The Reality Behind the Ski Resort Dream
Living in a picturesque ski resort in the French Alps might seem like an idyllic winter escape, but for 53 dedicated individuals in Les Menuires, the season is anything but relaxing. These brave men and women serve as ski patrollers and first responders, tirelessly responding to falls, treating injuries, and managing accidents both on and off the slopes. While most skiers enjoy the marked runs—ranging from green for beginners to black for experts—thrill-seekers venturing off-piste face deadly risks, with avalanches claiming dozens of lives this year at resorts in France, Austria, and Russia, prompting 'extreme risk' warnings.
A Day in the Life of a Ski Patroller
In Les Menuires, part of the popular Les Trois Vallées area, the ski patrol team comprises 53 patrollers (including seven women and 46 men), three avalanche dog handlers, 31 snowcat drivers, four snowmakers, and two snowpack and weather observers. Their day starts early at 7:30 AM with avalanche control, using methods like triggering small avalanches to secure slopes before the first chairlift opens at 9:05 AM. By 8:30 AM, they gather at the patrol base atop a mountain for equipment preparation and a briefing on weather conditions and daily hazards.
Gilles Roux-Mollard, Slope Manager at Les Menuires, estimates that on-slope rescues occur at a rate of about one per 10,000 lift passes, totaling around 1,400 rescues per season, with fewer than 10% involving collisions. However, the most perilous incidents happen off-piste, where avalanche risks are heightened. Recent tragedies, such as the deaths of skiers in Val-d'Isère and Arêches-Beaufort, underscore the dangers.
Rescue Techniques and Technology
To combat these threats, the patrol employs a multi-faceted approach. For off-piste rescues, they rely on three key tools: transceivers, RECCO systems, and avalanche dogs. Transceivers emit radio signals to locate buried victims, but patrollers note that only about 20% of off-piste skiers carry them. If transceivers are absent, the RECCO system—with reflectors in ski jackets and detectors on helicopters—can locate victims within 100 meters. As a last resort, specially trained dogs, like Labradors or Border Collies, are deployed, capable of finding people buried under snow in minutes.
Innovatively, Les Menuires is the first resort worldwide to integrate drones into rescue operations. Equipped with thermal cameras and zoom lenses, these drones help locate thermal signals beneath ice, especially useful in nighttime rescues. The team also envisions using drones for controlled avalanche triggers in the future, pending regulatory approval.
Costs and Education for Safety
Rescue operations come with significant costs, ranging from €73 for basic interventions to over €1,300 for off-piste helicopter rescues. Despite these challenges, the patrollers emphasize education over judgment. They urge skiers to utilize information screens, webcams, and tourist offices in Les Trois Vallées to understand the risks. As one patroller stated, "We have such a short time with them, and there's no judgement. We're just doing our jobs." Their message is clear: preparedness, including carrying essential gear like shovels and probes, is crucial for mountain safety.
