Around half of the people who have been involved in avalanches in recent years were experienced mountaineers and well trained. According to the Austrian Alpine Association, the "expert trap" usually snaps shut when professionals develop "a kind of belief in invulnerability and the illusion of control on the mountain" over time.
The Alpine Association now wants to raise awareness of this problem among mountain sports enthusiasts. The Austria-wide lecture series offers an opportunity to learn something about avalanches or to refresh existing knowledge Avalanche update of the Alpine Club.
"We can no longer ignore how many experts, i.e. people with mountaineering experience and training, are affected by avalanche accidents," explains Michael Larcher, head of the mountain sports department of the Austrian Alpine Association.
In the 2023/24 winter season, 369 people were involved in avalanche accidents, and 14 people lost their lives. "We assume that around half of the avalanche accidents in recent years involved people who were very experienced," Larcher emphasizes.
In general, we need to abandon the cliché that only beginners, reckless people and tourists have accidents on the mountain. This prejudice must be overcome.
Michael Larcher
Why the "expert trap" snaps shut
Michael Larcher gives three possible reasons why the so-called "expert trap" snaps shut so often: "As an expert, it's easy to give in to an illusion of control. Professionals are out and about a lot and have constant successful experiences. The feeling that you have control over the dangers on the mountain can then become more and more established. However, particularly in connection with the risk of avalanches, this is fundamentally wrong." And he continues: "There are no statistics on how often you have simply been lucky on the mountain."
In addition, according to Larcher, mountaineering experts can develop a kind of belief in invulnerability and arrogance. In the sense that rules apply to beginners, but not to professionals. "As a mountain sports expert, I tend to leave out more and more things that I know are right and useful, but which I no longer seem to need. For example, clearly specified safety precautions are no longer taken. However, especially in connection with avalanches, this can have fatal consequences," explains Larcher.
According to Larcher, a third trap applies particularly to mountain guides: "Even as a mountain guide, I can fall into an expert trap. This can be the case if the pressure of expectations tempts me to increase my willingness to take risks. If I look at the accidents at the high avalanche warning level 4, for example, the proportion of experts is alarmingly high."
Increased involvement in training
According to the Alpine Association, these pitfalls must be highlighted more clearly in training. "We need to address the subject more in the future and stop making it a taboo subject," emphasises Michael Larcher. And he continues: "As you progress from beginner to advanced to expert, it is automatically suggested that you are becoming increasingly safe. To put it bluntly: when you are an expert, you are invulnerable." According to Larcher, training concepts are needed that also make the dangers and errors in thinking that arise on this learning path visible.
For beginners, advanced skiers and experts: The avalanche update of the Alpine Association
One way to learn something about avalanches or to refresh your existing knowledge is the Alpine Association's Austria-wide Avalanche Update lecture series. How does good tour planning work? How can the risk of an avalanche be minimized and what should you do if something does happen? The Alpine Association offers ski tourers, freeriders and other winter sports enthusiasts the opportunity to prepare for the season in good time.
In two and a half exciting hours, mountain guide and avalanche expert Michael Larcher examines selected avalanche events from last winter and helps the audience to sharpen their awareness of the danger patterns and internalize basic safety precautions. He also explains how internet technology can contribute to safety on ski tours - for example the apps alpenvereinaktiv and Skitourenguru.
The second part of the lecture offers a lot of practical knowledge for ski tourers: How does the emergency equipment work, how does the avalanche transceiver check work, how do you search efficiently for buried people and where can you find the right courses to practice for an avalanche emergency?
Michael Larcher will be touring Austria and Germany with the avalanche update from November 27.11.2024th, 12.12.2024. The avalanche update from Innsbruck will be available to anyone interested on December 19th, XNUMX from XNUMX p.m. as a free live stream on the Alpine Club's YouTube channel. All details can be found on www.alpenverein.at/lawinenupdate.
Avalanche update dates 2024/25:
- 27.11. Rosenheim (DE), Technical University
- 28.11. Schruns (V), cultural stage
- 04.12. Hall in Tirol (T), Kurhaus
- 05.12. Linz (Upper Austria), New Town Hall
- 06.12. Klagenfurt (K), University of Klagenfurt, HS A
- 07.12. St. Anton (T), Arlbergsaal
- 09.12. Oberstaufen (DE), Kursaal
- 12.12. Innsbruck (T), House of Music – Tickets (+ free livestream)
- 13.12. Zell am See (S), Chamber of Commerce
- 08.01. Salzburg (S), SN-Saal – Tickets
- 09.01. Sillian (T), community hall
- 10.01. Matrei in Osttirol (T), cinema
- 14.01. Steyr (Upper Austria), Reithoffer office building
- 16.01/1 Graz (St), TU Graz, HS PXNUMX
- 27.01/XNUMX Vienna (W), Andaz Vienna at Belvedere
Start at 19:00 pm
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Credits: Cover picture Alpine Club/Ralf Hochhauser, text Austrian Alpine Association