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What Can You Do?

10 FIS Rules of Conduct
Information on riding off-piste/backcountry

10 FIS Rules of Conduct

One of the most effective basic ways a skier or snowboarder can Respect the Mountain is to follow the 10 FIS Rules of Conduct :

	Respect	Do not endanger others
	Control	Adapt the manner and speed of your skiing/snowboarding to your ability and to the general conditions on the mountain.
	Choice of route	The skier/boarder in front has priority. Leave enough space.
	Overtaking	Leave plenty of space when overtaking a slower skier/boarder.
	Entering and starting	Look up and down the mountain each time before starting or entering a marked run.
	Stopping	Only stop at the edge of the piste or where you can actually be seen. Never stop below the brow of a hill where you are hidden.
	Climbing	When climbing up or down, always keep to the side of the piste.
	Signs	Obey all signs and markings. They are there for your safety.
	Assistance	In case of accidents, mark the incident area with crossed skis or a snowboard stuck in the snow, provide help and alert the rescue service.
	Identification	All those involved in an accident, including witnesses, should exchange names and addresses.

If you ensure that you keep this code in mind whenever you're on the slopes, you will be a much safer and more conscientious rider.

Further key points to remember; make sure you know the emergency phone numbers for the hill that you are skiing/snowboarding at in case of emergency. Educate yourself and only get advise from those in the know - guides and instructors have a wealth of useful information and tend to know the mountain like the back of their hand. Lastly, remember that a Reiko strip in your ski pants or jacket is no match for a transceiver, and will not keep you safe in the off-piste or backcountry.

Skiing/snowboarding off-piste or backcountry

Before you set off
Before you venture into the off piste make sure the frequency of all of all the transceivers in your are compatible and that batteries in all transceivers work (it is advisable to perform a quick test to ensure transceivers are working efficiently) and will last for the duration of the day. Also, ensure that you have the appropriate amount of clothing to keep you warm, along with extra layers in case the weather turns.

	Conditions: Weather & Snow	Terrain	Human Factors
Planning your trip	Check the avalanche bulletin	Map	Group members and size
	Check the weather forecast	Guide Book	Skill level and fitness
	Obtain any additional information you can	Photographs	Equipment
		Time Schedules	Responsibility

Assessing the local hazard	Precipitation, critical new snow depth	Steepness	Who is in my group
	Alarm signals	Aspect	Check equipment & transceiver
	Wind, wind driven snow	What is above/below	Physical condition
	Air temperature	Ridges?
		Topography
		Forest

Assessing specific slopes, key passage	Critical new snow depth	Steepness, shape, location&size of slope	Physical and mental fitness
	Snow quality	Rocky outcrops	Technical ability
	Recent accumulations of wind driven snow	Elevation and aspect	Group size
	Radiation Temperatures	Danger of fall and burial	Discipline
	Poor visibility	Detour possibilities	Leadership

Factors that increase risk

Conditions

Recent accumualtions of wind driven snow
Critical depth of new snow
Snowpack with many different layers
Substantial warming
Poor visibility

(Alarm signals: Recently released avalanches, whoompfs)

Terrain

Bowl shaped terrain
Unfavourable aspect
Steep slope above, terrain trap, danger of deep burial
Near ridge
Steep terrain with rocky outcrops
Danger of falling

What to carry - Essential Mountain Gear

Avalanche Transceiver: Transceivers serve two purposes. They emit a continuous signal that can be tracked in case of an avalanche, and you can change it to 'receive' to help locate and rescue anyone caught in the slide.
Avalanche Probe: You need a probe to help locate a person's exact position, i.e. how deeply buried a person may be. Digging off track even by a foot wastes valuable time. In an avalanche situation every moment matters, and lives depend on the speed of rescue.
Avalanche shovel: Time is essential. Upon locating a buried person a light collapsible shovel will help save someone's life.
In addition: You should also have on your person; first aid kit, bivouac sack, communication device (phone or radio)

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