Mountain safety. 

This topic can never be too much spoken. Last weekend a Ski-alpinist was founddead close to a snow-bridge at Are, in Jamtland. This days there is another type of environment and different types of activities that will affect us. First, the global warming will influence the quality of ice and snow. This means that the knowledge and rules are out of play. We must rethink about the quality and form of it. For a ice climber this is crucial. But this meaning that even x-country skiers also must bear in mind that routes over ices and mores will not have the same buoyance as before. The ground of safety you need to consider: adapt the activity to the conditions and your skills. You might should think like a guide, and not
like you are a gud (Sv. For God don’t forget the “I”). Question yourself: Would I have done this with others and with responsibility of  their safety? Or why not hire a guide, at least the first day or days
of the activity to get the knowledge over the area. You often got the culture and history of the area and if you are lucky even a good chef, that will make you nice dinner:-). When it comes to safety,
statistics can be interesting. But notice it is still just statistics. France is one of the country that have a good following up of accidents. When it comes to mountain related activities and accidents in 2012
it was the hiking and mountaineering that was the two most represented in the area. With 38 trauma related death in
hiking and 35 related to mountaineering. This compered to rock climbing with 5 and 1 of Ice/waterfall climbing. When it comes to hiking and mountaineering the most common cause will be slip on snow or ice, and the second is related to falls. Three climbers fall 800m at aiguille du Midi. In theChamonix area the Valle Blanche/Aiguille du Midi area is one of the most exposed, and most visit in the alp area. In 2018 there was 20 deaths related to the area and falls. And looking into avalange area, it is interresting to see that most of the accidents will appear during risk level two and three. We might feel safety with good Equipment and a reliance over our own knowledge level..

Avalange level 2-3 is over represented related to Avalanche accidents.

There is a debate ongoing about the service level of the Swedish mountain stations. One part means that it is good with a high level of service. The otherside means that is to high level, and soon there will be roads to all stations. From my Point of view, I think the Mountains can be open for all categories. If you dont need the high level of service you can still use the smaller cabins. In the long term I Think it will look diffrent out than today. I will write about later here.

When it comes to books for the mountain libary i will suggest two new ones. One old and one new. So lets start with the new one. Fredrik Neregard has written a book about Kebnekaise, Abisko and Riksgränsen. This is a book in the Calazo serie and a very fine guide book over the area. Here you get real good suggeestion of path and places you never been aware of. Maybe one example:

The other book is from 1935 and still up to date. Torsten Boberg and Gosta Olanders ”Till Fjälls i västra Jämtland, en turbok” decribes the routes in the area. Here you can learn a lot over trails that has been forgotten in the area. Also a history discription, such as you have to row about in Enafors over Enan to be able to reach Sylarna. When Reading this book I Think the long trailers will come back in the near future. With the climate debate, and the strive of being extreme and have mountain knowledge, this type of challanges might be more on peoples minds. A seven day tour in the Jamtland will be a real challenge, and with a Boberg mindset it will be real nice. So I Think this will have the impact on mountain stations service level etc. This adventureers will not have the service, or maybe just in the end of the tour..

See ya soon…