FEBRUARY NEWS IN BRIEF
1st February 2019
Last modified on August 23rd, 2021
Helicopter search on Nanga Parbat for two mountaineers, Swiss school trips on the rise + 120 evacuated from French cable car. ROLLING
NEWS IN BRIEF STORIES FROM JANUARY 2019
THURSDAY 28TH FEBRUARY
SEARCH FOR TOM BALLARD AND DANIELE NARDI ON NANGA PARBAT
The search for the two missing mountaineers continued on Thursday.
British climber Tom Ballard (30) and his Italian companion Daniele Nardi (42) were attempting to reach the summit of Nanga Parbat.
Contact was lost on Sunday.
A break in the weather was enough for the Pakistan Army to made its first reconnaissance flight of the mountain in search of the pair.
Unfortunately neither the mountaineers nor their camp were detected.
A second flight was made.
According to a statement made in Italian on Daniele Nard’s Facebook page, a tent full of snow has been spotted in an avalanched area.
Italian statement: “Ali Sadpara ha comunicato che è stata individuata dall’elicottero la tenda di campo 3 invasa dalla neve. Nell’area sono state individuate tracce di valanga sul pendio che sta ad indicare la pericolosità della zona.
Il tempo si mantiene discreto sotto i 7000 metri e si è in attesa di ricevere ulteriori informazioni fotografiche e video dal campo base e dall’aviazione pakistana.”
Roughly translated into English: “Ali Sadpara has announced that from the helicopter the tent at camp 3 was seen, filled with snow. Traces of avalanches were detected on the slope, highlighting the dangerous nature of the zone.
Below 7000 metres the weather remains stable and we are waiting to receive further photographs and video from base camp and from pakistan aviation.“
It is unclear if the search has been suspended.
WEDNESDAY 27TH FEBRUARY
TWO CLIMBERS MISSING ON NANGA PARBAT
British climber Tom Ballard (30) and Italian Daniele Nardi (42) were attempting to reach the summit of Nanga Parbat.
They were attempting a new route on the Mummery Rib.
It is a steep, avalanche-prone area known for taking lives.
There has been no news from the two mountaineers since Sunday 24th February, when the two confirmed by satellite phone they were on Mummery Rib around 6,300m.
Since then the ground team has had no further communication with Ballard and Nardi.
On Wednesday their base camp team were concerned enough to call in helicopter rescue for assistance.
A flare up of tensions between India and Pakistan has grounded all aircraft in the region.
However with the intervention of the Italian government an exception has been made and a helicopter has been permitted to fly from Skardu on Thursday.
Nanga Parbat is the 9th highest mountain in the world at 8,126m, and has a reputation as the ‘killer mountain’.
It is located in the Daimer District of Pakistan’s Gilit Baltistan region.
TUESDAY 26TH FEBRUARY
SWISS SCHOOL TRIPS ON THE RISE?
There has been a gradual decline in Swiss school children going on school ski camps.
They traditionally take place in the term after Christmas.
Cost and alternative activities are blamed.
There have been some real concerns about where the next generation of local skies will come from.
But apparently they are on the rise at last.
See here for more on Swiss Info
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY
100 PEOPLE HELICOPTERED OFF LIFT IN FRANCE
A cable car in Les Menuires in Les3Vallees broke down on Sunday afternoon.
120 people were airlifted from the cable car and no-one was injured.
The incident happened just before 3PM and the rescue operation took several hours.
An investigation into the breakdown is underway.
SUNDAY 24TH FEBRUARY
A backcountry skier has died, one is missing and four others have been rescued after an avalanche on the Austria-Germany border.
The slide hit an off-piste area close to a forest in Reutte on Saturday afternoon.
The location is near the Hotel Ammerwald in Germany.
The police say one of the four rescued suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries.
The others were unharmed.
The avalanche was close to Reutte in Austria
Search operations were continuing on Sunday morning for a missing 43-year-old German.
The rescue operation has been complicated by the fact that most roads to the site were blocked by Saturday afternoon’s avalanche and a previous avalanche on Thursday night.
FRIDAY 22ND FEBRUARY
VAIL RESORTS BUYS 2 AUSTRALIAN SKI RESORTS
It is set to purchase Falls Creek and Hotham Ski Resorts in Victoria.
The cost is put at AU$174 million.
It already owns Perisher in New South Wales.
PlanetSKI visited last summer.
It is all part of the now global battle it is having with a rival US multi- resort owner, Alterra.
The rivalry has now firmly moved to the southern hemipshere.
Gwyneth Paltrow on planks @GwynethPaltrow Instagram
The fires broke out in buildings close to each other in the Le Charvet area of Arc 1800.
According to French media, the first was in the garbage room of the Residence Pierra Menta at around midnight.
A second, 30 minutes later, on a balcony of La Croisette, led to an evacuation of 40 people.
Three hours later 400 people had to be evacuated from the Residence Les Belles Challes after a fire was discovered in a rubbish chute.
The evacuees were given shelter in the Congress Hall until 6am when they were allowed back.
A police investigation into the cause of the fires is underway but the Mayor has told journalists that it is very likely they were the result of arson.
TUESDAY 19TH FEBRUARY
Atomic is claiming the crown for its Redster race ski after clocking up three gold, three silver, and three bronze medals at the Alpine Skiing World Champs in Are, Sweden.
The medals came from Mikaela Shiffrin, Sofia Goggia, Marcel Hirscher and Marco Schwarz.
In the World Cup this season the Atomic Redster has won 26 out of 53 World Cup races.
All the other athletes and brands together have won 27.
“While the mountain still has plenty of room for skiers and riders, the ski area is feeling a pinch on parking and facility space.”
SUNDAY 17TH FEBRUARY
3 FRENCH TEENAGE SKI RACERS DIE IN CRASH
They were members of the Briancon/Serre-Chevalier ski club and had been out celebrating a birthday.
2 others are seriously injured.
The 19-year-old driver died along with a 19-year old passenger and an 18-year old.
A 17-year old is in a critical condition and a 20-year old remains hospital. A sixth person has minor injuries.
The accident happened at 5AM local time.
The car was in collision with a lorry.
The lorry driver was treated for shock but is otherwise unhurt.
An investigation is underway.
Local Ski Club in mourning
The current Olympic slopestyle gold medallist Jamie Anderson is one of several athletes to criticise the President of the International Ski Federation, Gian-Franco Kasper.
It follows controversial comments he made in a newspaper interview.
See our stories lower down this page on 8th February.
And here:
Kasper played down the impact of global warming and said it was easier to organise the Olympic Games in a dictatorship.
In an interview with ESPN Jamie Anderson said she had discussed potentially skipping the World Championships in Utah in protest at Kasper’s comments.
In the end she competed and donated her prize money to the environmental group, Protect Our Winters.
Other athletes to criticise Kasper include the US cross-country skier, Jessie Diggins.
Gian-Franco Kasper
GB’s new skiing World Champion, James ‘Woodsy’ Woods, is to take an immediate break from skiing, saying his body is ‘really sore’.
The 27-year-old won the gold medal in ski slopestyle at the freestyle championships in Utah this month.
It came off the back of a big air bronze medal at the X Games in Aspen in January.
In his latest video blog, Woodsy’sWorld, he reveals that he’s sent his skis off in one direction while he’s off in another.
“I think I’m quite ready for another adventure,” he says.
It’s worth a watch:
Have a good rest, Woodsy.
We look forward to seeing you back.
THURSDAY 14TH FEBRUARY
- crafts
- games
- painting on snow
- sledging races
- snowman competitions
- snowtubing
- a library corner
Inghams thanks loyal customers on Twitter
Inghams wins award
We have reported on the ambitious aim in the past on PlanetSKI.
One flight organiser, GTC Travel Group, has seen a jump in demand for winter activity holidays in Europe from the Asia Pacific region.
With just over 30,000 seats booked this winter season, it says sales from the region have grown 15% with the biggest growth from the countries of India, Dubai and China.
GTC Travel Group, which works with a number of ski specialists, said the best-selling airport was Munich for resorts in Germany and Austria.
Flight to airports in Salzburg and Innsbruck have also sold well.
“With the exponential growth of skiing and snow-boarding in Asia it’s not surprising that enthusiasts will want to venture further afield to resorts in the West,” said director, Tahir Bhimani.
MEASLES OUTBREAK IN VAL THORENS
There have been 18 recorded cases recently.
They are mostly seasonaires in the resort according to the ARS regional health agency for the area.
Parents are being urged to ensure their children are vaccinated if coming for the half-term break next week.
The ARS recorded eight cases in the area in 2016.
It was 45 in 2017 and 84 in 2018.
It is understood that fewer children are being vaccinated against the viral disease that causes rashes and inflammation and can be fatal.
Bogus Basin, Idaho. Image © PlanetSKI
SATURDAY 9TH FEBRUARY
UBER IN THE ALPS
It is offering transfers to six 6 French ski resorts starting today.
From February 9th until March 10th UberSki will be offered on the Uber app.
It is providing rides from Grenoble train station to l’Alpe d’Huez, Les Deux Alpes, Chamrousse, Les Sept Laux, Villard-de-Lans and L’Alpe du Grand Serre.
• Seven Laux: 45 euros
• Villard-de-Lans: 45 euros
• Chamrousse: 45 euros
• Alpe du Grand Serre: 45 euros
• Alpe d’Huez: 90 euros
• Les Deux Alpes: 90 euros
The cars will all be equipped with snow tyres and chains.
Uberski already operates in the USA.
UberSKI is available in Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, and most Summit and Eagle County ski resorts.
Uberski
FRIDAY 8TH FEBRUARY
APOLOGY FROM FIS PRESIDENT
Gian-Franco Kasper has apologised to athletes after he said it was easier to organise the Olympic Games in countries governed by a dictatorship.
The 75-year-old president of the International Ski Federation said the comment was “not meant to be taken literally” but that he took “full responsibility” for his remarks.
In an interview with Swiss-German newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, Kasper was quoted as saying: “Dictators can organise events such as this without asking the people’s permission.
“For us, everything is easier in dictatorships.”
It was thought to be a reference to the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Chinese capital Beijing, where term limits for the President were abolished last year.
Two FIS World Championships are currently taking place and Kasper claimed he was sorry that focus had been taken away from the athletes.
The Alpine World Championships are on in Åre in Sweden while Utah in the United States is staging the Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard World Championships.
In the past Kasper has compared calls for Russia to be banned from the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang to the holocaust.
Gian-Franco Kasper
THURSDAY 7TH FEBRUARY
2 MORE RESORTS ON EPIC PASS
Epic Pass
WEDNESDAY 6TH FEBRUARY
FWT WINNERS CROWNED
The Freeride World Tour goes down in Kicking Horse, Canada.
This is News in Brief so we will keep it short.
But if you have 2 hours 40 minutes and 40 seconds…
If not just scroll through to the good bits:
Even if the world limits the temperature rise to 1.5C this century, at least one third of the ice would go.
The glaciers are a critical water source for 250 million people living across eight different countries.
It has a peak height of 2,814m.
Video By: Elad Ben-Moshe
People skiing at Mt. Hermon in Israel as the Iron Dome intercepts a rocket fired from Syria(Credit: Elad Ben-Moshe) pic.twitter.com/ASd3LM7lU6
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) January 20, 2019
The Cime Caron cable car has been closed after freezing rain damaged the cables.
The rain turned to ice and moved the pulleys from their rolling bearing.
It created friction along the length of the cables, which in turn damaged the outer layer of the suspension cables.
The four 55 ton suspension cables will all be changed this summer.
The cable car will also undergo a number of substantial changes in order to ensuring this type of incident doesn’t happen again.
Cime Caron cable car
Here at PlanetSKI we reported as the new cable cars were installed back in 2010:
The resort has decided that the Cime run will be groomed and it has now become an uphill ski touring route.
The Col de l’Audzin run will also be prepared for skiers, creating a circuit in this sector.
Insidethegames reports that the aim is to support China’s plans to improve its competitiveness in ice and snow sports before Beijing 2022.
ESF plans to provide extensive training to Chinese instructors.
3 years to go
The news comes as the President of the International Olympic Committee gave Beijing 10-out-of-10 for its preparing for the Games.
Thomas Bach met the Chinese President Xi Jinping and visited venues for alpine skiing, biathlon and ski jumping in Zhangjiakou and Yanqing.
“The impressions are really excellent,” he told the Chinese news agency Xinhua.
“The progress being made is remarkable.
“The projects are within the schedule.
He added: “What is important is that we see the growing engagement of the Chinese people with winter sports.”
BIG AIRLIFT OF STRANDED SKIERS
The piste patrol in Val d’Isere had a huge job on earlier this week.
They had to airlift 39 skiers and snowboarders to safety after they got stuck in a gorge.
Yes, that’s 39.
It took the rescuers around two hours.
The stranded skiers were in several different groups who had skied off piste into the Gorges du Malpasset.
It’s frequently impassable and there are signs warning of the danger.
According to Radio Val d’Isere, the gorge is about 20 metres wide with high walls of several hundred metres on each side.
It only suitable for skiers when avalanches from the overhanging slopes fill it and while that was the case last year, it’s not this winter.
The Val d’Isere piste patrol posted this warning on social media (and even if you don’t understand any French, you’ll get the message):
les Gorges sont ⛔⛔⛔⛔⛔⛔ INFRANCHISSABLES, et cette zone est particulièrement dangereuse âš ï¸âš ï¸âš ï¸âš ï¸âš ï¸, restez PRUDENT….
The fact that there were so many people who needed rescuing suggests they were following tracks, assuming there must be a route out.
It’s likely to have been a very expensive mistake – we doubt many insurance policies will cover the heli-rescue if there were clear warnings to keep out.
We’ve had some reaction to this on the PlanetSKI Facebook page:
Reaction
CROWDFUNDING A SNOWSPORTS REPORT
The International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism is not just any old report.
It is perhaps the most accurate and impartial look at the global world of snowsports.
It is compiled by Laurent Vanat.
Laurent Vanat
See here for our articles on its past content:
Money raiSed by crowd funding covered about half of the investment in the preparation of the 2016, 2017 and 2018 reports.
2019 will see a new updated issue of the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism, which will be released in April.
The subscription to the 2019 crowd funding campaign is therefore now open.
If you are interested in supporting the report then you can contribute by using this link or email to vanat@vanat.ch
INVESTIGATION INTO CHAIRLIFT BREAKDOWN
160 skiers and snowboarders were left stranded on a lift at Stowe Mountain in Vermont, USA.
The Lookout Double lift stopped due to an electrical problem.
A backup engine also failed.
The people had to be winched off the lift.
Some people close to the ground decided to jump.
The operation took almost 3 hours.
Two people were treated for minor cold-related issues.
SVINDAL BOWS OUT
The Norwegian ski racer, Aksel Lund Svindal, is to retire after this month’s World Championships in Are, Sweden.
He has had a 17-year World Cup career and is a four-time Olympic medalist.
“One last big push out the start gate at the World Championships in Åre. After that I’ll be watching this great sport from the sidelines,” Svindal wrote on Instagram.
Here at PlanetSKI we have found him one of the most exciting skiers of his generation.
Let’s hope he bows out on a high.
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