Off Piste Safety

This page deals with some of the off piste safety considerations.

There's an outline of the risks involved, an equipment list, and a checklist of preparations. There are also notes on how to conduct a descent, and on accident procedure.

Read about off piste safety here.

The notes here are brief guidelines, and not a substitute for information in a full reference work and/or a proper training course.

Off Piste Safety: the Risks

There are risks involved in off piste expeditions. It's essential to have a knowledge of, and respect for, the mountain environment.

When you choose to ski or board off piste you take a calculated risk, and you accept responsibility for yourself, the friends you're with, and anyone else you encounter.

Remember that: 

• by definition, off piste areas are not marked or surveyed by the ski patrol
• slopes are not made safe from avalanches
• snow conditions are different to bashed pistes

Off Piste Safety: Training

Proper training is essential if you are going to ski off piste.

You should:

• know the equipment you need and how to use it
• have avalanche safety and mountain survival skills
• have done first aid training

The British Association of Ski Patrollers (BASP) run outdoor first aid courses. Henry's Avalanche Talk offer in-person and online lectures, and courses in the UK and Val d'Isère.

If you haven't got the necessary off piste safety skills, it's sensible to hire a local instructor or mountain guide.

Off Piste Safety: Local Instructors and Guides

Local instructors and mountain guides know the area, and have seen the evolution of the snowpack over the winter season. With them, you can have a safer and more enjoyable off piste experience.

The high mountain guides in Val Thorens can be contacted through the main ESF office in place de Caron. A guide is usually present at the ski school office from 5pm.

The ESF Neige et Montagne web pages represent the high mountain guides and the instructors specialising in off piste.

The Bureau des Guides website has details of all the high mountain guides in the Belleville valley.

Off Piste Safety: Equipment

The equipment you need depends on the itinerary you're doing. The basic kit you always need is:

• transceiver (and spare batteries)
• shovel
• probe
• map and compass
• first aid kit
• survival bag/blanket

You can rent or buy off piste equipment at Zenith Ski Shop in Val Thorens.

You'll carry these items in a rucksack. If you do a lot of off piste, and/or you have the money, it's worth investing in an airbag rucksack.

Airbag Rucksacks

An airbag rucksack has an airbag which can be inflated by pulling a handle on the strap. In the event of an avalanche it keeps you on the surface and prevents you getting buried.

The video shows a test in Zenith ski shop.

You may also wish to take an altimeter and some food and drink.

More kit is needed for glacier skiing, including harnesses and ropes. That's beyond the scope of this page.

Off Piste Safety: Preparation for a Trip

For each trip, there are a few essential preparations to make. You should:

• plan the route - never just follow other people's tracks unless you know where they lead 
• check the most recent weather forecast
• read the avalanche bulletin - in Val Thorens, this is posted outside the tourist office and outside the ski patrol office opposite the Chamois d'Or

Mountain Guides

Don't hesitate to ask a mountain guide for advice the evening before your trip; go and find one at the ESF office during their permanence.

In my experience, they are generous with their time and expertise.

Ski Patrol

You could ask the ski patrol (pisteurs) for information about the current avalanche risk, but don't expect advice about off piste itineraries because it's not part of their job to ski off piste.

Avalanche information is given through flags flying outside the ski patrol huts, and/or information boards.

If the weather forecast or the avalanche risk make it unsafe to proceed with your itinerary, be prepared to change your plans.

Off Piste Safety: Avalanche Risk Scale

There is a European avalanche risk scale, with five levels. This is the scale.

Avalanche risk	Description	Flag in France	Snowpack Stability	Likelihood of Triggering
1	Low risk		The snowpack is well-bonded and stable in general.	Triggering is generally possible only from high additional loads in isolated areas of very steep, extreme terrain. Only small and medium natural avalanches are possible.
2	Moderate risk		The snowpack is only moderately well-bonded on some steep slopes; otherwise well-bonded in general.	Triggering is possible, primarily from high additional loads, particularly on the indicatedc steep slopes. Very large natural avalanches are unlikely.
3	Considerable risk		The snowpack is moderately to poorly bonded on many steep slopes.	Triggering is possible, even from low additional loads, particularly on the indicated steep slopes. In certain situations some large, and in isolated cases very  large natural avalanches are possible.
4	High risk		The snowpack is poorly bonded on most steep slopes.	Triggering is likely, even from low additional loads, on many steep slopes. In some cases, numerous large and often very large avalanches can be expected.
5	Very high (extreme) risk		The snowpack is poorly bonded and largely unstable in general.	Numerous very large and often extremely large natural avalanches can be expected, even in moderately steep terrain.

Off Piste Safety: Conducting a Descent

These are a few guidelines for a safe descent off piste:

• ski in a small group, of 3-6 people
• do a transceiver check before the start of your off piste route
• regroup systematically after each section
• the group stops above the lead skier, contrary to piste skiing, in case there is a danger below
• avoid potential avalanche terrain such as the sides of gullies or convex rolls, which could have been loaded with windslab; choose irregular slopes rather than big uniform slopes
• avoid long traverses, or if unavoidable, traverse as high as possible
• in an area where you suspect avalanche danger, remove ski pole straps and rucksack waist straps (but not if it's an airbag rucksack). Proceed one-by-one from one safe point (such as a tree or rock) to another

Don't follow other people's tracks unless you know where they lead.

Off Piste Safety: Accident Procedure

First aid courses fully cover what to do in case of an accident. Some of the considerations are:

• danger: before going to the victim, consider whether you're putting yourself in danger
• if you need help, alert the rescue services by telephone or radio if possible; if not, send someone for help. (The ski patrol number is always on the local piste map)
• apply normal First Aid principles to care of the casualty: don't move them if spinal injury is suspected, unless you must because they're in a position of danger, or you must in order to perform CPR; make sure they're breathing, and if not, perform CPR; if unconscious but breathing, place in the recovery position to prevent suffocation; keep the casualty warm
• in the event of helicopter rescue, two arms upstretched in a 'V' means 'we need rescuing'; one arm up, one arm down means we don't need anything; fix down any item that could blow into the air; when the helicopter arrives, get down on one knee, and lower your arms; approach the helicopter from the front, so the pilot can see you