Offpiste skiing

The thing with using the guide is that if something happens to the guide you are screwed. So knowing how to use avy kit and how to respond in case of an avalanche is extremely important in case you need to find and dig out the guide. He would also carry a radio on him which you will need to get help as often there is no mobile reception off-piste or iPhone will die on you due to cold exposure if you try to make a call. It actually makes sense to have a simple mobile phone for skiing as they are more reliable. Still won't help in case of no reception.

Sounds as though CanadianSkier needs to come to europe and play with some of you guys. I'll watch from a suitable building that serves beer!!

Sounds like J2ski should sponsor a VB weekend. Am not taking about extreme skiing here, jumping off a lift onto glacier.

I assume everyone is following unfolding tragedy in Alps :-(. No transceiver = needle in haystack, recovery mission.

Seems a pretty logical amount of gear. Radio is an interesting one, as we all take phone coverage as a given these days which is obviously not the case. Am sure is not cheap though.


http://www.epictv.com/media/podcast/what-to-pack-when-youre-going-into-the-backcountry-%7C-presented-by-bmc-insurance/604142

There are still a few areas in your neck of the woods without mobile phone reception http://mobile.free.fr/couverture/ If you are in one of these areas and need to contact the rescue service you can use the emergency radio channel (161.300 MHz) http://www.sdis74.fr/datas/wysiwyg/Alerte-secourisme/CanalEanglais.pdf the radios cost about CHF 300 http://www.gianora-hsu.ch/rega.html?lang=en