avalanche ratings

Do they really mean anything?

Last week I was in Arc 2000. The previous weeks had been cold with light
precipitation so it was quite reasonable that the start of the week the
avalanche risk was set at 2. Then the cold departed and the zero degree
isotherm ascended above 2500m. Friday I was skiing down Comborciere a black run
in a small steep valley. The heat of the day had caused some of the edge of
the valley to slide down leaving avalanche debris across half the piste. I just
skied past it. Saturday arrives it is now raining 2500m. When the weather had
cleared a bit I skied dowm Muguet and Comborciere. A dirty area of snow where
piste basher had flattened the debris and a spot of bare hillside was all that
remained of previous days fall.

As I rode up Pre Saint Esprit my brother pointed out a snow plough clearing snow
that had slipped onto the road. We continued up Arcabulle then headed towards
Arc1850 on Grand Renard. There was a Piste worker setting up a fence to direct
skiers around some more fallen snow from the Aguille Grive. Not too serious it
would hurt if it had hit someone but was only an inconvenient snow pile.

After lunch I am skiing along Grand Renard but decide against going into 1850
and turn down Dents du Peigne (Blue) followed by Lac (Red) and inevitably onto
Edelweiss (Blue) . Here we encountered avalanche debris right across the piste
only stopped by the high bank on the other side. There was a scar all the way
up to Arpette. I was able to ski offpiste around it. At this point I decided
snow conditions were terrible and the light was flat so I stopped skiing early
and went for a shower and clean clothes then wait for the train home.

We saw numerous minor snow slips around the resort and two sizeable avalanches
onto the piste. As we were leaving we noticed that the avalanche risk had
risen to 3. I would think that where many actual avalanches had been occuring
the risk should be more than that.