Henry’s Avalanche Talk Launches New Academy And Takes Tour Virtual

Henry’s Avalanche Talk, the organisation that helps skiers and snowboarders stay safe when venturing off-piste and touring, has launched a new Academy program as well as taking the well-attended tour online as a live virtual event. HAT is endorsed by snow-safety brand ORTOVOX and the French Avalanche Association (ANENA).

• New HAT Academy takes skiers through off-piste educational journey with ‘Safety is Freedom’ theme
• Live talks, The Essentials and In-Depth now all Zoom based
• Avalanche Transceiver Training remains in place as an outdoor event
• HAT training has been proven to save lives over the last 20+ years

Both talks and the HAT Academy program are suitable for all levels of off-piste skiers and ski tourers, from the initiation level, to experts.

The new Academy, where participants can choose between a weekday or weekend version, is a series of In-Depth modules that run either over two Saturday’s in November (7^th and 21^st), or on every Thursday evening from October 29 to December 17), with eight separate live and interactive sessions that last for around one hour. The programs will be limited to small groups of people with discussions taking place following any presentations by Henry Schniewind, founder of HAT.

Topics covered in the academy include The Essentials, How Avalanches are Triggered, The Human Factor, Managing a Rescue and creating and using a checklist. It’s geared towards both experienced off-piste skiers and those who want to start exploring the terrain beyond the marked ski runs.

Henry Schniewind, founder of HAT, said: “The HAT Academy will give me the chance to get to know people and to provide them with practical help and guidance. With fewer people and more time, we can explore everyone’s questions. I know every participant will walk away with better knowledge and be better equipped to stay safe in the off piste and make better decisions. Our Safety is Freedom framework and checklist is a unique way to assess and manage risk. The HAT Academy is the best way to experience it”.

For anyone that wants to take part in both The Essentials and In-Depth talks that always take place during the autumn throughout the UK, they can still participate online during two, one-hour sessions spread across different dates. The talks are a ‘must-do’ for anyone thinking of heading off-piste in the mountains, whether with or without a qualified guide.

The Avalanche Transceiver Training program, where participants learn and practice the skills to help find buried avalanche victims quickly, are going ahead as usual with events in Wimbledon Common, Poole (Sandbanks) and Manchester (Sale Water Park). HAT is following the government guidelines for outdoor events and group sizes will be kept to a maximum of 6 people (one session – 2 groups of 6 people max), socially distanced. 

A particular focus for 2020 will be to show how off-piste skiing and ski touring can be surprisingly safe when ‘the essentials’ are applied. However, it can be surprisingly dangerous if that knowledge is not applied.

Henry said: “We’re going to discuss the latest lessons from recent research on the Human Factor and how it applies to decision making and risk taking in the backcountry and off-piste skiing. Why it is that when there are clear clues indicating danger, people who ‘should know better’ (have the basic training needed in order to recognise these clues), still get caught out in avalanches?”