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Safety in the Sölden ski area

Skiing accident? Avalanche?

Tel. +43 5254-508 825*

Activate the rescue chain!

* Alarm center at Gaislachkogl Middle Station.

SAFETY FIRST IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE

The safety of winter sports enthusiasts and employees is the top priority of Bergbahnen Sölden at all times. Some precautions are clearly visible - such as ski trail signs, signposts and safety fences. Many other efforts including the avalanche commission, are working hard behind the scenes. Injured skiers can rely on a proven rescue chain.

CLOSED SKI RUNS: NOT NICE BUT NECESSARY

Ski resort operators are responsible (to the extent possible) that no avalanches reach the marked ski slopes and ski routes. Therefore the official avalanche commission meets daily to discuss and evaluate the situation. If necessary, controlled avalanche blasting takes place in the morning in order to free slopes from dangerous snow load.

In some cases the decision of the avalanche commission may seem incomprehensible. For example, if a ski run is closed in bright sunshine to carry out safety and preparation work. The reason could be nocturnal snowfalls that skiers often don't even notice.

Sölden Mountain Landscape Panorama Snow
Sölden Giggijochbahn Ski Area Skiing

HIGH SECURITY FENCES KEEP FROM FALLING

A fall or just a slip: it happens quickly on the ski slope! Winter sports aficionados regain their feet unhurt thanks to padded lift towers and snow cannons plus safety barriers on the slopes.

Over the last winter seasons, Bergbahnen Sölden have installed hundreds of running meters of their self-invented safety fences which are regularly checked by expert employees.

THE SLOPE RESCUE TEAM WILL BE THERE

If an accident happens on Sölden's ski slopes, the well-proven rescue chain is activated immediately after the first phone call. Depending on the severity of injury, the slope rescue team decides whether they can transport the injured down to the valley by akja sled or skidoo or call the helicopter owned by the ski area. Emergency medical care is available in Sölden as well as in the hospitals of Zams and Innsbruck.

Tip: With the Sölden Slope Rescue Card you are on the safe (insured) side

 

PS: According to numerous studies and statistics, skiing has a relatively low risk of injury, considering the number of skiing accidents in relation to the number of lift rides and skier days. Winter sports fans who are in a good physical shape, who correctly assess their skills and follow the FIS rules have an excellent chance of accident-free winter sports holidays.

Piste Rescue Sölden Skidoo Safety

IMPORTANT CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ALPINE SPORTSPEOPLE

Respect others and act thoughtfully! This is the essence of the 10 international rules of conduct defined for skiers and snowboarders by the FIS International Ski Federation. These principles should be taken into account by every winter sports fan in order not to endanger others and to avoid accidents on the ski slope. So why not read them again before you enjoy your next ski holiday in Sölden!

10 FIS RULES

1. Respect other skiers and snowboarders:

A skier or snowboarder must behave in such a way that he does not endanger or prejudice others.

2. Control of speed and skiing ability:

A skier or snowboarder must move in control. He must adapt his speed and manner of skiing or snowboarding to his personal ability and to the prevailing conditions of terrain, snow and weather as well as to the density of traffic.

3. Choice of route:

A skier or snowboarder coming from behind must choose his route in such a way that he does not endanger skiers or snoboarders ahead

4. Overtaking:

A skier or snowboarder may overtake another skier or snowboarder above or below and to the right or to the left provided that he leaves enough space for the overtaken skier or snowboarder to make voluntary or involuntary movement.

5. Entering, starting and moving uphill:

A skier or snowboarder entering a marked run, starting again after stoping or moving upwards on the slopes must look up and down the slopes that he can do so without endangering himself or others.

6. Stopping on the slope:

Unless absolutely necessary, a skier or snowboarder must avoid stopping on the piste in narrow placers or where visibility is restricted. After a fall in such a place, a skier or snowboarder must move clear of the piste as soon as possible.

7. Climbing and descending on foot:

A skier or snowboarder either climbing or descending on foot must keep to the side of the piste.

8. Respect signals and signposts:

A skier or snowboarder must respect all signs and markings.

9. Assistance and help:

In case of an accidents on the slopes every skier or snowboarder is duty bound to assist.

10. Identification:

Every skier or snowboarder and witness, whether a responsible party or not, must exchange names and addresses following an accident.

Marked Ski Trails and Free Skiing Terrain

The signposted ski area is divided into Marked Ski Trails and Free Skiing Terrain.

  Piste Ski Route Free Skiing Area
Marking Marked Marked NOT Marked
Width Sufficiently
wide slopes
Widht
NOT defined
NOT
tracked at all
Grooming Groomed NOT groomed NOT groomed
Control Controlled NOT controlled NOT controlled
Alpine Hazards Protect against
atypical hazard
Protected against
avalanche hazards
NOT protected
against Alpine hazard
Skier Sölden Freeriding Skiing Snow

The entire range of difficulty levels

Hint Blue Run Sölden Safety

Easy (Blue Piste):
The gradient of the ski trails does not exceed 25% (both longwise and crosswise), except in some short off-piste sections

Hint Red Run Sölden Safety

Intermediate (Red Piste):
The gradient of the ski trail does not exceed 40% (both longwise and crosswise), except in some off-piste sections.

Hint Black Run Sölden Safety

Difficult (Black Piste):
The gradient of this ski trail exceeds the maximum parameters of the Red Piste.

Hint Ski Route Sölden Safety

Ski Route:
This is an accessible downhill ski trail suitable for skilled sportsmen with the appropriate winter sports equipment. It is a marked ski trail butprotected only against avalanche hazards (and not against other hazards). The ski trail is NOT groomed and NOT controlled.

Alpine Danger Hint Sölden Sicherheit

ALPINE HAZARDS!
Bear in mind that you are in high Alpine regions! You leave the marked ski trails at your own risk and on your own responsibility. In glacier regions there is always and everywhere a risk of crevasses in off-piste areas.
DON'T RISK YOUR LIFE!

Avalanche Danger Closed Söldech Safety

AVALANCHE HAZARD
If the avalanche hazard for a ski trail or ski route is rated high the ski trail/route and its surrounding area must be closed immediately! In case that all ski trails/routes of a certain ski lift have to be closed, the ski lift must either be closed or the passengers are not allowed any more to take winter sports equipment with them.

Avalanche hazard signs and warning lights always require absolute attention!
Closed ski trails/routes: It is strictly forbidden to ski down a closed ski trail/route, not even at your own risk.
The local avalanche commission, an expert team of certified volunteers, can either close or open the ski trails/routes and public roads, always depending on the current weather conditions.

Hint Avalanche Daner Sölden Safety

AVALANCHE HAZARD IN OFF-PISTE SKI AREAS
Attention has to be paid every time you leave the marked ski area (ski trails/routes). Hazards - especially avalanche hazards - in high Alpine regions should never be underrated. Check the avalanche hazard scale daily and if necessary hourly! Every skier is responsible for his own actions and decisions in the off-piste ski area. If the avalanche report issued by the Avalanche Warning Center states a high risk of avalaches (level 4 or 5 according to the European Avalanche Scale) all avalanche warning lights on the local information plates and boards are turned on.

Hint Snowvehicles in use Sölden
Hint Winch Preperation Sölden Safety
Sprengarbeiten

For your own safety, it is essential that you pay attention to the information plates at the ski lifts, displaying operating times and conditions of ski trails.The last control takes place right after the ski lifts close. Out of the official operating times there is no control of hazards on the slopes - Please be extremely careful and pay attention! There is always a risk of injuries due to grooming vehicles, uneven spots, ropes, cables and tubes of snow-making machines.
WE ACCEPT NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ACCIDENT!

 

Lifts can be stopped at any time due to safety reasons
Extreme weather conditions (avalanche hazards, storms,...) in high Alpine regions are often the reason for closing ski lifts and ski trails. These safety measures are absolutely necessary and also embodied in the National Austrian Law issued by the responsible Ministry.
Source: Leitfaden: Die Verkehrssicherungspflicht für Skiabfahrten, SITOUR GmbH, 1999

 

Avalanche blasting operations

Please note that blasting operations to artificially trigger avalanches are carried out within the entire ski area at any time of the day or night, especially in case of fresh snowfall, strong high-altitude winds or effects of sun exposure. Skiing on and entering such terrain, except for the marked and open ski slopes and runs, is strictly prohibited at that time.
Danger signs and barriers as well as instructions given by barrier line personnel must be strictly observed.

 

Recco Avalanche Rescue System Sölden

Our ski area is equipped with the RECCO Search & Safety System RECCO® is a certified avalanche search system used for searhing persons buried under snow. Thy system consists mainly of two components - reflector and detector - applying modern radar technology. Additionally, a regular avalanche transceiver must be used, too! But RECCO can support a quick  and professional search by raising the chance of surviving.

www.recco.com