For some, the season of peak ski trips is over – for others it has just begun. Summit ski trips can actually be a year-round activity. But the different seasons sometimes require different skills. Nikolai Schirmer is a professional free rider. For him, the season is far from over. – I usually take a summer holiday in July and then I start again when the snow returns. According to Nikolai Schirmer, temperature is the biggest difference between winter and spring skiing. Photo: Private – Spring skiing is a lot of fun. Then you get longer days and often slightly warmer temperatures. A little more comfort and coziness. Among skiers, spring has gained a reputation for being safe. The snow stabilizes when the heat arrives. In winter, you often get layering in the snow. That’s because many processes go slower when it’s below zero. When it gets to plus degrees, the snow melts. Then it melts into a solid mass and we can get very stable snow. But this can also create a false sense of security. – In the high mountains there can still be a risk of avalanches, but it’s great fun in ski resorts where there’s slush and fun, says Nikolai Schirmer. Photo: Privat Figures from varsom.no show that the number of avalanche accidents decreases throughout the spring – nevertheless, there is a significant number who are caught by avalanches well into the month of May: – It is important to remember that spring does not magically make it safe. Special weather conditions are needed for it to be safe, says Schirmer. It is often so cold at altitude that you still have winter snow for longer. – The most important thing to think about is to keep checking avalanche warnings and stay away if there is a danger of an avalanche. Nikolai is living his dream as a freelancer and filmmaker. But on the first ski day of the season, the unthinkable happens. Safer on a general basis – In spring there is generally less risk of avalanches than in winter, says Tormod Eldholm. Tormod Eldholm is head of the avalanche resource group in the Norwegian Red Cross Photo: Per-Ivar Kvalsvik / news He is head of the avalanche resource group in the Norwegian Red Cross. His skis also have a couple of months left before they are packed away for the summer. Although the snow is becoming safer in many ways on a general basis, there is still a risk of avalanches. Therefore, there are several things he would like people to be aware of: Can vary depending on the altitude The first thing Eldholm asks hikers to be aware of is temperature differences. Although the heat makes the snow safe in the lowlands, conditions can be completely different further up: – At high altitudes, we can have dry snow. Then we can find the same conditions as we had earlier this winter with flak avalanches and unstable and persistently weak layers. Different types of avalanches Fresh snow This avalanche problem occurs during and after heavy snowfalls. The fresh snow can lead to both flake avalanches and loose snow avalanches. Fresh snow (loose snow avalanches) – If the snowfall comes without wind and high temperatures, we get loose snow avalanches. The landslide starts at a point and increases in width on its way down. It takes the form of a drop. Fresh snow (flake avalanche) – Wind or high temperatures causing the fresh snow to form flakes. Fresh snow flakes are often easy to dislodge. Flocking snow (flake avalanche) Flocking snow (flake avalanche) – When the wind moves snow during a snowfall, or snow that is already on the ground, flecked snow will be left in alluvial areas. The stronger the wind, the harder the jagged snowflakes will be. Persistent weak layer (flake avalanche) Persistent weak layer (flake avalanche) – This is the avalanche problem that is the cause of most fatalities. Landslides can be triggered from a distance and, unlike other avalanche problems, this lasts a very long time. It is also very difficult to know where in the terrain the problem is present since it is not visible on the snow surface. Wet snow Both high temperatures and rain can lead to wet snow avalanche problems. Depending on the snow cover, we can get both loose snow and flake avalanches in wet snow. Wet snow (loose snow avalanche) – The avalanche problem occurs when the snow surface becomes wet and soft. Wet snow (flake avalanche) – The avalanche problem will be most relevant where we get the first soaking of a layered snow cover. Flake avalanches in wet snow usually loosen by themselves (naturally triggered) Gliding avalanches Gliding avalanches – Gliding avalanches loosen at the ground and need a smooth surface to loosen. Often a crack will open through the snow cover and all the way down to the ground (slip crack) for a short while before the avalanche breaks loose. (varsom.no) Go early in the day When the plus degrees and the sun warm the snow, it starts to melt. – It only happens on south-facing slopes where we get a lot of solar heat. This type of snow can easily crumble and then wet loose snow avalanches occur. The danger of this type of avalanche increases the warmer the snow gets. That’s why it’s a good idea to go early in the day. – These avalanches often go a little slower, but there are still great forces and many kilos. But even if it goes slowly, skiers can be dragged downhill and hit obstacles such as rocks. When news’s Fredrik Undli and Kristian Brunsvik Olsen went to Innertind in Fauske, they found winter snow and powder on the summit. In the lowlands it was spring and slushy. Fredrik Undli / news Make your own judgments As the risk of avalanches is generally lower in spring and summer, you can often drive steeper with less risk. – People have become good at following the avalanche warning. What can be dangerous is if people see ski tracks going up a mountainside and assume it is safe. The avalanche danger can change quickly: – It may have been safe a few hours ago. But then the sun came out and increased the risk of avalanches. Don’t trust other people’s tracks. It can fool you. It is therefore important to make independent assessments. Avoid scree – There are many great peaks around the country. And on many of these peaks there are screeches. The scrapers will also come down during the summer half-year. When they start to melt, they become even more unsafe. That’s why it’s extra important to make sure you’re standing on safe ground: – Stay well away from scrapers. They can break at an angle inwards. Even if you think you’re standing right in front of mountains, they can break at an angle and suddenly you’re in the middle of nowhere. Even if there are traces of others out on the scree, this does not mean that it is safe, the traces just mean that those who went there before you were lucky. Photo: Kristin Thrane / news Be careful on glaciers Many people go hiking in glacier areas. And the glaciers have cracks. These are often hidden by a lot of snow in the winter, but in the spring the snow melts and there is less cover on the cracks. When you come on skis, you can suddenly end up down the crevasse – If you are going to ski over a glacier, it is safest to go before the snow starts to melt. – You must know what you are doing. You should know where to go, have equipment to go safely and have the skills to possibly rescue people if something goes wrong. In some areas, there are marked paths that people can safely walk on. This applies, for example, to paths marked under the auspices of DNT. ALSO READ:
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Top skiing can be a year-round activity – but there is still a risk of avalanches – news Nordland
