Item: Avalanche Accidents in Back Country Terrain of the Swiss Alps: New Investigations of a 30 Year Database
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Title: Avalanche Accidents in Back Country Terrain of the Swiss Alps: New Investigations of a 30 Year Database
Proceedings: 2002 International Snow Science Workshop, Penticton, British Columbia
Authors:
- Stephan Harvey [ Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), Davos ]
- Chatrigna Signorell [ Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), Davos ]
- Manuel Genswein
Date: 2002
Abstract: More than 1000 avalanche incidents involving skiers, snowboarders and mountaineers in the back country terrain of the Swiss Alps have been filed in an electronic database. New results concerning accidents on ski-tours and out of bound-skiing (off-piste) can be presented. 95 % off all avalanche accidents were human triggered. In 60 % of the cases the first person in the slope triggered the avalanche. In 30 % of the accidents ski tracks from the same day of the avalanche were present in the slope, in 10 % older ski tracks were found in the slope. Although the same amount of accidents on ski-tours occurred on descent as on ascent, 50 % more people got caught while ascending. The typical victim is male, between 17 and 30 years old. Fatal avalanches are larger than those where nobody got killed. Analysis of complete burials shows that people are more affected on multiple burials than expected. On 24 days in the last 30 years 4 or more avalanche accidents happened on a single day. Many accident -days occurred after new snow, strong winds with weak snow pack layers. In 20 % of the days there was neither a significant amount of new snow, nor strong winds, but an increase of temperature. On these days the mean predicted avalanche danger was the lowest.
Language of Article: English
Presenters: Unknown
Keywords: avalanche accident, avalanche incident, avalanche accident statistics, avalanche forecast, avalanche bulletin, avalanche danger degree
Page Number(s): 449-455
Subjects: avalanche accidents avalanche terrain avalanche forecasting
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Digital Abstract Not Available
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