Dear snow and avalanche enthusiast,
dear ÖGSL/ AASA member,
first of all a happy new year 2022.
Full of health, contentment and happiness.
As always, in this newsletter you will find a review and outlook of our activities, news and events.
Early winter highlights
What has happened since the last newsletter at the end of September?
- SLABS
The project to implement the SLABS – the digital standard reference for methods and techniques for recording observations in the field of snow and avalanches – is gaining momentum. As announced in the last newsletter, in the fall we sought to recruit experts from our AASA family to serve as editors for the SLABS. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and we are pleased that we can now move forward with a core team of editors to begin the first phase of implementation. By the end of March, the American standards (SWAG) will be edited and adapted to the Austrian requirements.
- Events
The AASA again organized two schnee.semmelnare and a workshop since the beginning of the winter season in October.
In the first Semmelnar of the season, which was organized in cooperation with our strategic partner Protect our Winters (POW), climatologist Bernhard Hynek from ZAMG informed us about scientific findings and forecasts on the effects of climate change on winters in the Alps.
In the Semmelnar in November, on the other hand, the focus was entirely on the past. Sigfried Sauermoser gave an insight into his exciting doctoral thesis and highlighted avalanche events on the alpine front during the First World War from 1915 to 1918.
The two semmelnars at the beginning of winter were then followed by an interactive online workshop on first aid in avalanche emergencies at the end of November in cooperation with Manuel Genswein from MountainSafety.info as well as Martin Gurdet, Klaus Wagenbichler, Alexander Egger and Tobias Huber from the Austrian Mountain Rescue Service and Ingrid Reiweger from BOKU Vienna. In the two-hour event, knowledge was refreshed and new insights were conveyed in an entertaining manner in lectures as well as application-oriented scenarios. Over 500 people participated live in the digital workshop.
All schnee.Semmelnare as well as the workshop can be viewed in the AASA library at any time.
Experts from the Austrian Mountain Rescue Service, MountainSafety.info as well as BOKU Vienna imparted their knowledge in various lectures and scenarios in the workshop on first aid in avalanche emergencies.
- Measuring campaign
In the last newsletter, a measurement campaign on the topic of “Digitizing Snow Cover Tests” was announced loudly, which should have taken place at the beginning of December. Who could have guessed: Unfortunately, a lockdown put a spoke in our wheel. The whole thing has been postponed to the end of the winter season – without setting a precise date yet. If there are any news, we will of course communicate them.
However: There will soon be a schnee.Semmelnar on this topic. See below under “Events”.
Partnerships
We are especially happy to introduce our new sponsoring partner, the Open Faces Freeride Series, who will support us with a big sponsorship package starting this season.
The Open Faces Freeride Series, based in Tyrol, has been one of the most important freeride qualifier event series in Europe for many years. Freeride contests from beginners to pros are offered at various locations in Austria.
Together with the Open Faces Freeride Series and the organizers of the Freeride World Tour stop in Fieberbrunn, ÖGSL is organizing specific talks this winter season, during which in-depth knowledge of snow and avalanche science will be imparted in a relaxed manner during the events.
Of course we will let you know in time where and when the talks will take place.
The Open Faces Freeride Series is a new sponsoring partner of the AASA. (©Ablinger)
Hats & more
Since our old hats – which we already had produced for the ISSW in 2018 (when the AASA officially didn’t even exist yet) – were out of stock, we decided to commission some new merchandising items.
Brand new and practically fresh out of the oven, here are the photos of the first two models! The beanies will probably also be ready in the coming days and are already eagerly awaited by cold ears.
These caps (and beanies) will be available for purchase at future public events!
Events
Traditionally at the end of the AASA Newsletter a short preview of upcoming events.
- schnee.semmelnar | October
Date: 10. Oktober 2021
Time (Main program): 12:00 – 13:00 Uhr (MEZ)
Language: German
Registration & Costs: free of charge.
Homepage: https://www.oegsl.at/web-schnee-semmelnar-10-01-2022/
The first schnee.Semmelnar of the new year is about “Force measurements during the compression test“. The guest speaker is Silke Griesser. In her final thesis at BOKU Vienna, Silke used pressure sensors to investigate which stresses are generated by the force application, and how these are influenced by the snow properties and other factors.
- Annual Spring Meeting 2022
Date: May 13, 2022
Early this year we would like to inform you about the date of the AASA General Assembly and the Annual Spring Meeting. Mark this date red in your calendar. If only possible we would like to get together again this year in person and celebrate the end of the winter season together. Some formal necessities besides interesting lectures and casual get together.
At this point we would like to thank you for reading.
the ÖGSL/ AASA.