European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 26, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Ski Europe on top of the world extends the season s run on both ends staff writer like it or not is your Only option when it comes to jump starting or stretching the Normal ski season. Glacier skiing practically unknown in the United states is part and parcel of the european ski experience. Most european ski resorts Don t kick off their seasons until Early december if you want to ski sooner than that and incredible numbers of skiers do then you Are going to have to head High into the mountains do so with great .care.v. A .,.-.vglaciers great Rivers of constantly moving and changing ice should be respected and feared. More often than not Novice skiers Haven t the ability to pleasurably and safely ski them. They should uttry. V Jean Claude Killy who made olympic history when he swept three Gold medals in 1968, nearly perished on a Glacier. He recounts How he and friends had stopped for refreshments at a Mountain hut while on mount Blanc Europe s loftiest Peak with the Assumption that the area immediately around the hut would be Safe Why else would they have built it there strolled about with my skis Over my shoulder when suddenly my feet broke through the crust and i fell into a narrow Crevasse. Fortunately almost miraculously the Crevasse was narrow enough so that my skies caught on either Side leaving me hanging from them by one Arm with my feet dangling in the air. For me it was a Nightmare and very nearly my final act. In crevasses Snow Bridges and cornices can present traps for the unwary unless you treat them with awareness and sorry for that Little scare tactic but it is important to know that glaciers can and do kill people. The Cardinal Rule to follow when skiing glaciers is to always stay within the defined ski areas. These Are usually clearly marked out by Means of poles topped by multicoloured plastic globes. Stay within these fences and you should t face any great peril. Potentially lethal dangers such As crevasses generally Are guarded by various safety barriers. Give these As wide a berth As possible. Glaciers some vast and some Humble Tumble Down the Alps. Getting to them invariably involves crawling up serpentine roads or taking mile High Cable cars. Is the Effort Worth it much depends upon the cooperation of the weather. On these autumn weekends ski clubbers Stream from american bases in Europe in search of . Austria s four resorts Kapraun Hinte Tux Stubavi and Solden grab the bulk of their business. We headed to Solden on one of the regularly scheduled armed forces recreation Center Tours from Carmich Germany in mid september to see just what thrills its 10,000-foot-High Glacier could deliver. We arrived on a Gray cold Windy saturday afternoon. The streets were deserted. Snow was forecast for the next Day on the Glacier. The Prospect of skiing in wind in near Zero visibility on a continued on Page 16 Lviv a v x Akk 1 i of 4vwv Flaa Sam a t " off. J. V Wjk x \ f \ smiling skiers emerge from the Mist and ride to bars up the Mountain to try the glacial Snow at Solden Austria. So Carlos Bongioanni october 26, 1994 15
