Werner Munter

Werner Munter (* 1941 in Lohnstorf, Switzerland ) is a mountain guide, author and security expert on avalanches and alpine climbing. Due to its merits in the avalanche research, he is sometimes referred to as avalanche Pope.

Life

Munter, who lives in Vernamiège at Sion, established the half hitch as a backup node when climbing (English therefore Munter hitch called ), and the Munter brake, a precursor of Abseilachters. Munter is not the inventor of the half hitch, this was already known in antiquity. Munter has invented the so-called half hitch fuse and propagated to use this node.

Munter was particularly well known in the 1990s through his writings for the avalanche, which ushered in a paradigm shift in the practical assessment of avalanche danger. The so-called formula 3x3 as well as the elementary reduction method are probabilistic decision-making strategies for winter and ski mountaineers in particular for assessing the risk of an avalanche in unsecured alpine terrain. Munter has triggered an intense debate in mountaineering and mountain guide circles with his publications. Meanwhile, his formula 3x3 and its reduction method, or similar decision strategies such as the graphical Reduktonsmethode, the Snow Card or the Stop or Go Card propagated by the Alpine clubs.

He was until 2006 external staff at the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research in Davos.

Honors

In 1995 he was nominated for his contributions to Ehrenberg leader of the Swiss Mountain Guides Association. In 1997 he received the eybl security price.

Works

Munter, Werner

• Avalanche for skiers and climbers - ISBN 3-444-50158-7
• 3 × 3 avalanches - ISBN 3-76332-060-1
• Bernese Alps - ISBN 3-76332-415-1
• Mountain climbing mountain hiking and rock climbing I - ISBN 3-44450-161-7
• Climbing II alpine climbing and ski touring - ISBN 3-44450-167-6