "Max pitch" of those black runs in the video was 40% they would only be red runs. On a nice sunny day with decent snow conditions a decent intermediate skier like the guy in the video shouldn't have any trouble getting down them, but if they were moguled and the visibility wasn't too good you would want to have some better skills in your toolbox.

According to a report in Corriere della Sera https://torino.corriere.it/cronaca/19_gennaio_04/morte-camilla-sequestrate-quattro-piste-sci-sauze-d-oulx-1c039cac-103d-11e9-979d-2767d72e669d.shtml 4 pistes have been closed by the public prosecutor after he carried out an inspection of the wooden windbreak that the little girl crashed into. There was a similar incident last season when a 31-year-old male also died after crashing into one of the wooden windbreaks. Four of the lift company managers are currently under investigation for manslaughter.

It's unlikely that the runs will be reopened until the after the completion of the investigation and maybe not until after the trial if the managers are charged.

I am out of the region at the moment, so I can't give you any first-hand information. Zermatt seems to have received 50-100 cm of snow over the weekend, the avalanche danger at the moment is currently at 4 and the road from Tasch to Zermat is closed (it isn't open to the general public so this doesn't affect journeys to and from Zematt), the trains seem to be operating normally.

Some of the easiest skiing is in the Gonergrat sector, depending on which is closer to your accommodation take the train or gondola up to Riffelberg and then the Gifthittli chair lift.

Admin wrote:That's a useful site for anyone driving in Austria - thanks for that!

Your welcome Admin!

The Salzburg state website https://www.salzburg.gv.at/ also has details of the current snow situation https://www.salzburg.gv.at/themen/sicherheit/lawinenregional the road traffic situation
https://www.salzburg.gv.at/themen/sicherheit/lawinenregional and the snow & avalanche situation https://service.salzburg.gv.at/lkorrj/Index?hauptkatid=&volltextsuche=lawine&freigabe=&whichDatum=datumAll&von=&bis=&tag=&monat= today they have been using the downwash from helicopters to blow snow off trees that are in danger of falling onto roads. You should be able to get a good idea of what is going on vaa Google Translate.

If anyone is thinking of heading that way accommodation shouldn't be a problem, as the local press is reporting that around 15% of the bookings for the coming days have been cancelled.

You can get up to date information on the road traffic situation in Austria via the ÖAMTC (Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club) website https://www.oeamtc.at/verkehrsservice/ unfortunately it's all in German, a white circle with a red rim indicates that the road is closed and a blue circle with a tyre on it means chains are mandatory

There is an orange weather warning for Sunday http://warnungen.zamg.at/html/en/dayaftertomorrow/all/at/ be prepared for long delays.

After the SCGB's own guiding service was banned in France they replaced it with a guiding service provided by the Evolution 2 ski school, who still provide it in some of the resorts listed. Instead of somebody with no recognised qualifications taking you off piste, they now use qualified instructors. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/news/Ski-Club-gets-around-hosting-ban-in-France/ The service cannot be compared with a course provided by a ski school, or the service provided by a qualified mountain guide.

It's cheap because it's heavily subsidised by the SCGB, but on top of the basic price you will have pay a booking fee and hire avi gear.

Most ski resorts are packed over Christmas and New Year, there are always loads of accidents. The association of French mountain resort mayors is reporting an average occupancy rate of 85% for New Year, 14% up on last year. In the Pyrenees occupancy rates were 94%, an increase of 24.5% on last year.

Because of the number of accidents over Christmas the Prefect of Haute-Savoie issued a press release asking people to be careful because of the poor snow conditions http://www.haute-savoie.gouv.fr/content/download/28739/171799/file/CP+21.12.2018+-+s%C3%A9curit%C3%A9+en+montagne.pdf The Telegraph is simply rereporting the reports in the French press. https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/haute-savoie/haute-savoie-appel-vigilance-montagne-1599859.html I can't see why any of the UK tour operators would object to that report, there is nothing even remotely contentious in it.

I also have a MIPS helmet, the technology was developed by a Neurosurgeon and a researcher in the Division of Neuronic Engineering at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology. I thought they should have some idea about how best to protect the brain. I based my choice on some tests carried out by a Swedish insurance company https://www.folksam.se/media/Rapport_Folksams_skidhjalmtest_2014_tcm5-32901.pdf

Current standards for sports helmets address skull protection, but protection against a brain injury is not measured in the tests required by the current standards. Attempts are being made to get such tests included in revised versions of the current standards, but it's a slow process.