To ensure that freeride skiing remains a pleasure, the resort places safety at the heart of its priorities. Our aim is to make you aware of the basic safety rules that apply to off-piste skiing.
Safe riding
Before any off-piste skiing trip, it is essential to :
- Check the avalanche risk by consulting the Bulletin d’Estimation du Risque d’Avalanche (BERA)
- Check the cohesion of the snow cover with the ski patrols present in the ski area
- Never set off alone
- Set off with the essential trio: avalanche transceiver + shovel + probe, a freerider’s best friends
Get equipped
The avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe are a freerider’s best friends. And because having the right equipment isn’t enough, learn how to use it during introductory sessions or with professionals.
D.V.A (Avalanche tranceiver or avalanche beacon)
D.V.A is a transmitter/receiver. It allows rescuers to search for the exact location of an avalanche victim, even when buried under several metres of snow.
The probe
After the victim’s localization via the D.V.A, the probe allows rescuers to locate the victim with greater precision and certitude and, above all, to know how far down to dig.
The shovel
Finally, the shovel allows rescuers to reach the buried victim and get him or her out in time.
D.V.A + Shovel + Probe: an essential trio of every off-piste outing. Neglecting a single link in this important chain limits the effectiveness of every search!
Practice
Having an avalanche transceiver is great, knowing how to use it is even better! It’s important to practise searching for buried people. Nothing could be simpler:
- Choose an area of untouched snow
- One person hides an avalanche transceiver in transmit mode in the snow
- Another person searches for this avalanche transceiver with their own avalanche transceiver in receive mode.
- The Check Point avalanche transceiver
The Check Point avalanche transceiver
It’s vital to check that your avalanche transceiver is working before you set off! DVA check points are installed on the totems next to the weather and snow reports, so you can test your DVA in the ‘transmit’ position.
Before going off-piste, don’t forget to set it to ‘transmit’. To find a buried person, don’t forget to set it to the ‘receive’ position
Digging method
Digging a hole without a strategy increases rescue time. The V-shaped digging method saves time and avoids the risk of the victim being trampled by rescuers.
Here are the key points:
- Position the rescuers in a V, with the final width of the V on its open side corresponding to the depth of burial observed with the probe
- Favour paddling movements, in a standing position (more efficient and less tiring than lifting the snow and throwing it backwards)
- Rotate your rescuers clockwise, at most every 4 minutes, to avoid exhaustion
- Dig until you can see the victim, then free his head as quickly as possible
- Simultaneously, clear the side walls according to the position of the victim’s body
Get informed
Before setting off on a freeride session, it’s essential to know the day’s weather conditions and the state of the snowpack.
- Consult the weather reports, avalanche risk reports and avalanche reports for the last 72 hours for the Tignes area, posted on the Freeride Points located in the ski area and in the Maisons de Tignes
- When taking the chairlift, check the state of the terrain and find your line
- And on the slopes, the news goes on… Tignes’ ski patrollers welcome you in the slope chalets and advise you on the day’s conditions
Knowing when to give up
The quality of a good freeride session depends on the state of the snow, the weather and your physical condition. Being a freerider at heart also means knowing how to give up. Don’t overestimate yourself and manage your safety.
Don’t forget: conditions in the mountains change quickly. Poor visibility, fog, night and snowfall disrupt rescue operations in the event of an accident and lengthen response times. In bad weather, we strongly recommend that you stay on the marked runs!
