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Simply Savoie

Simply Savoie

Guided walking – snowshoeing – via ferrata in the French Alps with Mark Tennent

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Equipment

Why go snowshoeing?

Snowshoeing has been around since man searched for a way of getting around in deep snow. It’s now a very popular and growing, winter activity.

  • It’s fun! It is suitable for all, young or old, fit or not so fit and it can be enjoyed by the whole family.
  • It’s easy! ?If you can walk, you can snowshoe?. Within a few minutes you’ll feel at ease and in control.
  • It’s inexpensive! Snowshoes can be purchased for between 100 and 150 Euro and there’s no need for an expensive lift pass!
  • It’s as relaxed or as adventurous as you wish! Take a gentle stroll amongst snow-draped trees or push your limits ? the choice is yours. In fact it’s an ideal aerobic, low-impact, exercise.
  • In touch with nature! Snowshoeing allows you to move almost silently so experiencing the peace and tranquillity of the snow muffled landscape. It’s a great way to see the wildlife. In Savoie you may see chamois, ibex (bouquetin), or deer that you will never see in the noisy ski resorts.

Equipment

Snowshoes

TSL Snowshoe
TSL Snowshoe

Popular brands include: TSL, Tubbs, GV and Inook. For those unfamiliar with snowshoes it may conjure up images of a pair of tennis racket-like things attached to your feet. In fact modern snowshoes are high-tech and made from plastic or are aluminium framed. The size of snowshoes is related to your weight so, in general, snowshoes for women are smaller than they are for men. Most are very simple to adjust for the size of your footwear and then a simple binding system attaches them to your boot.

The idea of the snowshoe is to spread your weight so you don’t sink into the snow; or at least not nearly so much, giving access to places impossible on foot. Going up hill is made easier with the use of a heel lift feature which means there’s less strain on your calf muscles. Grip is provided by small metal spikes (crampons) under the snowshoe that will stop you slipping on hard snow or patches of ice. At the front there are ?claws? or ?front points? which provide grip when going directly up steep slopes.

Ski or Trekking Poles

A pair of ski poles / trekking poles with large ?snow baskets? can aid your stability and also provide additional impetus to your stride.

Boots

You don’t need special boots; a pair of good walking boots / snow boots is ideal, with gaiters or a pair of trousers with a snow cuff the ideal companion to avoid snow entering the top of your boots.

Clothing

No special clothes are needed. Warm clothes e.g. fleece jackets, wind/waterproof jacket, hat, gloves as you would wear for walking in the winter.

Extras

Don’t forget your sunglasses and some sun cream! A small rucsac is recommended to carry an extra windproof /waterproof top, fleece jacket, a drink and snacks.

Technique ? a few tips

Snowshoeing doesn’t have a steep learning curve but a few tips will soon have you moving around confidently enjoying a new-found freedom.

On the flat

Your style of walking will need to take account of the width of the snowshoe and to avoid stepping on the other snowshoe. It’s best to start out on a level path or track whilst you get accustomed to them. Turning around is best accomplished by turning in small steps until facing in the new direction or doing a ?kick turn?.

Downhill

Going downhill is easiest, and the most fun, in deep powdery snow. Raise the toe slightly allowing the tail of the snowshoe to come into contact with the snow first. Try to walk confidently with a good transfer of weight from one foot to the other. The snowshoe may slide forward a bit but avoid the temptation to lean back. You can use your pole to provide extra balance but avoid using them directly in front of your body. On firm snow place the snowshoe flat on the ground so that the crampons can ?bite?.

Uphill

Unless it’s a very short distance, ?zig-zag? up the slope using the terrain to best advantage. This puts less strain on the legs and you’ll gain height surprisingly easily. If you encounter a very steep bank you can use the ?claws?/?front points? of the snowshoe.

Traversing

This is easiest in soft snow conditions where you can still place the snowshoe down normally. When the snow is firm you will need to roll the ankle to allow the snowshoe to lie flat on the slope, thus allowing the crampons to “bite”.

Etiquette

If you’re snowshoeing avoid walking on prepared ?pistes? for cross-country skiers as the railway like ?tracks? are damaged by walking on them. Skiers may also approach fast and you don’t want to be involved in a collision. In ski resorts try and avoid the pistes but if you have to, cross quickly or walk up or down the edge of the piste.

Precautions

Danger Avalanches Sign
Beware of Avalanches!

Naturally if you go into more mountainous terrain you should be aware of the risk of avalanches. You should then carry normal avalanche equipment (avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe) and most importantly know how to use it. Let someone know where you are going and when you intend to be back.  Read my article on Mountain Rescue in the French Alps.

Where?

You can go snowshoeing anywhere there is snow!

On paths and tracks you don’t need much depth however going through woods it’s best with a bit more depth that covers The ground can be flat, undulating or even on more mountainous terrain. The world’s your oyster!  Of course you can always join me on a Guided Snowshoe holiday.

Article copyright: Mark Tennent – all rights reserved

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 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

The Walking Umbrella

An umbrella for walking in the mountains!? Whatever next!

The first time I saw an umbrella in use in the mountains was in Chamonix in 1982.? I was walking on the Mer de Glace in the Mont Blanc Massif in the pouring rain returning from the Couvercle refuge when a French guide passed me carrying an umbrella.? He looked very comfortable too! I’ve started using one since living in the Alps where the rain tends to fall more vertically rather than being coming at you horizontally across a Scottish hillside; although I’m sure there would be some days it’s ideal.

Benefits

You don’t need to wear waterproofs!? So using an umbrella means you don’t get hot and clammy; the ultimate solution to the breathability question.

Not only keeps you dry but your rucsack and its contents too.? So rain covers for the rucsack aren’t needed either.

If it’s sunny you can use it as a parasol!

Types of Umbrella

I’ve tried short compact brollies but they tend to need a hand held high so my most recent preference has been one of my son’s golf umbrellas; much larger and with a long handle.

Objections

Yes, you can’t walk with two poles but given the choice between being soaked and using my poles I know which I prefer.

Avalanche Transceivers and Electronic Equipment

Wearing an avalanche transceiver and carrying a probe and shovel are essential if going into areas with a potential avalanche risk. Essential too is practise in using the equipment.

Like many people these days I’m carrying a mobile phone and sometimes use a GPS. I was aware that electronic items could have an effect on avalanch transceivers. Transceivers emit a signal on 457 mhz until switched to ?search mode? when they are used to home in on this emission.
The effect was demonstrated recently in dramatic fashion. I had buried my rucsac with my transceiver to simulate a casualty. The two searchers switched their transceivers to ?search? mode. Immediately it became apparent that the two transceivers were behaving in a peculiar manner. Unexpected direction indications; sudden loss of signal and ?freezing?. What was going on!

We decided to get to the bottom of this issue by experimenting with different combination and permutations of phones and GPS’s. The culprit was a Sony smartphone. If this was in proximity in any mode other than ?off? the transceiver was rendered inoperable.

There’s only one conclusion: switch off all telephones when using transceivers.

Replacing my Walking and Ski Poles

I recently lost a constant companion to my walks after completing the Traverse of the Beaufortain. My companion, my Leki Makalu poles that were still going strong after at least 15 years.

What should I replace them with? I had become irritated by the occasional ?unlocking? of the twist locking mechanism on my Lekis. So, I was keen for my new poles to have a ?cam? type mechanism less prone to failure and sudden shortening at inconvenient moments. I wanted poles that were multi-purpose to use for all my activities, walking, skiing and snowshoeing too. The Leki’s were titanium so were very light and picking up some poles they immediately felt heavy in my hand. I wanted them to be compact when strapped to the side of my sack or when travelling.

Being in the fortunate position of a ?good deal? with Komperdell I looked at their range of poles. I considered some of the ?folding? poles but was a bit unsure about the durability of the mechanism and how it would cope with dirt and dust. I’ve replaced them with a pair of Komperdell Compact 3 poles. They have 3 sections and are partly in carbon fibre so they are extremely light.

Carbon fibre doesn’t corrode like aluminium that gets that white powdery residue. The handle is made from a ?foam? so it’s comfortable to hold and warm in winter. The three sections are locked with a robust feeling ?cam? mechanism. The baskets are inter-changeable so I can use either large snow baskets or more compact ones for the summer.

Komperdell is an Austrian brand that is highly regarded by competitive skiers. So, the quality of the poles is high. If I hadn’t had a good deal I would also look at Leki, Black Diamond and Dynafit.

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