What could be more enjoyable than going to discover remote spots in our beautiful mountains in winter. There is ski touring, an ideal tool in my opinion, but if you are not very athletic or not a very good skier, prefer snowshoes. However, we must not forget that we are moving in an unstable and natural environment that presents some risks.
So I offer you some advice that, I hope, will help you in your practice. And don’t forget, professionals are at your disposal to help you discover our mountains, don’t hesitate to contact them.
- Leave early enough
- Do not go alone or with too large a group
- Start slowly and adopt a slow and steady pace that all participants will be able to maintain.
- Take some real breaks at chosen spots (during your preparation on the map for example) rather than too short and too many breaks. Always think about safety when choosing a place for a break (avoid breaks at the foot of an avalanche chute, it’s obvious but you often see groups stopped at the foot of a chute).
- Remember to drink and eat regularly (a small bar from time to time does no harm).
- Adapt your clothing to the weather conditions
- Always keep each other in sight. Reduce the distance between participants if necessary.
- Do not follow tracks blindly. You have prepared your itinerary, follow it! The tracks you see may be those of a group that was lost… Similarly, beware of summer trail markings, the terrain may not be suitable for snowshoes.
- Carefully follow the weather evolution and the freshness state of other participants.
- Beware of snow bridges, a lapiaz (a kind of small crevice in limestone) or a stream may be hidden underneath, and nothing says the bridge will hold under your weight.
- Also be careful about slips, even on gentle slopes. Indeed, some snowshoes tend to “ball up” (accumulate snow under the “sole”) depending on the snow quality and if you don’t pay attention, slipping is guaranteed.
- Watch out for wind which is an important cooling factor.
- And above all, in case of uncertainty, turn back
