TOUR PLANNING

THE CORNERSTONE OF A SAFE TOUR

Tour planning is an enormously important part of risk assessment. This is where you determine which tour destination is suitable for the current conditions – it is the cornerstone of a safe tour. 

Current information, such as the avalanche bulletin and the weather report, forms the basis of tour planning. Developed by the German Mountain and Ski Guide Association (VDBS), the DCMR method  is a useful tool for devising structured risk management. As opposed to classic methods, this avalanche assessment strategy offers several practical advantages.  

The four building blocks of DCMR are: Recognize and assess Dangers; estimate Consequences; consider possible Measures; evaluate the Risk. The first step in the DCMR system initially assesses the dangers – particularly the avalanche risk in winter, but also risk of falling, e.g. falling into a crevasse. In the second step, the consequences of the avalanche on the selected slope are looked at. Because both are important when assessing risks: how likely danger is and what the consequences would be in an emergency. Specific measures (e.g. load reduction and safety intervals, route selection, group organization, etc.) can reduce the probability and/or alleviate the consequences of an avalanche. The DCMR method sets four concrete questions about the danger and consequences, each adapted to the relevant level of training. Therefore, this risk management method is very practical both for experts and for the less experienced.