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Findings from this study
Knowledge about hazards increases safety and reduces risk.
Experience leads to safer behavior and more careful equipment control.
Men consciously take risks more often than women.
Men consciously take risks more often than women.
Summary of this study
The study deals with the increasingly popular trend of ski touring in the Alps, especially in the area of backcountry ski touring (BCST), i.e. the ascent and descent in unsecured, open terrain with special ski touring equipment.
The aim of the research was to investigate the risk behavior and risk avoidance behavior of ski tourers and to record their assessed expertise during ascent and descent. To this end, an online survey was conducted with 300 participants, supported by alpine clubs, ski associations and other interest groups in Austria.
Gender differences: Men stated significantly more often that they consciously expose themselves to danger than women. However, both men and women show a high awareness of safety measures such as checking equipment and taking weather conditions into account. Skill level: People with a higher self-assessment of their skills tend to pay more attention to safety, especially FIS rules and potential dangers, than less experienced ski tourers.
The study recommends introducing targeted preventative measures to increase safety. These include, for example, awareness campaigns and training programs that specifically address different levels of experience and gender.
Particularly important: even if the overall risk is considered to be rather low, the results underline the importance of raising awareness and further training in order to avoid accidents in the backcountry.