Avalanche risk - what does it mean?

At the time of writing, there has been very significant snowfall across the Alps.

Many resorts have had official avalanche bulletins showing risks of 5 out of 5 on the official scale. Some resorts closed, others had to clear rock fall and debris from roads. So what does the official avalanche scale mean and how should skiers interpret it.

The avalanche report on the left is the official bulletin published by Meteo France and available on their excellent app Meteo ski. It shows risk values, orientation and altitude considerations, and a detailed description.

You very quickly get the idea that this is a complicated subject.

Below is the official chart, English version, showing the official risk levels and their definitions.

4 and 5 are so very dangerous that skiers know to stay well away from the off piste areas. In fact the situation is often so hazardous that roads and even whole resorts can be closed.

3 on the scale is the value that claims the most lives. People go to places that are unsafe, or are threatened from above by unsafe areas, and they are caught in avalanches. The position of 3 on the scale from 1 to 5 seems to make people think that it's a safe zone – but it is not.

1 is relatively safe, from Snow avalanche risk at least, though perhaps not from other mountain hazards. Even then, if you go to extreme areas, you might still provoke an avalanche.

Everything above 1 on the scale has intrinsic avalanche potential, even 2, and especially 3.

So what does all of this tell us?

First and foremost it tells us that 3 out of 5 is not safe.

3 out of 5 is complex and people go to areas where they get into trouble. 3 out of 5 claims more lives than the other risk values.

My observation over recent decades of skiing off piste in the Alps is that the Snow pack is more complex in recent times. There are more layers in the snow pack, many of which persist over a great deal of time, leading to weaknesses and potential avalanche risk. It has become a more difficult process to evaluate whether a particular route will offer the excitement and enjoyment that skiers seek, in a way that does not risk exposure to avalanche.

Let’s all be even more careful – let's have fun and let's keep having fun year after year, in a way that keeps us safe to enjoy this amazing environment.