SAFETY INFORMATION FOR ACTIVE WINTER SPORTS FANS

PLEASE REPORT ALL ALPINE ACCIDENTS DURING SKI LIFTS' OPERATING TIMES

In case of a skiing accident, an avalanche, etc. you are kindly asked to call immediately the Alarm Office at Gaislachkogl middle station:

tel +43 (0)5254-508 825

DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF SKI TRAILS

The signposted ski area is divided into marked trails and off-piste ski areas.

PISTE - SKI ROUTE		OFF-PISTE SKI AREA
PISTE - SKI ROUTE	SKIROUTE	VARIANT

Marked	Marked	NOT marked



Sufficiently wide slopes	Width NOT defined	NOT tracked at all



Groomed	NOT groomed	NOT groomed



Controlled	NOT controlled	NOT controlled



Protected against atypical hazard	Protected against avalanche hazards	NOT protected against Alpine hazards!

The entire range of difficulty levels:
	Easy (Blue Piste): The gradient of the ski trails does not exceed 25% (both longwise and crosswise), except in some short off-piste sections.
	Intermediate (Red Piste): The gradient of the ski trail does not exceed 40% (both longwise and crosswise), except in some off-piste sections.
	Difficult (Black Piste): The gradient of this ski trail exceeds the maximum parameters of the Red Piste.
	Ski Route: This is an accessible downhill ski trail suitable for skilled sportsmen with the appropriate winter sports equipment. It is a marked ski trail but protected only against avalanche hazards (and not against other hazards). The ski trail is NOT groomed and NOT controlled.

ALPINE HAZARDS - AVALANCHE HAZARDS
	ALPINE HAZARDS! Bear in mind that you are in high Alpine regions! You leave the marked ski trails at your own risk and on your own responsibility. In glacier regions there is always and everywhere a risk of crevasses in off-piste areas. DON'T RISK YOUR LIFE!
	AVALANCHE HAZARD If the avalanche hazard for a ski trail or ski route is rated high the ski trail/route and its surrounding area must be closed immediately! In case that all ski trails/routes of a certain ski lift have to be closed, the ski lift must either be closed or the passengers are not allowed any more to take winter sports equipment with them.
	Avalanche hazard signs and warning lights always require absolute attention! Closed ski trails/routes: It is strictly forbidden to ski down a closed ski trail/route, not even at your own risk. The local avalanche commission, an expert team of certified volunteers, can either close or open the ski trails/routes and public roads, always depending on the current weather conditions.
	AVALANCHE HAZARD IN OFF-PISTE SKI AREAS Attention has to be paid every time you leave the marked ski area (ski trails/routes). Hazards - especially avalanche hazards - in high Alpine regions should never be underrated. Check the avalanche hazard scale daily and if necessary hourly! Every skier is responsible for his own actions and decisions in the off-piste ski area. If the avalanche report issued by the Avalanche Warning Center states a high risk of avalaches (level 4 or 5 according to the European Avalanche Scale) all avalanche warning lights on the local information plates and boards are turned on.

OPERATING TIMES - CLOSED SKI TRAILS/LIFTS
	For your own safety, it is essential that you pay attention to the information plates at the ski lifts, displaying operating times and conditions of ski trails. The last control takes place right after the ski lifts close. Out of the official operating times there is no control of hazards on the slopes - Please be extremely careful and pay attention! There is always a risk of injuries due to grooming vehicles, uneven spots, ropes, cables and tubes of snow-making machines. WE ACCEPT NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ACCIDENT!
	Lifts can be stopped at any time due to safety reasons: Extreme weather conditions (avalanche hazards, storms,...) in high Alpine regions are often the reason for closing ski lifts and ski trails. These safety measures are absolutely necessary and also embodied in the National Austrian Law issued by the responsible Ministry..
Source: „Leitfaden: Die Verkehrssicherungspflicht für Skiabfahrten", SITOUR GmbH, 1999