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Natasha Richardson died skiing without a helmet

Thursday, 03. 19. 2009  –  Category: Skiing

It’s been all over the news today that actress Natasha Richardson has passed away a few days after hitting her head in a skiing accident.
I’m not familiar with her work - as to be honest, I know very little about the acting world and don’t watch many movies - but it’s always sad to hear [...]

Johno Verity & Eric Themel avalanche video

Thursday, 10. 23. 2008  –  Category: Snowboarding, Video

Check out this dramatic footage of Johno Verity and Eric Themel, who got caught in an avalanche whilst filming in Mount Cook, New Zealand.

Dramatic stuff, and a timely reminder as the Northern Hemisphere season approaches that its not all just fun and games out on the white stuff.

Whistler backcountry tour

Monday, 09. 3. 2007  –  Category: Snowboarding

This is a guest post from Paul at Alltracks Academy, who provide Ski & Snowboard Instructor Courses in Whistler.
Like many snowboarders & skiers, I began touring for one simple reason – to hunt powder. Quite frankly, the thought of walking up steep mountains just didn’t seem that sensible when you have gondolas, cable cars, chairlifts, [...]

Snowboarder dies after crevasse fall

Friday, 03. 16. 2007  –  Category: Snowboarding

Sad news of a British woman dying whilst heli-snowboarding on the Zermatt glacier.
The 33-year-old woman fell as she skied at high altitude down a glacier on the Swiss-Italian border.
Police in the Valais area said the woman fell 15 metres into the crevasse at 3,060 metres above sea level.
They said she was among a group of [...]

Avalanche survival tip: don’t swim

Monday, 01. 22. 2007  –  Category: Snowboarding

Interesting post at pistehors.com which picks up on comments by avalanche expert Dale Atkins who has nearly 20 experience working as a senior avalanche forecaster, ski patroller and rescue worker.
Atkins says that the most important thing to do if buried is to maintain a breathing space around your mouth. In twenty years of investigating incidents [...]

Snowboard insurance

Tuesday, 01. 9. 2007  –  Category: Snowboarding

I tend to deal with travel insurance annually, rather than each time I go away. It really takes the hassle factor out, and as I’m fairly lazy with such things, suits me down to the ground.
I’m onto the third year now, but it occurred to me the other day that my initial policy may [...]

Another snowboarder jailed

Thursday, 12. 21. 2006  –  Category: Snowboarding

Following the conviction of two snowboarders in France for manslaughter after a teenager died in an avalanched they caused, another snowboarder has been sentenced to 6 months imprisonment in the States, Jackson Hole News reports:
Greg Doda, 18, of Crownsville, Md., had pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, a misdemeanor, and received a one-year sentence Wednesday [...]

Snowboard quote of the day

Sunday, 12. 3. 2006  –  Category: Snowboarding

“Never call last run”
…for or risk the moutain hex of certain doom by injury.

Stranded on the hill

Saturday, 12. 2. 2006  –  Category: Snowboarding

Spotted an article the other day about a snowboarder who got lost on the hill on his final run of the day (never call last run).
When Jay Blair realized his core body temperature was dropping, he knew he couldn’t just let the cold take over. A couple hours into a long night, he built a [...]

Alps Avalanche Analysis

Monday, 11. 13. 2006  –  Category: Skiing, Snowboarding, Video

Looking forward to some off-piste action this season? You’d do well to read the analysis report published by Pistehors.com into the the significant rise in avalanche related deaths in France in the 2005-06 season.
The winter of 2005-2006 was the deadliest since 1970 term of French avalanche deaths. 55 people were killed in the five [...]

Avalanche awareness course free at Snow & Rock

Sunday, 10. 8. 2006  –  Category: Snowboarding

Snow & Rock are to host 6 avalanche awareness courses in November, following a 120% rise in avalanche related fatalities in the Alps last season.
The sessions will be led by international mountain guides (IFMGA’s) Nigel Shepherd (Alpine Safety Advisor for the Ski Club of Great Britain) and Graham McMahon (MIC), and will be held at [...]