OCR Text |
Show 9 the running of individual parts must have occurred. The snow cover had withstood this loading, even at the time of reduced bearing capacity. It is a generally valid assumption made by experienced alpinists that, as a rough rule, no more danger exists on. such a slope after the running of surface snow sluffs, and especially not after the refreezing of the remaining snow surface. This judgement ought still to have future validity as a rule of thumb even when several exceptions- especially on steep zones-- are known. b. Tracks in the Accident Terrain Up to this point the question of whether new ski tracks had been present at the accident site was controversial and unresolved. The film also brought clarification to this subject. It is clearly established that on the slope slightly south of the marked rock outcrops and with the same orientation as the accident slope, there had been numerous tracks present at the tTme of the accident. It was also established that at least three skiers had crossed the accident slope in the direction of the rock tooth. According to testimony of the accident party, these tracks would have run down the fall line to the valley north of the rocks, that is, in the zone of the primary avalanche. Because the actual extension of these ski tracks south of the rocks cannot be recognized in the film, it is assumed that the skiers concerned descended in a direction toward the basin where the accident occurred. In reference to the time at which the unknown skiers made these tracks, I conclude this must have been Saturday noon or afternoon. Sunday morning is excluded, for the tracks had been made in significantly softer snow than would have been present here before 1000 hrs. on Sunday. |