They said no twice, and we are grateful
Twelve guides, patrollers and rescuers reviewed the build we planned to open to everyone. They blocked it twice. Here is what they caught.
I've been guiding for fourteen seasons, and the hardest part of the job has never been the climbing. It's saying no to someone who really wants to go. So when we set up the safety council, we gave it one real power: the ability to say no to us.
The council is independent. Members are paid for their time, hold no equity, and can block any release for any reason. In September, they reviewed the build we planned to open to everyone. They used that power twice.
What a review actually looks like
We hand the council about 400 real days from past seasons: avalanche cycles, surprise storms, heat waves, rockfall, and plenty of quiet bluebird days. Each member reads the brief Diorite would have written and marks anything they would not want a client to see. Then we sit in a room for two long days, drink too much coffee, and argue.
The first no: sounding too calm
On days the avalanche center rated considerable, our briefs said all the right things, but they said them too gently. Ingrid Solberg put it better than I could: 'The words say be careful. The layout says go skiing.' We rebuilt that section so the danger comes first, in the avalanche center's own words, before any route ideas.
The second no: pace on unfamiliar ground
Diorite learns your pace from past trips. That's great on terrain you know, and not great at all on terrain you don't. A trail runner's pace tells you nothing about a glacier. The council held the release until we added a clear note and a more cautious estimate whenever you're heading somewhere new to you.
The app didn't say anything wrong. It just didn't say the most important thing first.
What changed because of it
- Avalanche danger now leads every winter brief, in the center's own words
- Unfamiliar terrain gets a more cautious pace and a visible note
- Low-confidence windows always come with a turnaround time
- A one-tap report button on every brief that goes straight to the council
We'll share a summary like this after every major review. And if a brief ever feels off to you, please tell us. Your reports are the single most useful thing the council reads.
Written by
Jonas Feld
Head of Safety. IFMGA guide, 14 seasons in the Alps and Himalaya.
