Classification of avalanches and avalanche safety extreme. Dry avalanche
Many dangers lie in wait for climbers, snowboarders and skiers. But the most inexorable and unpredictable of them is snow avalanches. What are they like? Below is a detailed classification of avalanches.
According to Tushinsky
Back in 1949, Professor Georgy Tushinsky proposed a typology of snow avalanches based on differences in the specifics of the movement paths.
The geographer divided the types of snow masses descending from the mountains into:
- Tray. They move along a strictly fixed vector from glacial troughs, as well as from funnels formed as a result of the destruction of rocks.
- Basics. When a gap forms in the layer of snow and part of the mass slides down a flat slope, on which there are no erosion cuts or furrows.
- Jumping. There are sheer cliffs on the way of the site, from which the snow slides into free fall.
By the nature of the movement and the structure of the mass
A dust avalanche is formed from dry snow. In the process of movement, the structure of the mass is destroyed and creates a cloud of snow dust. The speed of snow avalanches of this type can reach 250 km/h. It is the most dangerous and destructive.
The same classification of avalanches established the presence of so-called "snow slabs". They are formed from a layer of fine-grained dry snow with a density of up to 400 kg per cubic meter, under which there is a less dense snow mass. Hollow areas are formed under the plates, which destroy the top layer and provoke its subsidence.
When the imbalance reaches a critical point, a stepped separation line is formed, perpendicular to the surface of the mass and on large area collapse occurs, the speed of which can reach 200 km / h.
There is also an "avalanche from a point." It is formed from wet snow in the form of a huge drop coming off a rocky ledge. This is due to the heating of the rocks, as a result of which the lower layer of the mass is fed with moisture, becomes heavier and begins to shift. Most snow avalanches of this type can be observed in spring. The speed of their movement does not exceed 120 km / h.
In the summer season, hydro-driven avalanches often appear, in which masses move that resemble mudflows in composition: they contain a mixture of stones, water, soil and snow.
Due to the occurrence
According to this criterion, in 1984 V. Akkuratova proposed the following typology:
- snow avalanches
They are formed from the redistribution of the upper layer due to mass transfer during a snowstorm. Accumulations of snow grains carried by the wind are deposited in the depressions of the relief. The rate of formation of a snowstorm layer depends on the structure of the relief, as well as on the speed of the snowstorm.
- advection
They are formed as a result of water infiltration into the layer of snow, due to which its structure is destroyed and the lower layer thaws and the bonds between dense accumulations of snowflakes break.
- Avalanches from dry "young" snow
In the process of intense snowfall, a fresh layer is formed on the surface of the mass, consisting of crystals with a density of not more than 200 kg per 1 cubic meter.
The stability of this structure depends on the strength of adhesion, as well as on the area of contact with the "old" layer and on the rate of accumulation of dry crystals.
- Avalanches due to metamorphism
Due to the deformation of the structure of ice particles and the bonds between them, snow recrystallization occurs, as a result of which loose layers appear in the upper cover. This leads to an avalanche.
- Insolation
Snow absorbs solar energy, under the influence of which it begins to move. The movement speed is relatively low.
- mixed
The movement of snow masses occurs due to an increase in air temperature with the simultaneous accumulation of solar energy in the thickness of the snow.
- Avalanches triggered by snow compression
They are formed as a result of overvoltages arising from an increase in the density of snow masses caused by a strong decrease in air temperature.
Classifications by strength and level of danger
According to the volume and approximate weight of the moving layer, avalanches can be divided into five varieties:
- A catastrophe capable of destroying a settlement or having a destructive effect on a vast forest area (more than 4,000 km²);
- Sliding of minor accumulations of snow that are not capable of harming a person;
- An avalanche that can destroy an area of forest up to 4,000 km², as well as cause damage to buildings, vehicles and equipment;
- A slight shift in the snow mass that can harm a person;
- A medium-sized avalanche capable of breaking trees, damaging vehicles and buildings.
If we talk directly about the danger of an avalanche for a person, then it is customary to evaluate it on a 5-point scale:
The danger is minor. There is a minimal chance of snowfall, but in general the surface is dense and stable. Conditions for holding events are quite reliable.
The formation of an avalanche is possible only in critical areas of the relief, subject to additional pressure on the slope by the movement of several athletes along it. In quiet areas, slopes up to 50 degrees can be loaded. It is advisable not to lay routes through problem areas with an inclination angle of more than 45 degrees.
Average level of danger. At some points on the slope, there is a decrease in density and slight destabilization. On steep terrain, the risk of an avalanche is increased. Spontaneous shift of snow masses is unlikely.
Events are allowed if the organizers take into account the structure of the relief and the peculiarities of the conditions at the sites. It is allowed to stress normal slopes with an angle of up to 40 degrees. On areas with problematic relief, loads at an angle of up to 35 degrees are permissible.
Increased danger. On most slopes, snow masses are unstable and have a loose structure. The probability of an avalanche formation is high. The most dangerous points are steep slopes. Spontaneous descent of several avalanches of medium strength and single descents of large volumes of snow are expected. Events are allowed, but only if their participants are only experienced athletes who have sufficient knowledge of avalanche science, are familiar with the geography of the region, and do not plan to go to the zones heightened danger. On most routes, the movement of groups of athletes is prohibited. Permissible load on slopes forming an angle of up to 35° in normal areas and up to 30° in hazardous areas.
The snow cover is not compacted and unstable in the vast majority of areas. The probability of an avalanche coming down is high even with a slight load on the slope surface. The movement of groups of athletes is prohibited. Only single events are allowed.
Access to the route is allowed only for professional athletes who are well acquainted with the geography of the area, who have impeccable knowledge of avalanche science and good intuition, who are ready to return to the base at the slightest suspicion. Load in normal and potential hazardous areas allowed on slopes up to 25° and 20° respectively.
catastrophic danger. Snow masses are mobile and unpredictable. Events are strictly prohibited. Avalanches of large volumes are coming down on all slopes, regardless of the degree of inclination.
Information about those who died in the mountains, on the rocks and on the "Promalp" in 2017
and reports of accidents in the past year
(bold type indicates "climbers" of countries by territory " former USSR”, which collected reliable statistics for the years 1928-2017 minus 1941-1954)
|
Reports on accidents and rescue work in the mountains, collected during the year on the websites www..vvv.ru and according to media reports (from Buyanova E.V.)
24.01.17 - In Khibiny, 11 Arkhangelsk tourists on snowmobiles fell under an avalanche. There were three under the snow. One managed to be saved, his life is now out of danger. Two people died. Today, the first causes of death of our tourists in the Murmansk region have been named. One of the main ones is the neglect of safety precautions. Presumably, their avalanche sensors were disabled. The group was not registered with the rescuers. On these shots Vladislav Shcherbachev. On a snowmobile, he conquers the Severodvinsk lake. At the extreme show, the athlete stays on the water the longest. - Of course, it was possible to prepare, paste over everything with adhesive tape, but I didn’t want to fool around for it, I thought that it worked the first time, and it will work the second time. Vladislav's extraordinary hobbies hit the air of "Vesti Pomorye" three years ago. He, like his friend Dmitry Serov, could not live without adrenaline. Dmitry, moreover, held a responsible position. He was the chief power engineer for the Russian television and radio networks in Arkhangelsk. Viktor Ryumin, Chief Engineer Arkhangelsk RTPC: - A cool guy, if there are any difficulties, let's say the workers, he would drop everything just to help a person. He liked to work on something, to start something new. This vacation in Khibiny was long-awaited for Dmitry - colleagues say. last year The job was very stressful. Together with Vladislav on a snowmobile, he went to conquer the mountain peaks near Kirovsk. But friends were not destined to return from the campaign. In the Murmansk region, they fell under an avalanche. Alexander Beletsky, tourist-athlete: “I believe that they were one of the best extreme sportsmen in the Arkhangelsk region. Avalanches before the trip were actively discussed, many of the guys even bought avalanche backpacks, the so-called probes, some kind of preparation was carried out, well, they could overestimate themselves a little. Like-minded extreme people say that Vladislav and Dmitry were quite experienced tourists. However, according to preliminary information, the avalanche sensors of the dead were turned off. The group, which included the guys, was not registered with the rescuers.” Vladimir Gusev, Head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the Murmansk Region: “For two hours, the rescuers of the Murmansk Arctic search and rescue team carried out search work in total, 44 people and 17 pieces of equipment were involved in the operation.” Both Vladislav and Dmitry were a little over thirty. Upon the death of tourists in the Murmansk region, a criminal case was initiated under the article causing death by negligence . Tourists: minus 2. 27.01.17 - An industrial climber crashed in Alekseevsky. Last week in the Alekseevsky district there was an accident. An industrial climber died after falling off a six-story building on Mira Avenue. This was reported by a source in law enforcement agencies. -According to preliminary data, the climber, who was cleaning the roof of the building from snow at the address: Mira Avenue, house 106, where the Zvezda TV channel is located, tried to clear a place that his hand could not reach. But since the life belt interfered with him, he decided to take it off. The worker slipped, could not keep his balance and fell off the roof of the building, the source said. Arriving paramedics pronounced him dead. Climbers: minus 1. 29.01.17 - The climber died in the mountains of Armenia. Several people got lost in the mountains near the village of Shagat in the Syunik region of Armenia, rescuers found the body of one of the climbers, another was hospitalized in the medical center of the city of Sisian. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia, a group of rescuers was sent to help the lost climbers. "On January 29, at 02:50, a signal was received from the citizen to the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations that he and his friends got lost in the mountains of the village of Shagat: the help of rescuers is required. One combat unit left for the scene," the message posted on the website of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations said. . The report also notes that at about eight in the morning, rescuers found 26-year-old V.A., who was taken to the medical center of the city of Sisian, where his condition was assessed as satisfactory. "At 08:37, the body of SD, born in 1993, was found," the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported. Information about the number of climbers who got lost in the area of the village of Shagat has not yet been received. Source:Caucasian Knot
Anatoly ( [email protected]) Climbers: minus 2. In memory of fellow climbers A dead climber was found on Elbrus. February 3, 2017 A climber died on the eastern slope of Elbrus. According to preliminary data, he crashed to death, breaking off a cliff during the ascent. Information about the identity of the climber from official sources has not yet been received. According to the Interfax-South agency with reference to Kantemir Berov, head of the press service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation for Kabardino-Balkaria, rescuers have already managed to find the body of the deceased climber. The first emergency signals were received by the emergency services at 12:17 Moscow time. Eyewitnesses from a group that passed near the scene told about the incident. A fatal incident was recorded in the Gara Bashi area on the eastern slope of Elbrus. The climber was at an altitude of about 3600 meters. Falling off a cliff, he was fatally injured. Elbrus, whose height is more than 5600 meters, is the highest mountain peak in our country. Despite the fact that professional climbers estimate its routes as quite simple, every year, according to various sources, about several dozen climbers die there. Recall that earlier very experienced mountain conquerors also became victims of various kinds of emergency on Elbrus. About a year ago, Oleg Lobachev fell into a crack in the Terskol glacier. Being at an altitude of more than three thousand meters, he himself got through to the rescuers. In the fall of 2014, a famous climber from Ingushetia, Leyla Albogachiyeva, died on Elbrus. The 46-year-old climber, who was going to conquer the summit alone, wanted to record an appeal to world leaders there to call on them to end hostilities on our planet. Author: Anna Ivanova
Affiliation: Doubtful? (-1?) 02/07/16 - As a result of an avalanche in the Shymbulak gorge, a Russian citizen Aleksey Belosludtsev, who worked as a technical referee in the ski-cross discipline, died. It happened in the morning when he was skiing on the slopes of the gorge. “The accident occurred as a result of skating outside the sports tracks of the Universiade. According to a friend of the deceased, they specially selected slopes with untouched snow for freeriding, realizing that these are places prohibited for skiing, ” the press service of the Universiade . Skiers: minus 1. At least five climbers died on Thursday in the Italian Alps as a result of the collapse of part of the glacier, according to the Rainews 24 TV channel. A group of climbers climbed in the province of Valle d'Aosta on the border with France. "hanging" ice on a steep mountainside. Another climber was injured. It is reported that one of the victims was evacuated by helicopter. This is the second incident in recent days in this part of the Alps. On Monday, an avalanche covered a group of tourists on the French side of the mountain range, killing four In early February, an avalanche covered a group of skiers in the province of Udine in the northeast of the Italian Alps, injuring two people.A series of earthquakes and heavy snowfalls triggered an avalanche on January 18 that buried the Rigopiano Hotel in the Gran Sasso mountain range in the Abruzzo region. In the week that has passed since this tragedy, rescuers managed to find and pull out 11 survivors and the bodies of 29 dead from under the snowy rubble. Alexander Logunov RIA News March 4 - Olga Gorozhanina - 27-year-old athlete Olga Gorozhanina died on Baikal during the mountaineering competition "Baikalism". The girl came from Bishkek, but is a Russian citizen. Competitions are held within the framework of the International Festival winter games on Baikal "Winter Games-2017", the first stage of the mountaineering competition, where the tragedy happened, took place in the area of 143 - 148 km of the Circum-Baikal Railway. The organizers of "Baikalism" are the Baikal School of Mountaineering and the Irkutsk Mountaineering Section. During the competition, there was an accident, a fall of 25 m. The victim was Olga, a city dweller (Bishkek). TBI, polytrauma. Relatives have been notified, the website "Angara.net" reports. According to the press service of the regional Directorate of the TFR, after falling off the cliff, the rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations evacuated the athlete and took her to the hospital in the city of Slyudyanka, but on the way the girl died from her injuries. The ICR is conducting an investigation into the incident. After clarification of all circumstances, a procedural decision to institute criminal proceedings or refuse .
(climbers: minus 3)
Siberian ( [email protected]) 03/04/17 An avalanche covered a group of skiers in the Italian Alps. Moscow. 2nd of March. INTERFAX.RU - An avalanche covered a group of 20 skiers in the resort of Courmayeur in northern Italy, three of them were found dead, according to an Italian publication Leggo. (7.03.2017) - Avalanche in the French resort of Tignes. Everyone is alive Today, March 7, 2017 around 10 am in popular French ski resort Tinh covered about 30 people with an avalanche. A huge mass of snow and ice descended onto the blue track. The area was immediately closed for rescue operations. Pretty quickly it became clear that basically, people escaped with minor injuries, most got out on their own. By noon, the gendarmes confirmed the information that there were no dead, as well as. 03/23/17 A climber died in the canton of Valais. A 47-year-old man died last Monday, March 21, while climbing the Hinter-Fischerhorn peak in the Aletsch glacier area in the canton of Valais - The tragic incident occurred at 14.45 local time at around 4025 meters above sea level. According to the cantonal police, two men left the Concordia hut on the route Ewigschneefud by ski. Later at the foot Fieschersattel The ascent continued without skis. At some point during the ascent, one of the climbers fell down, falling from a height of about two hundred meters. The fall was fatal - the man died. According to preliminary information, the man was not a citizen of Switzerland. The police are investigating the circumstances of the foreigner's death. Author: Andreas Gasparin
03/28/17 - In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, a climber died after falling off a cliff. In the region of the Torgashinsky Range of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, a young climber fell off a cliff. Falling from a height of seven meters, the guy died. A company of young people - two guys and two girls - was walking along picturesque places near Krasnoyarsk. At about 5 pm, one of the guys who was fond of rock climbing decided to demonstrate his skills in this matter. He planned to climb to the top of a sheer cliff. At some point, grabbing onto a stone, he could not resist and lost his balance. The 21-year-old climber fell to the ground from a height of 7 meters, suffering head injuries and internal organs. By the time the ambulance arrived, the guy was still alive, but it was not possible to take him to the hospital alive. The GSU of the regional IC reported that according to this fact investigation has begun and a forensic examination has been scheduled. Friends of the deceased said that he had experience in rock climbing. Their friend climbed the rocks of the Torgashinsky Range and on the Pillars more than once. Evgeny Alexandrovich - RIA correspondent VistaNews Climbers: minus 4 Monday, April 10, 2017, 4:12 +03:00 from …(message) Dear Evgeny Vadimovich! I am a simple reader of your materials about tourism and safety on the Internet. With great interest, I followed the discussion about the death of the Dyatlov group, of course, and watched the film. Unlike the "conspiracy theories", your avalanche version seems to me the most likely, because it does not require the involvement of forces other than the elements of nature. Somehow, in connection with avalanches, I decided to send you material about yesterday's tragedy in Kamchatka near Vilyuchinskaya Sopka. Alas, he himself was not there - the information was obtained from groups on social networks. I don't know if it will be of interest. Here is what they wrote in social networks on April 9: +79146280010: People who fell under an avalanche on a volcano in Kamchatka were dug out from under the snow. April 09, 2017, 21:44 On the slope of the Vilyuchinsky volcano in Kamchatka, a father and a son who fell under a blockage were dug out from under an avalanche, sources in the emergency services of the region told KamINFORM. “There was practically no chance for them to survive under such a blockage. The search was conducted by people who were there at the time of the incident. According to preliminary data, special equipment the dead did not. There was a lot of snow," the agency's interlocutors say. Earlier "KamINFORM" reported that the rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations have not yet reached the place. The departed helicopter returned to Petropavlovsk. He was unable to land in place due to wind turbulence and darkness. To the place continues to go convoy of rescuers. The avalanche descended today on the northeastern slope of the volcano. At the time of the incident, there were about 40 people at the scene - snowmobilers, skiers, snowboarders. They carried out sounding and dug snow. As a result, they found the dead. Father and son, according to preliminary data, cut the avalanche themselves on their snowmobile. Above them was about 5 meters of snow. +7924***0976: We drove there an hour before the avalanche. They returned as soon as they heard on the radio that an avalanche had descended. We arrived at the place, saw the amount of snow. Many people were already there. They dug snow. There were only three probes. As always there was no organization. Dig everywhere. Went up the slope, called the skidooking group on the radio, as they have avalanche equipment with them. We arrived, lined up in a chain and, according to all the rules, began to "pierce" the avalanche. But as it turned out, even a probe of 3.20 is purely poking around in the nose, 5-8 meters of snow. They probed as much as they could. But no results. Guys, take care of yourself. Go to avalanche courses and carry your avalanche equipment. Here is the information from April 10: A convoy with rescuers moved to the area of the volcano the night before. Currently, experts are located two kilometers from the place of the avalanche. The further way is possible only on snowmobiles. Currently, rescuers are being transferred directly to the area of the incident. Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations brought equipment to search for people. This morning, another convoy of rescuers left for the volcano - more than 20 people on 14 pieces of equipment. They also carry search equipment with them. Together with representatives of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, employees of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences are traveling with a georadar - a device with which you can search for people under avalanches at a depth of up to 10 meters. A Mi-8 helicopter is preparing to fly to the volcano area. Yesterday, due to bad weather conditions, the helicopter could not land there and had to return to the city. As reported by IA "Kam 24", on the afternoon of April 9, an avalanche descended from the northern slope of the Vilyuchinsky volcano. Presumably, two people could get under the snow mass - a man and a child, who were riding a snowmobile. In the area of emergency there were several dozen vacationers who organized searches on their own. Information was circulating on social networks in Kamchatka that a man and a child had been dug up. However, the Ministry of Emergency Situations did not confirm these data. The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation began an investigation into the disappearance of two people on the volcano. Vilyuchinsky volcano is located southwest of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, about 70 kilometers from the city. The height of the giant is 2175 meters above sea level. Thus, here are two more - Igor and Alexei Sinitsky - added to the mournful list. Good luck to you, health, love and kindness! And interesting adventures! Tourists: minus 4. 04/11/17-help save Andrey Egovtsev. Rescuers stopped work on extracting a tourist who fell into an ice crevice. A tourist from Prokopyevsk Andrey Vitalievich Yegovtsev, born on 12.07.1985, fell into a crevice in the Altai mountains. This was reported to the rescuers by his friend. He said that he went hiking with a friend in the Aktru gorge area. When descending from the Maashey pass, Andrey fell into a crevice. It happened on March 31st. The comrade tried to pull it out on his own, but failed and then turned to the rescuers for help. A group of rescuers of 7 people on the morning of April 1 arrived in the Kosh-Agach district, the Ak-Tru climbing camp and immediately went to the scene. Because of the storm and strong wind rescuers were forced to make a stop in the area of the Blue Lakes. On April 2, the weather did not allow them to continue their journey all day. On April 3, at 8:30, rescuers moved to the scene, but the weather continues to be unfavorable. They need to overcome about 12 km through difficult rough terrain. Information about the condition of the tourist, inaccurate, they say that he is alive, but with severe frostbite of the limbs. The department also notes that before the start of the trip, the Prokopyevsk tourists did not register with the rescuers. On April 9, 2017, rescuers stopped work to extract the tourist. During the excavations, a greenhouse effect appeared, it is highly likely that he is alive. Now the Altai rescuers have stopped work on extracting the tourist, because they are dangerous. IN this moment a group of volunteer climbers led by Anatoly Tomilov, a climber from Prokopyevsk, is moving to Altai to continue search and rescue operations. Need help raising money for transport by helicopter . Tourists: minus 5 (1?). 04/23/17 - As a result of an avalanche in the Retezat National Park in Romania, a group of tourists was under the snow. As a result of the incident, two underage climbers died, including the "prodigy of Romanian rock climbing", as the media called her, 14-year-old Jeta Popescu. The second dead was another promising Romanian climber - 13-year-old Eric Gulaci, who managed to visit Elbrus. Five people received non-life-threatening injuries, three of them were nevertheless hospitalized in the medical facilities of the Hunedoara district. The bodies of the victims were removed by rescuers from under the snow. Tomorrow they are planned to be lowered down. Rescuers continue to work at the scene. rescue operation, according to the head of the service for emergencies Raed Arafat was complicated by bad weather, which did not allow a helicopter to be promptly dispatched to the scene of the emergency. The day before, the regional authorities issued a special warning about the danger of avalanches and recommended climbers to stay near the campsites. The victims were young athletes with climbing experience. In particular, Popescu conquered the highest peak in South America, Aconcagua, and Gulaci made climbing Elbrus in Russia. 04/27/17 - Elena Shuvalova, 38 years old, born in 1979, and Andrey Belov, 50 years old, born in 1967, died. A man and a woman crashed while climbing Elbrus. A group of climbers consisted of four people, two of them fell off the eastern slope of Mount Elbrus TSKHINVAL, April 27 Sputnik. Two climbers died on Elbrus, a man died on the spot, a woman died while being transported down, Abdullah Guliyev, head of the Elbrus high-mountainous search and rescue team of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, told RIA Novosti. The work of rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation Sputnik/ Alexander Utkin Ministry of Emergency Situations: a climber from Moscow who disappeared on Kazbek was never found On Thursday morning, rescuers received a message that two climbers had fallen off on the eastern side of Mount Elbrus, approximately at an altitude of 4.9 thousand meters. The man died and the woman suffered head injuries. The group of climbers consisted of four people. "The woman who received an open fracture of the skull, unfortunately, also died when they started to lower her down," Guliyev said. He clarified that both victims were guides on Elbrus and lived in Nalchik. Climbers: minus 6. Previously . Later, a message was received: FINAL INFORMATION ON THE NA dated 04/27/17 ON ELBRUS On April 27, 2017 at 6 am, the Crisis Management Center of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation for the KBR received a message from an eyewitness that on the slope of Elbrus at about 4900 m there was a breakdown of two people. Elbrus VPSO allocated 13 rescuers and 2 pieces of equipment to search for and evacuate victims. At 08.30, rescuers found the victims: the man had injuries incompatible with life, the woman received multiple fractures. Later there was information that during the evacuation to Azau, the woman's pulse stopped. It was also reported that both climbers climbed as part of a group of four people from Nalchik, two of whom are experienced climbers who worked as guides on Elbrus. According to the information that the CPC received from the official reports of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the following happened from the participants of the rescue operation, witnesses and people who knew the victims closely: guides - Elena Shuvalova, 38 years old, born in 1979, and Andrey Belov, 50 years old, 1967 .R. - led two Russian clients to the Western Summit. The day before, on April 26, they made an acclimatization trip to the Pastukhov rocks and returned to the hut-wagon on Gara-bashi by 18:00. The day of rest was decided not to do because of the forecast for worsening weather from April 28. At 01:20 the group went on the ascent. They climbed to the Pastukhov rocks in this order: Shuvalova - clients - Belov. They were followed by two more people, who, when the group passed "Shelter-11", asked permission to join the group, and the guides were not against it. After a short rest on the rocks of Pastukhov, the movement was continued, while Belov stood behind Shuvalova, followed by clients. Shuvalova started using an ice ax from the Pastukhov rocks, the rest went with trekking sticks. The ascent took place at an average pace, no one complained about anything. The accident occurred in the area of the frozen snowcat, approximately at the level of 4900-5000 m., at 5 o'clock. 48 min. According to an eyewitness, Elena turned around in the direction of travel and at that moment fell. Andrei tried to catch her, literally jumped after her down the slope and even partially covered her with himself. Shuvalova slid down the slope on her stomach, head up, tried to cut herself, Belov braked with his hands. Everything happened, according to an eyewitness, "silently and with calm faces." Soon the guides disappeared from the field of view of the clients, but the latter were sure that nothing terrible could happen. Clients tried to contact both guides on mobile phones, but they did not answer, then a call to the Ministry of Emergency Situations followed. The rescuers forbade the clients to go down on their own and told them to wait for them on the spot (the clients got up to the frozen snowcat). At 9 o'clock, the rescuers approached the snowcat and evacuated the clients down, at the same time informing them of the death of the guides. Two people who joined the group at Shelter-11 continued their ascent. Both dead climber were without helmets. Shuvalova had cats Grivel » with soft fastening. Safety rope and ice screws were not used. The fall down the slope occurred about 400 m. The cause of the breakdown could be: loss of balance when turning the body, as well as a technical error when setting the cat, catching on uneven terrain, catching the teeth of the cat on the trouser leg or “flashlight”. The general background could be fatigue as a result of insufficient recovery and lack of sleep last night. It is worth noting such a detail described by an eyewitness: Elena had some kind of playback device with external speakers in her backpack, and as she walked, she listened to something like a story or lecture. Denis Alimov, who on the eve of April 26, led his group on an acclimatization hike to Pastukhov's tales, noted: “We only reached the upper rocks. They did not go to Pastukhov. The slope both this day and the next was very bad, hard, bottle ice. Before our eyes, four were dumbfounded at the "corpse collector", and two stood on the Oblique shelf for about an hour. But by lunchtime, under the sun, everything softened, and they went up to the saddle. Yevgeny Gavrilov, who climbed on the same day and at the same time as Belov's group, testifies: “This group and I lived in the same hut at the Gara-bashi station. The guys started from Gara-bashi, did not use snowmobiles and a snowcat, they approached the ice section quite tired, especially since the previous day they had a difficult acclimatization hike to the Pastukhov rocks, they did not have a day of rest before climbing. The sun flooded the remnants of snow on the slope, and during the night it was completely iced over. As far as I saw, the quality of their equipment was also, to put it mildly, not very good, not everyone even had ice axes! (this season, there is nothing to do on Elbrus without very well-sharpened cats and the ability to walk on them). As a result, a little before reaching the snowcat on the "5000", both guides lost their way. There were several breakdowns that day, but without such tragic consequences. According to comrades who knew them closely, the dead had quite significant experience of climbing Elbrus: Shuvalova had about a hundred ascents of Elbrus, Belov had fourteen (but only in summer). Andrei (a retired officer) had some mountaineering training since the times of the USSR, while Lena, despite her great Elbrus experience, had significant gaps in mountaineering technique and in the organization of security. This was most likely due to the fact that in the commercial travel agency with which she began to work as a guide, the attitude to security issues was very superficial: a person with the experience of one climb on the summer Elbrus could be invited to work as a guide to the winter Elbrus, it was considered sufficient for clients two-day acclimatization in the mountains, etc. In this case, the CPC does not take on the mission of searching for connections and reasons why a number of gross mistakes and shortcomings were made from the point of view of security in this experience, leaving readers to think about this issue for themselves. The investigating authorities of Kabardino-Balkaria carried out a pre-investigation check into the fact of the death of the climbers. This is the second tragedy and the third death on Elbrus since the beginning of the year: on February 6, near the Gara-bashi station, approximately at an altitude of 3600 m, a man fell off a cliff. The message was received by the rescuers from an eyewitness of a nearby passing group. During search and rescue operations, the body of the deceased tourist was found. CPC emphasizes that climbing Elbrus, despite the accompaniment of experienced guides, climbing on snowcats and snowmobiles, the use of oxygen and the enthusiastic victorious reviews of anonymous users on the websites of some travel agencies, remains a life-threatening enterprise, especially in the winter-spring period. CTC recommends carefully, through monitoring a variety of sources and opinions, to choose firms and companies to which you plan to entrust your health and life in such ascents. The CPC notes that a standard investigation with clarification of all details and organizational conclusions was not conducted, because. this case is outside the jurisdiction of the commission, and this information is only in the nature of a warning to everyone, who considers climbing Elbrus a walk… 27.04 17 - A climber from Taiwan was found alive in the Himalayas 47 days after he and his girlfriend went missing, BBC reports. According to the source, young climbers in last time seen March 9 in central Nepal as they set out on a hike despite heavy snowfall. Bad weather has complicated the search for the missing tourists. A 21-year-old youth was rescued near the village of Tipling after several locals saw the missing youths. Now he is undergoing treatment in one of the hospitals in the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, his life is out of danger. His 19 year old girlfriend died. 04/30/17. - Ueli Steck died this morning, Sunday 30 April 2017, during an acclimatization hike on the slopes of Nuptse. Rescuers found his body. Looks like Uli slipped on the ice slope. The famous Swiss climber Steck died while trying to conquer Everest. Legendary Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck has died while attempting a high-speed ascent of Mount Everest. According to AFP, a rescue team found the body of a 41-year-old extreme on the southwestern section of Everest. He fell off the ice slope and died. Steck arrived in the region in early April to set the record for climbing Everest without oxygen tanks. Steck is known for a number of speed records for climbing the highest peaks of the Himalayas and the Alps. In 2014, after the dangerous climb of Annapurna, he promised that he would not aim at Everest, because he "went too far and saw death." 05/03/17 - A German climber died on Tuesday while climbing Mount Ilyimani, the second highest peak in Bolivia with a height of almost 6.5 thousand meters, the DPA agency reported. The young man, who was 29 years old, went to the mountains with a Bolivian guide. They were covered by an avalanche, but the climber's companion survived and escaped with only minor injuries. The body of a German citizen, discovered after 18 hours search operation, was delivered to the city of La Paz. Illimani (6,439 m) is the second highest mountain in Bolivia. An array of four peaks rises above La Paz, which is only 30 km away. According to TASS 6.05 17 - Min Bahadur Sherkhan ( Min Bahadur Sherchan) - the world's oldest climber from Nepal died on May 6 at the base camp while trying to climb Everest again and become the oldest conqueror of the mountain. This was reported on Saturday, May 6, by Reuters, citing the head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Tsering Sherpa. According to him, Sherkhan died on the mountainside at the age of 85 from heart failure. The Ministry of Tourism of Nepal confirmed the death of the climber, but could not give details, citing poor communication with the camp. Nepal has set a minimum age of 16 for climbing the planet's highest point (8848 meters), but there is no upper limit. Currently, the oldest climber who has conquered Everest is 80-year-old Japanese Yuichiro Miura ( Yuichiro Miura). On April 30, the famous Swiss climber, 40-year-old Ueli Steck, died on Everest. He was at the top of Nuptse for acclimatization, after which he planned to climb the highest peak in the world in May using a completely new route. For its endurance and dedication, the Stack was nicknamed the Swiss Machine. He set several records for ultra-fast solo climbs on classic routes. In 2015, he conquered all 82 Alpine peaks above four thousand meters in 62 days. For the entire history of the conquest of Everest more than 250 people died on its slopes. 05/13/17 - Nastya Klimochkina died. Turkclub MSTU named after N.E. Bauman. On the rafting on the river. Upper Rioni in Georgia, Nastya Klimochkina died. A kind, sunny, cheerful person, an excellent comrade, has disappeared! Strength to Nastya's family, friends and everyone who knew her to survive this irreparable loss! Many met with Nastya at schools, outings, rallies, competitions, went hiking together. And no matter how hard it was, she smiled and shared her energy and positive with others. A man is alive as long as he is remembered. So let's forever preserve the memory of friends who have gone to last trip and we will do everything in our power to ensure that tragedies do not repeat themselves. We mourn! Nastya buried at Novoluberetsky cemetery Tourists: minus 6. 05/15/17 - At the Eagle Rocks in Sochi, a climber who escaped died, - Grigory Tkachenko, 64 years old, (Sochi). VIDEO. The day before, on May 14, at about 5 pm, a man called the SURPS and said that a climber had fallen off the Eagle Rocks. According to him, the victim lost consciousness, having received injuries of varying severity. Rescuers who arrived at the scene found the climber on one of the rocky areas. With the help of climbing equipment, he was lowered to the ground and transported on a rigid stretcher to the tourist trail of the Agur Gorge. On the descent, the man's pulse stopped being felt, it was decided to carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The emergency medical staff who arrived on call continued their attempts to resuscitate the man, but to no avail, the man died. Rescuers handed over his body to the police, the press service of the SURPS Ministry of Emergency Situations reported. It is known that the deceased resident of Sochi was born in 1953. Photo: press service of the URPSO EMERCOM of Russia . Climbers: minus 7. 05/22/17 - Four climbers died on Everest. Information from various sources. The bodies of three climbers were found on Everest, another climber went missing, Gazeta.ru reports. The victims were citizens of the United States, Slovakia and Australia. Among the dead are US citizen Roland Yearwood, Slovak Vladimir Strba and Australian Francesco Enrico Marchetti. An Indian climber is listed as missing. Local authorities are working to find him. Alas - found the body of an Indian climber! Body of Indian climber found on Everest's southern slope NEW DELHI, May 22. /Corr. TASS Evgeniya Karmalito/. A search and rescue team has found the body of a 27-year-old Indian climber who went missing two days ago while descending Mount Everest. This was announced by the head of the Nepal Mountaineering Federation Ang Tsering Sherpa. "Communication with Ravi Kumar, who arrived to climb Mount Everest from the city of Moradabad, the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, was lost on Saturday afternoon, when he safely reached the summit and headed back," he said. Nepalese mine rescue specialists. According to Chowang Sherpa, managing director of the company Arun Treks, rescuers found the body of an Indian climber about 200 meters from the climbing route. According to preliminary data, altitude sickness became the cause of death of the man. In this climbing season, six climbers from Nepal have already died in the Everest region from Nepal: five were victims of altitude sickness on the slopes of Everest, another, the famous Swiss climber Ueli Steck, crashed to death during a solo ascent to the neighboring 7000 peak Nuptse. 05/24/17 - Already 10 climbers have died while conquering Mount Everest since mid-April, when the season of safe climbing the mountain opened. This the largest number casualties in recent years. On Tuesday evening, Nepalese Sherpa rescuers discovered the bodies of four more climbers who died on the slope of Everest. The bodies were found in a tent at the last base camp before the summit of Everest. A man and a woman who climbed foreigners and two Nepalese guides were found without signs of life by company guides Seven Summit Treks, who lowered the body of the Slovak Vladimir Strba, who died last Sunday, from the top. Presumably, the climbers suffocated due to lack of oxygen inside the tent. The names of the victims have not yet been released. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and civil aviation Nepal said they were collecting information about the dead bit by bit. It is known that they were climbing as part of the expedition of a new tracking company and on Sunday they stopped communicating. The time of death of the found climbers has also not yet been established. On May 22, it was reported about the death of three climbers on Everest, citizens of the United States, Slovakia and Australia. On May 6, while trying to climb Everest again and become the oldest conqueror of the mountain, the world's oldest climber Min Bahadur Sherkhan from Nepal died. He died at the age of 85 from heart failure. On April 30, the famous Swiss climber, 40-year-old Ueli Steck, died on Everest. He was at the top of Nuptse for acclimatization, after which he planned to climb the highest peak in the world in May using a completely new route. For the entire history of the conquest of Everest more than 250 people died on its slopes. 06/03/17 - Sergei Timofeev passed away. There is one less good person in this world. Seryozha Timofeev, Timokha left. Master of sports in mountaineering, "Snow Leopard", winner of two gold and one silver medal championships of the USSR, three gold, three silver and four bronze medals of the championships of Russia, a member of five Himalayan expeditions. A bright representative of the sporty, still Soviet hardening of mountaineering has left. Captain of the national team of the USSR, RSFSR, RF. First among equals. Leader of golden ascents, tactician, principled to the smallest detail and tediousness. He worked and directed with a hard hand the efforts of the entire team to win. His soul ached for mountaineering. Bright memory you, Seryoga. Condolences to family and friends. Everlasting memory!
It is not difficult to say how avalanches arise: on steep mountain slopes, individual layers of snow or the entire snow cover lose their adhesion to the ground or the underlying layer. Due to the enormous weight of the snow, stress is generated inside the snow mass, leading to cracks; it spreads over them and slides down.
Of course, in reality, the science of avalanches is much more complicated, because snow is not a dead mass, having fallen to the ground from clouds, it is constantly changing. At first, it forms, depending on temperature and wind strength, a relatively light and loose cover. An avalanche can sometimes be set in motion by minor disturbances in the structure of the snow cover.
Even a slight heating on a solar noon can increase the tension between the upper and lower layers of snow so much that it will lead to the excavation of the snow shelf. This cause of avalanches is considered the most common.
The four most dangerous types of avalanches are:
1. Dry avalanches consisting of loose snow are very dangerous. They break into the valley at high speed and are accompanied by a monstrous shock wave that crushes even massive concrete barriers. They form on the principle of a growing snowball.
2. Of particular danger are glacial avalanches, which occur, in particular, when the tongue of a glacier breaks off. With their incredible severity, they develop very high speed. Forces operate in them that can grind even ice, hard as a stone, into powder. Such avalanches have caused many devastating disasters.
3. The term "ground", "soil" and "surface" avalanche designate layers of snow cover that come into motion; soil and soil avalanches slide down the slope and cause its powerful erosion; after the snow melts, the blown material settles at the bottom of the valley. In contrast, surface avalanches slide into the valley on deep, very stable layers of snow.
4. Snow shelves break off along one long line and slide into the valley along their entire width directly along the ground or along an unstable snow layer.
FACTORS PROVOTING AVALANCHES
It is not difficult to say how avalanches arise: on steep mountain slopes, individual layers of snow or the entire snow cover lose their adhesion to the ground or the underlying layer. Due to the monstrous weight of snow, stress is created inside the snow mass, leading to cracks; it spreads over them and slides down.
However, these days, avalanches are increasingly being triggered by reckless skiers and snowboarders. Thrill-seekers, despite the prohibitions, leave the safe track on unstable slopes, getting special pleasure from skiing on virgin snow untouched by skis, and this endangers not only own life but also the lives of other people.
FORMATION OF CRYSTALS
During the daily rhythm with its temperature fluctuations, individual snowflakes disintegrate and stick together into crystals.
The surface of the snow cover hardens, forming a crust. Under the weight of snow, the lower layers are compressed more and more. From the rays of the sun and warm air currents, snowflakes melt and stick together into an ice layer.
If fresh snow falls after this, the danger of avalanches increases sharply for several days, since the new layer initially does not adhere well to the snow crust (which is called firn). Only when it settles and bakes more strongly with the base, the snow cover again acquires greater stability.
The situation becomes especially dangerous in cases where a lot of snow falls or when the old layer of snow has not yet had time to harden. Therefore, avalanche surveillance services take drill samples in particular dangerous places- mainly on steep slopes, ridges and slopes, heavily indented by trenches and mounds - and carefully study individual layers. Thus, the uniformity and strength of the entire snow cover are determined. The weaker the individual layers are interconnected, the higher the risk of avalanches. The situation is assessed by three factors: the structure of the snow cover, weather conditions (by the amount of fresh snow, wind strength and direction) and the terrain (steepness, shape, underlying material, and which way the slope is facing).
Avalanche development
1. Loose snow slides over a layer of denser snow.
2. Having accelerated, a mass of snow can rise into the air.
3. The avalanche picks up speed, sometimes reaching up to 350 km/h.
Dry avalanche
Dry avalanches are composed of loose snow and rush especially rapidly.
They begin with small snow landslides, but due to ground shaking and the occurrence of a shock wave, they quickly increase.
STONES THROWING DOWN
Avalanches also include rock masses falling down, that is, rockfall, collapse, mudflow.
During a rockfall, individual stones or stone blocks fall out of a rocky wall; with a more powerful collapse, a large stone mass collapses or rolls down.
A mudflow is an avalanche consisting of a mixture of stones and liquid mud. Such liquid rock avalanches can be triggered by precipitation or rapid changes in the ice sheet, with often catastrophic consequences. So, in 1938, 200 people died in Los Angeles when a mudflow hit the city.
The first victims of the avalanche were the military.
The first victims of the avalanche, which are mentioned in history, were warriors. When Hannibal with an army in 218 BC moved north through the Alps, White death claimed about 18,000 men, 2,000 horses and several elephants.
The largest snow disaster of modern times is also related to the military. In December 1916, in the First world war on the Austrian-Italian front, in just two days, about 10,000 soldiers found death under avalanches. After a week of continuous snowfall, both belligerents began to fire from artillery pieces slopes located above enemy positions. The shots caused a powerful avalanche, which buried entire sections of the front along with the troops.
During the First World War, avalanches in the Tyrolean Alps claimed 60,000 lives. Italian and Austrian troops fought for three years in the highlands, suffering from lack of supplies, cold and snow. One of the soldiers recalled: “Nature was our most terrible enemy ... Entire platoons were knocked down, blown into the abyss, filled up without a trace.” The heaviest was December 1916, when 4 m of snow fell in 48 hours, which led to avalanches that killed about 10,000 who fought on both sides of the front.
In Peru, the May 31, 1979 earthquake and the resulting avalanche killed 66,000 people. The force of the shocks reached 7.7 on the Richter scale, the epicenter was located near the large port and industrial city of Chimbote, and the consequences were the most disastrous in the 20th century. A massive layer of soil and ice broke from Mount Huascaran, which demolished the village of Ranrairca, destroyed 5,000 inhabitants and filled up the mountain resort of Yungai. Nearly all of its 20,000 inhabitants perished here.
DECEIVELY IDYLL
After many days of heavy snowfalls, the sun finally came out and warmed the western and southern slopes of the mountains. Fresh snow, not yet compacted, began to slide down faster and faster; soon many small and large avalanches were rushing into the valley. According to experts, on steep slopes, their speed reached 400 km / h, which gave enormous energy to the snow masses. Even massive defensive structures and large houses were demolished like toys.
A 300-meter avalanche with a roar broke off in 1999 from the top of Griskopf, bringing death with it.
In the Austrian Galtür on February 23, 1999, 31 people died in a few minutes, and thousands of guests and inhabitants of this skiing paradise were locked up for many days in the Paznau valley.
On the ruins of Galtür
Rescue and assistance to the victims at first had to be dealt with only local residents and their guests-athletes, as the valley was completely cut off from the outside world: the roads were covered with a ten-meter layer of snow. Mountain safety authorities have banned rescuers from making their way along the roads to the affected valley due to the high likelihood of new avalanches. Help to the disaster area arrived only the next day by helicopters of the Austrian Air Force.
Victims suffocate or get crushed
An avalanche can carry up to a million tons of snow from a slope and drive an air shock wave in front of it, which, like a bomb explosion, destroys everything in its path. Whoever meets her on the road will be crushed.
Most avalanche victims die very soon, as a snow wall rushing at a speed of 100 km / h and above creates a shock wave; it instantly clogs the lungs and airways of the victim with snow, and the person dies of suffocation. The survivors of this first onslaught are killed when they find themselves inside an avalanche that hurls them against rocks, trees, and other obstacles at great speed.
How deeper man is buried under an avalanche, the less likely it is to get him out of there alive. After all, if a cubic meter of freshly fallen snow weighs only 60-70 kg, then the packed snow mass of an avalanche presses on the body with a weight of more than a ton, does not allow breathing and simply flattens a person.
Many avalanche victims suffocate already under a meter layer of snow, as fresh air does not reach them.
Therefore, rescuers advise in case of an accident, if possible, press your palms to your face in order to create at least a small space for air, and then the victim, if he is lucky, can hold out until the rescuers arrive. And also, the use of a special one will help the victim hold out for some time until rescuers arrive under a layer of snow.
People covered by an avalanche are searched for by probes. This must be done quickly, because after 20 minutes half of the victims die. The chance of rescue is increased if rescuers and victims carry “ ” with them, which send and receive signals.
STUDYING AVALANCHES
On February 25, 1999, the Sion Valley in the Swiss Alps shook with a terrible roar. In a few seconds the ground shook and the valley was filled with deafening thunder. 600,000 tons of snow fell down the mountainside at a speed of 300 km/h.
In the middle of an avalanche-prone slope, a group of people is sitting in a massive bunker. All of them pinch their ears that hurt from the roar. The bunker is covered with a three-meter layer of hard, like concrete, snow. However, nothing happened to people - they are employees of a Swiss institute that studies snow and avalanches. They have just caused an explosion to cause a dry avalanche, the largest in the world. Thus, they are watching the most terrible danger that can only lie in wait in the mountains - for avalanches, which, despite the huge costs of protective and rescue measures, claim the lives of 150-200 people year after year in the mountains of Europe alone.
To prevent such catastrophes, Switzerland alone has spent over the past 50 years 1.5 billion francs on the construction of barriers against avalanches and another billion on the cultivation of forests that block the path of avalanches. And not without success: if in 1951 98 people died under snow masses, then at the end of the millennium “only” 17. And despite the fact that now the mountainous regions are more densely populated than before, and besides, many skiers come here .
This success is by no means accidental. For more than 70 years, the Alpine Republic has been systematically studying the dangers that snow brings with it. The Central Research Institute was founded near Davos on Mount Weisflujoch (altitude 2662 m). Scientists from various scientific fields are developing topics such as “Formation of snow cover”, “Snow mechanics and avalanche formation”.
The purpose of the research, among other things, is to more accurately and timely predict avalanches and to develop effective protective structures that reduce the damage that avalanches cause to nature and buildings. In its forecasts, the institute works closely with meteorologists, because the danger increases significantly when a lot of fresh snow falls on the old snow layers.
The avalanche watch service operating in the countries of the Alpine region is installing more and more automatic weather stations, but accurate forecast avalanches are still not possible. As before, skiers should remember to take reasonable care in the mountains and avoid dangerous places.
NO ABSOLUTE PROTECTION
Despite all the successes of scientists, avalanches, as before, can suddenly come off the slope. They are born from time to time even in the most seemingly safe places. Sometimes even expensive defensive structures are not able to keep them. Until now, far from all the factors that lead to the fact that snow masses come into motion, crush everything that comes in their path, and drag what they have captured down, have not been studied.
PHOTOS OF AVALANCHES IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE WORLD or DEADLY BEAUTY:
Bezengi wall. Avalanche from Dzhangi-Tau. Photo-Baskakov Andrey
Avalanche between Western and Main Victory
An avalanche from the Bezengi wall that descended between the peaks of Dzhangi-Tau and Katyn. View from the hut Dzhangi-Kosh. Photo by Alexey Dremin
Bezengi, Dykh-Tau, 2009 (4x zoom) Photo: Tatyana Senchenko
Avalanche from Western Shkhara, Bezengi.Photo by Vladimir Chistikov
An avalanche from the Belukha massif flying to the Mensu glacier. January 2003. Photo by Pavel Filatov
Avalanche from the northern wall of the Mizhirgi massif - Dykh-Tau. Photo by Vladimir Kopylov
Avalanche from the northern slopes of Pobeda Peak. Photo by Vladimir Kopylov
An avalanche covering the right edge of the l. Small Tanymas. Photo by Georgy Salnikov
Avalanches from Pobeda Peak
Avalanches from the North Face of Dykh-Tau. Photo by Mikhail Golubev
Elbrus. Winter avalanche from the Northern Face of Donguz-Orun. Photo: Innokenty Maskileison
Antarctica
Krasnaya Polyana. Caucasus
An avalanche descended from one of the five-thousanders of the Caucasus Dzhangitau. Bezengi wall. Photo: Mikhail Baevsky
Avalanche on the railroad in 1935 Canada
Search
We may notify you of new articles,