Today we saw 4 lives lost in 3 avalanches at 3 different locations, as well as a fourth where the person caught was saved. Tromsø and the surrounding area is a very popular tourist destination for mountain skiers, and every year there’s news of someone being caught in an avalanche. Disregarding advice from locals, or not checking [varsom.no](http://varsom.no), could be the difference between life and death. Please take care of yourself and respect our beatiful but dangerous nature.
7 comments
That can’t be said enough times this time of the year.
When the locals says DONT take that trip to day they don’t say it because they are rude and that want to ruin your vacation. They say it because they have no desire what so ever to send you home in a coffin.
One of the challenges we’re facing, is tourist coming with their own guides and not using local guides because they want to save money and already paid for a package. Please use local guides who knows the lay of the land
I don’t think this would help. Everybody looks at Norway like a playpen. Nothing dangerous in a country with that kind of topography.
To get the snowmobile license you have to take a two day course and a theoretical test. I took the two day course some weeks ago and there they talked about how to be safe in the mountains, they showed us different layers in the snow and how weak layers will become avalanched if there are big enough vibrations etc. (I don’t know if I explained that correctly…)My point is there are so many people who venture into the mountains without thinking about how the forces of nature can fuck you up. Take advice from locals who know what they’re talking about and check varsom.no or download the app.
This isn’t related to norway only. Avalanches are just as common in the Alps and sadly lives get taken by them. Surely many accidents could be avoided. Many go for their adventure aware of the risks.
Please don’t misunderstand me when I say that as an alpinist I fear for regulations and certificates to invade the mountain more than anything else.
That being said listening to locals and properly studying all aspects of the trip should always be done, and I can imagine that many people go there for 5 days and want to do their trip no matter what which is understandable but also quite dumb
Not just when skiing. Listen to locals when going in nature in general.
Not just avalanches, but weather in Norway changes every. TWO. BLINKS.
Check the weather. Check the avalanche risk. Look at windspeed. Even if it’s low, at least Google what the perfect place and conditions for an avalanche look like.