Item: 33 YEARS IN THE SERVICE OF THE AVALANCHE-SAFETY-TEAM IDALPE - A LOOK BACK AT IMPORTANT MILESTONES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AVALANCHE RISK MANAGEMENT OF THE ISCHGL SKI RESORT
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Title: 33 YEARS IN THE SERVICE OF THE AVALANCHE-SAFETY-TEAM IDALPE - A LOOK BACK AT IMPORTANT MILESTONES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AVALANCHE RISK MANAGEMENT OF THE ISCHGL SKI RESORT
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2024, Tromsø, Norway
Authors:
- Serafin Siegele [ Silvrettaseilbahn AG ]
- Paul Dobesberger [ Wyssen Avalanche Control ]
- Harald Riedl [ Land Tirol ]
Date: 2024-09-23
Abstract: 33 winters, Serafin Siegele was an integral part of the avalanche-safety-team in the ski resort Ischgl. Not only are the slopes in the ski area and the access road into the Paznaun Valley at risk from a large number of avalanches, Serafin's parents' house is also located between two large avalanche paths. Serafin Siegele can therefore claim without exaggeration that avalanches have been part of his life since his earliest childhood. Founded in 1962, the ski resort Ischgl is located in the Panznaun Valley in Tyrol and transports up to 17 million passengers a year on its 45 cable cars and lifts. Due to its high alpine location in the Silvretta mountain range, the ski resort is very snow-sure, but on the other hand, large parts of the 238 km long network of slopes are at risk of avalanches. This is also impressively demonstrated by the 450 blasting-points spread across the entire ski area, where avalanche triggering is carried out between November and May on a regular basis using a wide range of different methods. In this article, we take a look at the most important milestones and developments of the last three decades in the avalanche risk management in Tyrol and Ischgl and how the daily work of the Idalpe avalanche-safety-team has changed and developed as a result. In addition to changes in the legal framework, the training program for avalanche commissioners, the expansion of the weather station network, the further development of forecasting models, the switch to a full-time avalanche-safety-team with 5 members and the enhancement of controlled avalanche triggering can be seen as the most important milestones. However, the development of a comprehensive weather and avalanche database by the Idalpe avalanche-safety-team in conjunction with its own nearest neighbor model for avalanche forecasting also testifies to the professionalism with which the topic of avalanche risk management is approached in Ischgl. Despite all these important achievements, Serafin Siegele is certain, even at the end of his three decades as chairman of the Idalpe avalanche-safety-team, that the most important link in the daily assessment of avalanche risk is still the human factor.
Object ID: ISSW2024_O10.5.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Paul Dobesberger
Keywords: avalanche risk management, avalanche safety team, ski area management, controlled avalanche release, RACS
Page Number(s): 1341 - 1347
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