The ski season is in full swing and winter can offer many great experiences with skis on your feet. But traveling in the mountains is still not entirely without risk. Across the country, there is now a moderate to significant risk of avalanches. This is danger level 2 and 3 on a scale of 5. Emma Julseth Barfod, watchman at NVE’s avalanche warning, asks people not to underestimate the danger level. – There is a challenging snow cover in large parts of the country now, especially Østafjells and in Troms and Finnmark. It is demanding to travel safely for skiers who seek out avalanche terrain, both at danger level two and three. At danger level two, you often don’t get as clear a warning sign as at level three and above, but it is certainly possible to trigger an avalanche, she says. Persistently weak teams Part of what makes the situation extra demanding for many places is what is called persistently weak teams. These occur in snow cover in cold weather and are the cause of many avalanche accidents. – Right now we have such teams in several places in the country. These make it very difficult to assess the avalanche danger and the risk of triggering an avalanche. We therefore ask people to make conservative travel choices and be extra careful now, says Barfod. Emma Julseth Barfod at the avalanche warning asks people to look at the avalanche problem and not just the danger level on the avalanche warning. Photo: NVE The more snow that comes up, the more difficult it becomes to see the weak layers, she says. – What also makes these avalanches extra dangerous is that they can often be large and that they can be released from looser terrain. You cannot see the layers from the surface and have to dig to see if they are present. It often becomes more difficult to untangle avalanches the more snow that is fighting upwards, but the avalanches can then be all the bigger if they loosen first, says Barfod. She therefore comes with a clear invitation to those who have decided to go on a summit trip. – You have to look at the avalanche problem and not just the degree of danger. Barfod says that one must be prepared that these weak teams can be a challenge for a long time. – The problem is that they don’t disappear so easily. In the worst case, it can last until spring in some places. Flocking snow forms quickly when the wind is strong, but stabilizes when the wind decreases. Persistent weak layers, on the other hand, take a long time to stabilize and often need to be thoroughly moistened in order to be destroyed, possibly to be locked under hard cover. In recent days there has been mild weather in parts of Western Norway. This will stabilize the snow cover. Barfod says it is particularly important to avoid avalanche terrain as long as persistent weak layers are a problem. Landslide terrain is often defined as terrain that is steeper than 30 degrees. You can find an updated avalanche warning here. The illustration shows so-called start zones and exit zones for avalanches. Illustration: NVE Increased interest Since 2014, at least 588 people have been caught by avalanches in Norway, according to NVE. The number varies greatly from year to year. Barfod believes there are large dark figures linked to these statistics. Nevertheless, she believes that knowledge of avalanches among those who travel in the mountains has increased a lot in the last ten years. They also see that there are many people who use avalanche warnings and submit avalanche observations. – I think there is much greater awareness in the population now than before. We see that there are many more people in the mountains now, yet there has not been an increase in the number of people who die in avalanche accidents. Hopefully there are many who make good choices. – Have fun in the snow Despite the fact that Barfod asks people to be careful, he still emphasizes that there are many good opportunities to take up skiing. – There is a lot of great skiing terrain that is not avalanche terrain. There are many places where there has been a lot of great fresh snow, especially in the mountains in Eastern Norway. So just get out and have fun in the snow, but avoid the avalanche terrain! Get more tips for a safe trip here: How to avoid avalanches Read the avalanche warning for your area. Familiarize yourself with what the different degrees of danger and avalanche problems will mean for your journey in avalanche terrain. Plan your trip at home – prepare for the trip according to weather and snow conditions, and according to the experience and knowledge level of the tour group. Pay attention to the danger signs of avalanches that nature gives you: fresh avalanches, cracks in the snow surface, rumbling from the snow cover when under load. Have good traffic routines. Walk in avalanche-prone areas one at a time or keep a good distance from each other. Stop/wait only at safe stopping points – places where you cannot trigger avalanches and where you cannot be drawn by avalanches from above. Be able to recognize avalanche-prone terrain. Where can landslides occur, and how far can landslides go? Always make well-thought-out road choices – ask yourself the question “why can I travel here”? There is a particular risk of avalanches with: Soft snow and wind in the last two to three days. Cracks and noises in the snow cover (rumble). Fresh landslides nearby. Suddenly mild weather. Cold periods followed by precipitation in the form of snow. Severe cold creates a layer of frost on the surface of the snow, on which even small amounts of snow can slip. Most accidental avalanches in the mountains occur when there is dry snow that has been transported by the wind. Skier Nikolai Schirmer’s tip: Pack an avalanche finder, search stand, shovel and wind bag to avoid hypothermia. Consider driving with an avalanche bag that inflates and makes you float on top of the snow. Have your mobile phone easily accessible to notify the rescue centre. Bring sports tape to treat minor injuries. Source: Red Cross
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– Look at the avalanche problem and not just the degree of danger
