Blog - Snow and Avalanches
A new initiative by Bluerando
Bluerando is launching a new initiative designed to contribute to the safety of those who enjoy snowy mountain environments, whether they are ski mountaineers, climbers, skiers, or hikers. Moving through the snow-covered landscape is fascinating and wonderful, and every skier knows the pleasure of drawing perfect lines or floating in a cloud of powder.
Snow is a transient element that is constantly evolving - falling, accumulating, melting, sliding... And when it slides, it doesn't differentiate between things, trees, or living beings; it doesn't discriminate based on ability, age, or income. In this sense, it is very democratic, and we must behave responsibly, minimising risks for ourselves and other mountain users. Reckless behaviour puts everyone's safety at risk.
Bluerando wants to make a contribution to the cause, so it asked Ernesto Bassetti to write a series of articles dedicated to snow, avalanches, and good practices to mitigate the risk of accidents.
Ernesto is one of the leading experts on snow and avalanches, in Italy and beyond. For over 40 years, he has been involved in mountain safety, both for passion and profession, with particular attention to the topic of avalanches. He is the co-founder, and until 2020 Vice President, of MND Group, an important international player in the field of mountain infrastructure and a world leader in controlled avalanche release systems. He is a National Ski Mountaineering and Ski Instructor, and former director of the Mario Righini Ski Mountaineering School. He was the promoter, co-founder, and driving force of the “Servizio Valanghe Italiano” (Italian Avalanche Service), for which he served as President for 18 years.
Today, we start with the first two articles, dedicated to some of the most common myths about snow and avalanches. The next articles will follow regularly.
Happy reading!