Website shows avalanche danger

THE dangers presented by avalanches in the Scottish mountains have been graphically illustrated to climbers and walkers.

A new mapping system shows up to 3,000 avalanches that have occurred since 1990 and are now recorded on the Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) website.

The incidents have been recorded by SAIS forecasters or reported to the service in five areas: Creag Meagaidh, Glencoe, Lochaber, and the northern and southern Cairngorms.

The service says knowledge of recent avalanche activity is one of the best indicators of snow stability. It has developed a new online avalanche reporting form to allow mountain users to input information accurately, using the pinpoint mapping facility.

SAIS coordinator Mark Diggins said: "This is invaluable information which enables us to present recent avalanche activity on to our mapping system - all-important in not only helping us to verify avalanche hazard but, most crucially, provide important information to others who intend to go into the hills, helping with decision-making and enabling good route choice in the winter mountains."

He said 90 per cent of the time, if people are involved in avalanches they have triggered them themselves.