Problem assessing piste:difficulty

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1

Noticed when “gardening” a very small local skiing resort: From the cable car top station two couloirs within easy reach. They show on the slopes map as ski-routes and are advertised as freeride, -70% incline, falls potentially fatal. Picture of sign at start of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODVDHqLXD3g

A bit puzzled now, 70% translates to 34.9 degree. According to German Wiki, that would result in a tag piste:difficulty=easy - up to 35° it says there - International Wiki does specify angles only in skitour, but the same thresholds there.

In Austria and Germany standards exist, easy <25% (14°), intermediate <40% (22°), advanced >40% for the circular markings. This one has a red diamond marking, c.f. Piste - Wikipedia

From gut I’d have given freeride, but now puzzled. Any advise?

2

I think the german wiki is kind of wrong (as usual when it differs from the english version :wink: )

Same layout as the english version

But skitour translated to Abfahrt! This should be changed, but so far I have not edited the wiki myself.

(I know why I - as a german speaker - allways check on the english version if I feel unsure)

I would give it a freeride as well given the fact that it is “sold” under that label and that it is not easy skiing at all…

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3

Thank You! This German Wiki page fully ridiculous. The English version much saner regarding downhill - just copy what the operator signs :slight_smile: I rather not get into a fight over what the Wiki says. Open a topic in the German category?

Gesagt Getan, Schwierigkeit von Skipisten

4

While the German wiki is obviously wrong, it doesn’t make the English one less bonkers. freeride as a difficulty grade, srsly?

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5

Nah, that is just more fallout of what you get when people try to make sense of what the Swiss Alpine Club decrees. Pathless UIAA III “hiking” routes come to mind.

Seriously, the Germans in the follow up topic dug out a table that matches “US, Canada, and Oceania / Europe / Japan / Nordic” against “Skitour”. I easily imagine, that somebody not knowing much about skiing comfortably can turn that into the German table.