The number of fatal accidents while freeriding – skiing off-piste – doubled last year compared with the average of previous years. To reduce the risk when skiing in deep snow, the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention recommends using marked freeride zones.
With the freeride boom, the number of fatal accidents while skiing and snowboarding off-piste has also increased, the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention said in a statementExternal link on Tuesday. For the five years from 2017-2021, an average of ten freeriders died a year; in 2021 the number of fatalities doubled to 20, the council wrote.
Freeriding has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. More and more winter sports enthusiasts are moving away from the marked slopes. One reason for the increase in fatal accidents may also have been the unfavourable snow cover build-up in recent winters and the associated avalanche danger.
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To reduce the risk of accidents, the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention gave tips for off-piste skiing at the start of the new ski season. For example, it recommended using the designated freeride zones whenever possible. It said many ski resorts have reacted to the trend of freeriding and offer yellow-marked runs. These routes are secured against avalanches by the piste service.
However, they are not prepared or checked. Therefore, they are intended for experienced skiers and snowboarders. Away from these secured slopes and runs the “free terrain” begins, where you ski at your own risk and have to assess the danger of falling and of avalanches yourself, the council warned.
That is why it advised people to attend an avalanche course or to join up with an avalanche expert. It is also important to inform yourself about the current conditions. In addition, an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel should be carried when skiing in deep snow off-piste. Emergency equipment also includes a mobile phone.
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