If you slide on old snow, every second counts: roll onto your belly, push-up position, toes and hands into the snow. How to practise braking safely.
What do you do when you start sliding on a snowfield and have no ice axe? The Alpine Club's honest answer: immediately roll onto your belly, get into a push-up position, spread arms and legs slightly, dig your toe tips into the snow and claw in with your hands at the same time [1]. The faster you are, the harder it is to stop the slide [1]. That is why every second counts.
Why this is so serious, the Alpine Club also says: many overestimate friction on hard firn and underestimate acceleration. Even on moderate slopes you reach, after 5 to 10 metres of sliding, a speed that can no longer be controlled, and on a 40-degree firn slope almost free-fall speed [1]. Slopes of 30 degrees also carry a risk few are aware of [1]. For comparison: 40 degrees is about 84 % gradient, steeper than most black ski runs. Of 77 fatal hiking accidents in the canton of Bern, all were the result of a fall [3].
Important and honest: I found no study showing how reliably braking without an ice axe works. The technique comes from Alpine Club recommendations. Preventing is better than stopping. Plan time to practise in safe terrain. A course with a mountain guide is the safest shortcut.
The best braking is the one you never need. Cross only if at least the top 10 cm of the snowpack is softened so you can kick steps [1]. Stand upright, hip slightly bent inward, centre of gravity over the downhill boot, arms slightly out or use poles [1]. Kick sickle-shaped steps slightly into the slope [2].
Milestone: you recognise when a snowfield is too hard or too steep and turn back.
If you slide: immediately roll onto your belly, do not think first. If you slide on your back or side, turn toward the slope. (Turning toward the slope is practice, rolling onto the belly is Alpine Club recommendation [1].)
Milestone: on the practice slope you roll onto your belly in under 2 seconds.
Arms and legs slightly spread, body extended, toe tips dug into the snow, hands flat and clawed in firmly [1]. Weight on hands and toes, do not lay the pelvis down (practice).
Milestone: on the practice slope you come to a stop from the slide in push-up position.
When speed drops, keep pressing until you lie still. Lie calmly for a moment before moving and check whether you are injured.
Milestone: after the stop you lie still for 5 seconds, breathe and check your situation.
Practise braking on a gentle snowfield with a safe, stone-free run-out, ideally in a course or with experienced company, wearing gloves and a jacket. After three runs you feel how your body behaves when rolling. Practise with children too if they come along, but only on gentle slopes without stones [1].
Roll onto your belly, push-up position, spread arms and legs slightly, dig toe tips into the snow and claw in with your hands [1]. The faster you are, the harder it gets, so act immediately.
Even 30 degrees carry a risk; at 40 degrees a slide reaches almost free-fall speed [1]. On hard firn you cannot control the slide after only 5 to 10 metres [1].
For balance yes, for stopping a fall no [2]. Snow spikes clearly improve grip [1].
When the snowfield or conditions do not match your abilities, or the field leads into rocky terrain or a drop-off. Old snowfields can be a good reason to cancel a tour [1][2].
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