Page 68 - LBV 2017

INTER-COMPANY TRAINING & VISITS
Ex BLUE TOURER 2017
In late February we went to Bavaria, Germany, which was unexpectedly warm and had hardly any snow on the ground for that time of year,
a big difference to last year’s ski touring adventure. Having all had the experience of Ski Foundation 2, it didn’t take long to get our ski legs back and use the touring kit.
The first ski day was at the Ifen
resort, mainly on red off-piste trails
to get the ski legs back in shape.
We skied a total of 13.3km in very
good conditions and good visibility;
however, as the temperature
increased over the day, the snow
conditions rapidly decreased.
In the morning, we had an introduction to risk assessment forms, daily weather and route planning forms, to make us aware of things we need to look out for before setting off on a ski tour.
The second day was our first attempt on
the ski touring equipment, using skins and platforms. Some individuals demonstrated more confidence than others when it came to the ski touring technique. However, we started back
at basics and went through kick-turns, which is used on steeper slopes and practised an easier
V to A (V to A is for slopes with less of an incline). We departed from Ofterschwang with the intention of reaching the ridge via Gunzesried Sage. However, the instructor took a group decision to turn around due to many equipment issues and the weather conditions, which were
effecting our performance and we eventually ran out of time, having completed a tour of 7.8km. In the evening, we had an avalanche lecture based on the Scottish mountain rescue leaflet.
Skiing between the Nebelhorn, Fellhorn and Walmendingerhorn resorts, the weather and
66 THE LIGHT BLUE VOLUNTEER
Some individuals demonstrated more confidence than others...
Ready to depart