Mark

The Perils of Old Avalanche Transceivers

If you, or a friend, are still using an old (c. 10 years or over avalanche transceiver) it’s time to consign it to the bin! And no, don’t sell it on Ebay!

Technology changes

Really old transceivers worked on analogue technology. There were no visual direction or visual signal strength indicators. Your only guidance was by the volume of the ?beeps? emitted and adjusting the sensitivity of the device. It required experience and regular practice to become proficient. They almost certainly had only one antenna.

After that came two antenna transceivers to help give directional guidance and range to the victim. Now the majority of transceivers are all using three antennae; and some now even four.

Groups with old (analogue) and new (digital) transceivers

Mixing the old with the new: old analogue transceivers transmit in such a way that they can mask the signals coming from a more modern receiver. So it’s not just you who may not be found you may also create problems for your friends!

Periodic Servicing

If it’ over 3 years have it checked over. Why you ask? The antenna(e) of transceivers can get broken. You may not be aware unless you carry out a full group type check. Here you may discover a drastically reduced range; amongst other anomalies. Is there corrosion that you can’t see?

Software Update

Make sure you are using the most up-to-date software for your transceiver.

Signal Drift

Transceivers work on the 457 mhz frequency. Old transceivers are prone to drift too far from this frequency with the result they are impossible to find!

The Ibex the emblematic animal of the Alps

The ibex is the emblematic animal of the Alps. The ibex (or bouquetin in French) is an animal that likes rocky ground, not necessarily in the mountains and is well adapted to high altitudes. In the mountains it finds a last refuge from man.

It was on the edge of extinction at the end of the 19^th century however the population is now stable. 100 000 years ago the ibex was present in all the rocky regions of Western Europe as fossils, bones and Neolithic paintings in numerous caves testify.

Slowing the decline

It was present throughout the Alpine Arc up until the beginning of the 15^th century. Man’s increasing occupation and cultivation of the alpine valleys and the development of weapons with increased range increased its decline.

At the edge of extinction

At the start of the 19^th century there was only just about 100 individuals in the French and Italian Alps. It had completely disappeared from the Swiss alps.

Saved by another king!

King Victor Emmanuel collected hunting trophies and noting the decline of the ibex he introduced a law ?Regie Patenti? of the 21^st September 1821. This law outlawed the hunting of ibex on the royal hunting grounds of the Grand Paradiso, and subsquently the whole of the territory of the Maison de Savoie.

In 1922, the Royal Reserve of the Grand Paradiso created in 1856, became an Italian National Park. In France it was not until 1963 that the Vanoise National Park was created. The ibex became its emblem. At this time there were only about 50 ibex left in the area above Modane and Termignon (in the Maurienne valley).

The current situation

After numerous studies regarding protection and re-introduction programmes around 40, 000 exist in the whole of the Alpine Arc. In the French Alps it is estimated there are between 6 000 and 8000 individuals. In France it has complete protection. (Bargy).

The future for the ibex?

Despite an increase in numbers the it is still watched over carefully. Certain illnesses regularly touch certain populations with occasionally high mortality rates. Most recently cases of brucellose have been found in ibex in the Bargy area of the Aravis mountains. Introduction programmes are still taking place, most recently in the Chartreuse.

Additional Facts

The ibex belongs to the ?capra? family which includes all the capra species both wild and domestic; that is to say, goats. The classification distinguishes 6 goat species and 5 sub-species. Elsewhere in the world most ibex are considered to be threatened with extinction.

A year with the ibex

The end of the autumn is the time of the rut. The fur thickens and becomes darker. Up until now male and females have lived separately but now they come together for the duration of the rut.

The female ibex (etagne) is only receptive to the males for a few days a year whilst the male remains interested for several weeks. The male walks around with his tail up showing off the white fur on his white bottom.

An excited male follows a female step-for-step exuding a pungent aroma. His tongue moves in and out scenting the odours of the females. An indication of how receptive they are. Those females continuing to eat shows their indifference to being approached. Even if the hierarchy amongst males is well established ritual combat keeps the males busy. The dominant male has the privilege of mating with most of the females, a privelege that he guards jealously,waiting for the moment the females are receptive to his advances.

Winter awaiting for the spring

The ibex look for south facing cliffs and ridges where the snow is usually stripped bare by the wind. Lichen, moss and bushes and dry grass make up the majority of their food. Fat reserves built up during the summer allow him to get through the winter. A male in good health can lose up to 50% of his weight during the winter. It’s also the moment when the females are gestating.

The spring time and the arrival of the cabris

When the snow thaws the ibex descend to the valleys to make the most of the fresh grass. The animals are in herds clearly separate; males in one and females and young in another. Occasionally some young males accompany the females. They moult getting rid of their thick winter coats, rubbing themselves with their horns or on rocks. At the start of June the females find themselves alone and give birth to their off-spring. Pregnancy lasts around 5 months. Only 3 days old the young are already climbing on the rocks.

The summer, pastures, siestas and games

The ibex head higher in the mountains. Males of all ages make up one group and the females and young in another.

The horns

Reaching up to 1 metre in length and weighing more than 6 kg the males horns are impressive. The females aren’t quite so dramatic with horns reaching on average only 25cm with a weight of c. 200g. The number of ringlets on a males horns don’t directly indicate its age. The horn is composed of a case of keratine, like finger nails, hooves. If the bony base stops growing after 13 years the tips contine to grow for all of their life. The annual rings stop growing during the winter allowing one to age the animal.

Adult male: height at the shoulder 75 ? 90cm; weight: 65 ? 100kg; lifespan: up to 15 years

Adult female: height: 70 ? 78cm; weight: 35 ? 50kg; lifespan: slight more than the male; characteristics: finer than the male, head resembling a domestic goat, no ringlets on the horns; horns much thinner and shorter than the male.

Eterlou or Eterle: either male or female in their 2^nd year. About 2/3 the size of an adult.

Cabri: this year’s young. 2 ? 3.5 kg at birth. Reaches about 10kg during the sumer and autumn.

The Effects of Consumer Electronics on Avalanche Transceivers

We see and potentially carry, more and more gadgets including: ?smartphones?, GPS devices, digital cameras with GPS built-in, GoPro’s, etc.

However the effects of ?Consumer Electronics? on Avalanche Transceivers is sobering. The long and short of it is ?turn it off?. (If carried they should be more stowed more than 30cm from the transceiver ? in a backpack).

The effect is most marked in the ?Search? (Receive) mode as the signal searched for is masked by the electronic ?noise? of the other device(s). This can make it very, very difficult to locate the victim and remember ? every second, minute counts.

Don’t forget that some digital cameras have a built-in GPS to location ?stamp? where photographs are taken. These too should be off and stowed at least 30cm from the transceiver.

The document in this link shows graphs clearly demonstrating ?The Effect of Consumer Electronics? on avalanche transceivers from ?Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Banff, 2014? Link: http://arc.lib.montana.edu/snow-science/objects/ISSW14_paper_P4.13.pdf

Staying in a Mountain Refuge

Staying in a mountain refuge high in the mountains!

Spend a night in a mountain refuge high in the mountains!? Watch the sunset like you’ve never experienced it before.? Don’t let the word ?refuge? put you off.? Staying a night in a mountain refuge (or hut) is a great experience.? It’s a great way of ?bonding? together as a family, group of friends or work colleagues.? Meet people with people from all over the world with one thing in common; a love of the mountains.? At the end of the day the mountains become even more special as the majority of walkers head back down to the valley; but not you. The French Alps have a network of mountain refuges many owned by the French Alpine Club (Club Alpin Francais) or in this area by the Vanoise National Park with a few being privately owned.? Staying in a mountain refuge allows you to complete hut-to-hut treks like the Tour of the Vanoise.

Reservations

It is always best to reserve the refuge in advance.? Firstly it avoids finding the refuge full.? Although you’re unlikely to be turned away (if it’s a remote refuge).? However you may find yourself sleeping on the floor in the dining room!

You should be able to contact the guardian of the refuge either by phone or email.? If you’re currently staying at one refuge the guardian there may be happy to phone ahead for you to the next refuge.? In some areas, like the Vanoise National Park, the huts have their own online reservation system where you can reserve all the refuges for a particular trip in one place; saving time and a lot of phone calls.

If for whatever reason you can’t make it or change your route do remember to contact the hut to let them know.? First of all the hut may be full and others may be turned away and secondly there may be concerns for your safety.

Cost

At the time of writing (2014) the cost of half-board in French huts is typically around Euro 45.? If you want to self-cater some refuges have an area for self-catering.? If you are a member of the French Alpine Club, or a member of another club with reciprocal rights? you will normally have a discount on the hut fees. It’s worth remembering that the vast majority of mountain refuges do not accept credit cards!

Arriving at the Refuge

At the entrance there’s normally a boot room with ?hut? shoes, sometimes like ?Crocs?, to change into.? Don’t go into the main part of the hut in your walking boots unless you want to upset the guardian.

The first thing to do after making sure you’ve changed your footwear is make yourself known to the guardian.? He or she will then allocate you your bedspace.? They are also likely to ask which refuge you’ve come from and which refuge or route you intend to do the next day.? Now’s the time too to request a packed lunch for the following day and if asked tell them what drink you want for breakfast from the choice given.

The Guardian

The guardian is the most important person at the refuge.? It is him or her, who manages the refuge and ensure it functions efficiently.? No easy task.? Remember refuges are not hotels and doing your bit to help by following the ?etiquette? of the hut will make your stay, and that of others, more pleasant.? Frequently the guardian manages the hut on behalf of the owner be it the French Club Alpin Francais (CAF) or another body.

What to expect

Facilities

Refuges have become more luxurious than they once were reflecting changes in society.? However refuges in the high mountains may still be pretty basic.? Plugs / sockets for charging mobile phones or other portable electronic devices may not be available or very limited in number.? I’ve not come across wi-fi either and the mobile (or cellular) network may be poor or non-existent so plan accordingly.? If you need to contact another refuge on your trip ask the guardian and they will usually make it for you if you ask nicely.

Rooms

The more modern huts have relatively small dormitories now with may be 8 to a room however you may still come across the older style multi-occupany bunks with maybe 20 to a room on two levels with narrow single mattresses side by side on the base.? Cosy!

Showers

Most refuges on trekking routes have showers.? The high mountain refuges typically will usually not, as water is at a premium.? Some refuges make an additional charge by selling a token that also limits the amount of time you get with the water so make sure you’re organised before putting in the token.? It’s not much fun being all ?soaped up? and running out of water!

Meals

If you are staying on a half-board (demi-pension) basis then there will be usually a copious set evening meal.? Typically there’s soup; a main course with plenty of carbohydrate in the form of pasta / polenta and a desert of some type;; may be cheese.? I have had the experience where I’ve eaten fresh salmon!? Guardians are sometimes generous with a digestif like the regional genepy in Savoie / Haute Savoie.? Breakfast is typically? a? choice of coffee, hot chocolate or tea with bread, butter and jam.? Most refuges will also offer packed lunches but remember to order this on arrival the night before.

Remember that all the food and provisions for the hut are brought up from the valley; quite frequently by helicopter that explains that the prices are a bit higher and that there may not always be a great choice.

Winter Rooms

The huts guardian is normally at the hut from mid-June to mid-September.? It is clearly a good idea to check!
Outside of the main summer opening period there may be occasions when the guardian mans the hut.? Typically this is during the winter ski-mountaineering season.? If the guardian is not there huts usually have a ?winter? room that is left unlocked.? Here you will find bunks, blankets, and pillows plus limited cooking facilities.? So you will need to bring all your own food with you.? Hut fees are usually put in a ?letter box?.

Hut ?Equipment?

Footwear

When you arrive at the refuge it is normal to leave your walking boots in the boot room and here you will also find hut shoes (Croc type things or similar) for wearing in the hut.? You can if you wish carry some simple flip-flops of course in your sack.

Sheet Sleeping Bag

Don’t forget to bring a sheet sleeping bag or ?sac a viande? as it’s known sometimes.? These are now available in really lightweight fabrics including silk so take up very little space and weigh next to nothing.? It helps keep the bottom sheet and duvet / blankets cleaner.

Bedding

Blankets or increasingly duvets and pillows are provided in the dormitories so there’s no need to carry a sleeping bag.

Ear Plugs

It’s worth having some ear plugs with you in case there’s some snorers in the room with you.

Tips

If you’re leaving early in the morning before day break it’s worth doing a reconnaissance of the departure route to avoid wasting time in the dark in the morning.

Rubbish – you should take your rubbish with you as all rubbish has to be taken down to the valley or less usually now burnt.

Reading and Interpreting the Avalanche Forecast

Reading and interpreting the avalanche forecast is fundamental to reducing the risk of becoming a victim of an avalanche.

Despite daily avalanche forecasts available on-line and displayed in ski resorts there are still too many avoidable avalanche accidents.

Studies show that these incidents took place where predicted by the avalanche forecast. So, either people are not reading the forecast, or if they do they are not extracting the information in it.

The Avalanche Risk Scale

The European avalanche risk scale runs from 1 to 5. Statistics (from France) for the last 15 years show that on 44% of days the risk was at level 2 (with 14% of fatal incidents) and 35% of days were level 3 (with 56% of fatal incidents).

One of the issues is the perception of Level 3. It is seen wrongly, by many as a ?medium? risk when in fact it is ?considerable?. If the avalanche risk scale e.g. 2 is the only element of the avalanche forecast being read incidents will clearly follow and the statistics would lend credence to this conclusion.

The Avalanche Forecast

The avalanche bulletin itself contains a wealth of information.

Timescale ? at the top it gives the validity of the forecast and the level of risk. Sometimes it indicates an altitude with one risk level below and another above.

Compass ? here it shows which slopes are the most dangerous in terms of their orientation.

Type of avalanche(s) to expect ? This is divided into two types, natural releases and those caused by skiers.

Snowpack Stability ? Here a detailed description of the current stability of the snowpack. It may give information about recent weather patterns including wind direction and strength. There may also be more detailed information about altitudes where certain risks may be higher. This paragraph should be read carefully.

Depth of Snow (at a certain altitude) ? here it gives information on the quantity of recent snowfalls and what is predicted over the following 48 hours.

Weather forecast summary ? here it gives the altitude of when rain will turn to snow; the freezing level and wind speed at different altitudes along with the direction.

Snow depth off-piste ? here it gives the depth of snow at different altitudes on both north and south facing slopes. It also gives the altitude from which you can expect continuous snow.

State of the snow ? the state of the snow e.g. is it crusted, humid or powder.

Avalanche risk outlook ? here it shows whether the risk is staying the same, increasing or decreasing.

Time when the forecast was written ? here it gives the date and time that the forecast was prepared.

As you can see there’s a wealth of information that when read carefully substantially decreases the chance of becoming an avalanche victim.

Pralognan la Vanoise

Pralognan-la-Vanoise, usually shortened to Pralogan or even Pralo’ is a ?gateway? to the Vanoise National Park. The village nestles amongst the high Alpine peaks of the Vanoise with the culminating peak, the Grande Casse (3855 m) close by. The village is at an altitude of 1400m.

Whilst there are a few ski lifts Pralognan keeps it’s village feel; village first and resort second. Pralognan is in a cul-de-sac with only one road in from the valley of the Tarentaise. To reach Pralognan you drive from Albertville up the Tarentaise valley to Moutiers. From here the road leads up via Bozel passing turns for the big, monster ski resorts of Meribel and Courchevel. Keep straight on and the road zig-zags up before you arrive at the village.

There’s a range of local services for the visitor, hotels, appartments and campsites. Higher up there are mountain refuges too with those in closer proximity accessible to most willing to make a short walk.

Walking & Climbing

Pralognan makes an ideal base to explore the Vanoise. The Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise sets off from the village following the ancient Route du Sel to the Col de la Vanoise (2517 m) passing by the picture postcard Lac des Vaches. Two Grande Randonn?e (long distance walks) pass through, the GR5 on it’s way from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean and the GR55.

Following the river Doron de Chaviere you can either walk, drive or take the ?navette? (free local bus) to the car park and end of the road at the hamlet of Prioux; only open in summer. Here you can also enjoy a meal or drink at one of the caf? / restaurants. To go further it’s on foot only and a short walk can take you to the refuge of the Roc de la Peche. For those going further you can continue to the alpine farm at Le Ritord and on to the Refuge Peclet-Polset.

Beyond the Refuge Peclet-Polset are the azure waters of the Lac Blanc nestling below the Col du Soufre and you can make out the edge of the Glacier de Gebroulaz. Another option is to head on to the Col de Chaviere (2796m) that is one of the highest cols on a Grand Randonnee.

The Col d’Aussois gives access to the Maurienne valley and a short detour to the Pointe de l’Observatoire gains the magical 3000m point. Further on along the ridge is the dramatic Point de l’Echelle.

Rock climbers can find short routes close to the centre of Pralognan but if you want long mountain routes you are spoilt for choice. Try the Aiguille de la Vanoise, the ?shark’s fin? of a mountain dominating the Lac des Vaches.

Via Ferrata

A short walk from the village centre is the Cascade de la Fraiche an impressive waterfall that thunders down between steep rocky walls. It’s the location for a great via ferrata that goes by the same name. The route starts on the left (looking up) and follows an edge that depending on the water level in the stream is sometimes bathed in a cooling spray from the waterfall! The most memorable part is crossing high above the waterfall on two steel wires to gain the other side. The route finishes up more steep rock before finishing amongst pine trees in the shade. A great couple of hours on a hot summer’s day! A good path leads back to the village.

Recommend Places

The Hotel Le Grand Bec *** at the entrance to the village is family owned and you can be assured of a warm welcome and excellent food. To relax there is an outdoor pool and inside another pool, sauna and jacuzzi.