Avalanche awareness needed

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 15, 9 September 1986, Page 12

Avalanche awareness needed

Mount Ruapehu - a winter wonderland from June till October. Skiers revel in the feeling of space and solitude and the illusion of touching the sky. Ruapehu certainly is a paradise for the majority of visitors to its slopes. but a few have been unluckv enough to seean ugly side of its nature. In 1982 a number of people lost their lives in an avalanche that occurred durfng the peak period of a day's skiing.

Potential avalanche danger exists: • on any slopes greater than 30 degrees angle; • during and immediately after storms. before new snow stabilises; • after a moderate snowfall during windy conditions. Avalanches occur in places that are shaded from the sun or on ridges where windblown snow is deposited. They may occur whenever a poor bond between snow layers exists causing one layer to slide on another. Where a layer of snow loses grip on a slope due to weight, movement or even noise. an avalanche may also occur. If caught by an avalanche, skiers are reminded to dis-

card all gear, including backpack. skis and poles. Try to stay on the surface of the slide and move to the side if possible. If buried dig an airspace in front of the face. Ski patrollers at Whakapapa monitor the slopes 24 hours a day and avalanche forecasts are broadcast twice daily. Patrollers are equipped with detonators to clear danger areas^ and keep a sharp eye on""wanderers" - the more adventurous skiers who head for slopes not designated as ski runs. It is a sensible idea for these people to check the avalanche forecast before venturing out and to advise someone of their intentions -preferably a ski patroller.