British Skier is One of Six to Die in Avalanches in French Alps This Weekend
It has been a grim weekend and follows heavy snowfall with the authorities advising extreme caution if venturing off piste.
In many areas there has been a Level 4 risk, meaning there is a ‘high’ possibility of avalanches.
The British fatality on Sunday in La Plagne was man in his 50s who was caught in an avalanche while skiing off the marked runs.
More than 50 rescuers searched for him and found the man buried under 2.5m of snow after nearly an hour of searching.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The authorities say he was not wearing an avalanche transceiver.
Elsewhere on Sunday a skier died in an avalanche in Courchevel in Les3Vallees.
There was also an avalanche in Orelle in Les3Vallees on Sunday and a victim has been taken to the hospital of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.
The person’s condition has not been released and it is understood the person was not wearing a transceiver.
In Vallorcine near Chamonix a 32-year-old ski paroller skier died after being caught in an avalanche.
It follows the death of three skiers in two separate avalanches in the French Alps on Saturday.
In Val d’Isere two French off-piste skiers died after being buried by an avalanche in the Lost Valley in the Bellevarde area of the ski area.
They were buried under 2.5m of snow and were not wearing transceivers.
In another incident on Saturday in the Areches-Beaufort resort two off piste skiers were caught in an avalanche.
One died at the scene and the other is in hospital with serious head injuries.
We reported on the tragedies on Saturday:
On Sunday there were numerous other avalanches including one in Tignes.
It happened in an off-piste sector in Palafour.
One person was buried and the victim, who was conscious, was rescued by the ski patrol.
The person was not wearing an avalanche transceiver.
In Arc 1950 an avalanche came across a road and no vehicles were hit.
The road, the RD119, had been closed.
It all follows the heavy snow over the past few days that we have been reporting on PlanetSKI.
There has been ‘considerable’ or ‘high’ avalanche risk across may parts of the northern French Alps and Switzerland.
Here was Sunday’s avalanche forecast in Switzerland:
Avalanche danger in Switzerland, Sunday 11h January. Image c/o Swiss Avalanche Institute.
The risk has fallen for Monday, but it is still at Level 3 – ‘considerable’.
Avalanche danger in Switzerland, Monday 12th January. Image c/o Swiss Avalanche Institute.
More people die in avalanches when the risk is at Level 3, than any other level.
“Fresh snow and large quantities of wind-drifted snow of the last four days are poorly bonded with the old snowpack,” said a statement for the Swiss Institute for Snowe & Avalanche Research.
“Avalanches can in many places be released, even by a single winter sport participant and reach large size in isolated cases.
“Whumpfing sounds and the formation of shooting cracks when stepping on the snowpack can indicate the danger.
“Backcountry touring and other off-piste activities call for experience in the assessment of avalanche danger and caution.”
The new snow has fallen on an unstable base and high winds have moved much snow creating danger spots.
The authorities have re-iterated for extreme caution as the snow pack is highly dangerous.
For those skiers and snowboarders staying on the marked runs the conditions are now excellent after the heavy snow and the passing of the storm.
Here at PlanetSKI we will be updating this article as we receive further details.
We urge everyone out skiing to obey all the rules and advice, and if skiing off piste take all the correct safety equipment and know how to use it.
Stay off any slope that is 30 degrees steep, or threatened by a slope that is 30 degrees.
Ideally hire a trained guide who will find the best snow in the safest conditions possible.
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