Staying safe in the mountains in winter

Six tips for your ski trip

1. 1Choose the right gear. Clothes and boots should stand up to wind and wet and be worn in several layers.
2. 2Tell someone where you are going. Someone should know your route and when you expect to be back, so they can raise the alarm.
3. 3Adapt the trip to the weather. Read local forecasts, for example from SMHI, and respect mountain weather warnings.
4. 4Follow marked trails. There are thousands of kilometres of trails with distance markers, cabins and emergency phones, and the trails reduce the risk of ending up in avalanche terrain.
5. 5Bring a map and compass. GPS is good, but batteries drain fast in the cold.
6. 6Ask experienced people. Those who are often in the mountains know a lot about routes, bridges and conditions.

The avalanche forecast

The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency publishes avalanche forecasts every day at 18:00 from mid-December to mid-May, on lavinprognoser.se. The forecasts cover six popular areas:

• Western Härjedalen mountains (including Funäsdalen, Ramundberget, Ljungdalen and Helags)
• Southern Jämtland mountains (including Bydalen, Åre, Storulvån and Sylarna)
• Southern Lapland mountains
• Western Vindel mountains (including Hemavan and Tärnaby)
• Kebnekaise mountains
• Abisko and Riksgränsen mountains

The danger is given on the European five-level scale: 1 low, 2 moderate, 3 considerable, 4 high and 5 very high. Read the whole forecast, not just the number: it also says where and on which slopes the danger is. If you ski off-piste in avalanche terrain you need training and equipment.

If something happens

Call 112 if someone is injured or in danger, and mountain rescue is alerted. Where there is no coverage, there are emergency phones along many trails.