Mysnowmaps® is a free platform dedicated to the planning and sharing of off-piste excursions. It is devoted to outdoor fans, like backcountry skiers, freeriders and snowshoers, that preferably select off-piste environments, where it is possible to fully taste the genuine character of winter mountain and enjoy uncontaminated landscapes.

The satisfaction to “conquer” your own track, however, requires a proper training under various points of view.

This is why we decided to develop the white paper for planning the off-piste outdoor excursion of Mysnowmaps: download it now and plan with consciousness your next excursions!

Calculate the residual risk (Munter reduction method)

Snow-avalanches conditions

Avalanche hazard level 1 2 3 4 5

Snow type Dry wet

Select reduction factors (RF)

Maximum slope steepness more than 40° (RF 1) slope steepness between 36° and 40° (RF 2) 35° circa (FR 3) less than 35° (RF 4)

Aspect I choose north-oriented slopes (NW-N-NE)(RF 1) I avoid north-oriented slopes (NW-N-NE) (RF 2) I avoid partially north-oriented slopes WNW-ENE (RF 3) I avoid all slopes/elevation ranges considered critical by the avalanche bulletin (RF 4)

Degree of presence on the slope Regularly explored (RF 2) Not regularly explored (RF 1)

Group dimension and distances large group without safety distance (RF 1) up to 4 persons (RF 2) up to 4 persons, at least 10 m distance (RF 3) large group maintaining at least 10 m distances (RF 2)

The residual risk is:

If the avalanche hazard is too high, none of the common precautions may mitigate the risk level to a reasonable value. DON'T GO!