Accident Statistics

Avalanches > Accident Statistics

Contents

  1. French Avalanche and Off-Piste Accidents 2002 - 2003
  2. French Avalanche and Off-Piste Accidents 2003 - 2004
  3. French Avalanche and Off-Piste Accidents 2004 - 2005
  4. French Avalanche and Off-Piste Accidents 2005 - 2006
  5. French Avalanche and Off-Piste Accidents 2006 - 2007
  6. French Avalanche and Off-Piste Accidents 2007 - 2008

French Avalanche and Off-Piste Accidents 2008 - 2009

The following table is a summary of the winter sports accidents recorded by PisteHors.com for the 08-09 season. This covers a nivological year, from the 1st October 2008 to the 30th September 2009. It is just a small cross section of off-piste and winter sports accidents although the figures for avalanche fatalities is complete. This information is provided to give an idea of the dangers posed to backcountry travellers. The information is compiled from reports sent to us and from some media reports.

The French Avalanche Research Association (ANENA) maintain statistics of avalanche accidents compiled principally from information supplied by the rescue services. Their database contains all incidents involving fatalities and probably around a quarter of non-fatal incidents.

Data Avalanche is another database of avalanche incidents.

An analysis of backcountry and off-piste accidents for last season is available for download.

Date Injuries Deaths Range Department Location Experience Activity Cause Remarks Rescue Nationality Time altitude Aspect Risk
5/10/2008 1 0 Vanoise Savoie Tignes/Grand Motte   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche edge of piste Piste Services         -
14/10/2008 2 0 Mont Blanc Haute-Savoie Mont Blanc du Tacul   Climbing Avalanche triggered by seracs PGHM Polish 19h30      
23/11/2008 0 1   Alpes-Maritimes Auron/Donas Y Ski Touring Fall alone PGHM French        
29/Nov/2008 1 0   Isere Taillefer Y Ski Touring Avalanche   CRS des Alpes French 11h30      
29/Nov/2008 4 0   Isere Col d'Ornon   Climbing Avalanche   Fire Services          
30/Nov/2008 0 1 Belledonne Isere Grand Sorbier Y Ski Touring Avalanche   CRS des Alpes French     SW  
06/Dec/2008 0 1 Beaufortin Savoie Arêche/Couloir du Chornay   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche   Surface Indication French 10h20  1950 W  
7/Dec/2008 1 0 Belledonne Isere Grand Vans Y Ski Touring Avalanche           NW 4
7/Dec/2008 0 1 Ubaye Alpes de Haute-Provence Col de Larche - Ski Touring Avalanche     Italian 15h00 2300 NE 4
7/Dec/2008 0 1 Mercantour Alpes Maritimes Isola 2000/ Boumphrey black - Off Piste Snowboarding Avalanche buried under 2m snow Organized Probe Search French 12h00 2500 NE 4
8/Dec/2008 1 0 Grandes Rousses Isere Alpe d'Huez/Sarenne - Off Piste Snowboarding Avalanche         2500 SE  
13/Dec/2008 1 0 Vanoise Savoie La Plagne/Couloir Rosset - Off Piste Snowboarding Avalanche Fractured Vertebrae No beacon/Surface Slide British 14h00 2300 N  
13/Dec/2008 0 0 Massif Central Puy-de-Dome Puy Barbier - Ski Touring Avalanche One skier completely buried Surface indications/Self French - - E  
14/Dec/2008 1 1 Jura Ain Mont Rond - Snowshoeing Avalanche   surface Swiss 15h00 1200 SE -
14/Dec/2008 1 0 - Savoie Pont de Beauvoisin - Snowshoeing Train              
14/Dec/2008 1 0 Chablais Haute-Savoie Bernex/Thollon-les-Mémises   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche   Self rescue          
23/Dec/2008 0 1 Vanoise Savoie la Plagne - Off Piste Snowboarding Fall into river PGHM French        
28/Dec/2008 0 2   Savoie Champigny en Vanoise - Off Piste Snowboarding Fall over cliffs PGHM Belgium   1700    
1/Jan/2009 1 0 Chablais   lac de la Tavaneuse   Ski Tour Avalanche         1800    
8/Jan/2009 1 0 Restonica Corsica Lac de Melo - Ski Touring Avalanche Skier buried by 50cm of snow Surface indication French 16h30 1700    
10/1/2009 0 2 Chablais   Sixt Y Climbing Avalanche   Surface/dog French     E 2
11/1/2009 1 0   Hautes-Alpes Montgenevre/Plane   Off piste snowboarding Avalanche     Russian 17h00 2500    
20/1/2009 0 1 Chablias Haute-Savoie les Gets/Mont Chery Y Off piste skiing Avalanche   Probe French     N  
20/1/2009 0 1 Lauziere Savoie Valmorel Y Off piste skiing Avalanche   Beacon French 13h15      
20/1/2009 1 0 Aravais Haute-Savoie la Clusez/Etale   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche   Beacon          
20/1/2009 0 0 Mont-Blanc Haute-Savoie Brevent/couloir sous la Bergerie   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche   Eye-witness/PGHM          
20/1/2009 5 0   Alpes-de-Haute-Provence col de Larche Y Ski touring Avalanche     French        
22/1/2009 1 0   Hautes-Alpes Serre Chevalier/Montagnole   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche   CRS des Alpes   16h00 2300   3
22/1/2009 1 0     Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye Y Ski touring Avalanche   Self rescue          
22/1/2009 1 0 Maurienne Savoie St Sorlin d.Arves   Off Piste Skiing Fall fall through ice into stream CRS des Alpes          
24/1/2009 0 2 Giffre Haute-Savoie Flaine/Arbaron   Snow shoeing Avalanche triggered by cornice fall Piste Patrol/Fire brigade/Dog   16h00      
24/1/2009 0 1 Ecrins Isere les Deux Alpes/combe de Thuit   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche closed run CRS des Alpes   15h00 1600    
24/1/2009 0 0   Savoie Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis - Off piste skiing Avalanche   Self rescue          
24/1/2009 1 2 Lauziere Savoie Valmorel/Marquis - Off piste skiing Avalanche   Piste patrol/Probe          
24/1/2009 1 0 Mont-blanc Haute-Savoie les Houches/Prarion Y Off piste skiing Avalanche   PGHM/Beacon French 10h45      
25/1/2009 0 2 Beaufort Savoie Areches/Legette du Mirantin Y Ski touring Avalanche   Eye witness/Piste Patrol/Dog French 13h00 2000    
25/1/2009 0 1 Maurienne Savoie la Toussuire   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche   Avalanche dog Swiss        
25/1/2009 0 0   Savoie Valfrejus/couloir du Seuil   Off Piste Snowboarding Avalanche   Self rescue          
27/1/2009 0 1 Pyrenees Hautes-Pyrenees Bareges/col de Sencours Y Ski touring Avalanche members of CRS CRS/PGHM French 16h00     4
14/2/2009 0 1 Parpaillon Hautes-Alpes Crevoux/crete de la Ratelle/vallon du Pellat Trainee Guide Ski Touring Avalanche   PGHM French   2500   3
22/2/2009 0 1 Grandes Rousses Isere Alpe d'Huez/Campanules   Between Pistes Fall   CRS French 13h00      
22/2/2009 0 2 Vanoies Savoie Bonneval Sur Arc/Couloir du Midi   Off Piste Skiing Fall   Piste Service/PGHM French        
25/2/2009 0 1   Alpes-de-Haute-Provence montagne de Lure/Petit-Sommet   Snow Shoeing Fall/Corniche   PGHM French        
26/2/2009 1 0 Mont Blanc Haute-Savoie Crest Volond   Off Piste Snowboarding Fall   Fire Brigade British PM      
27/2/2009 1 0 Ecrins Isere la Grave/Chancel   Off Piste Skiing Fall       14h00      
28/2/2009 1 0 Ecrins Hautes-Alpes la Grave   Off Piste Skiing Fall   PGHM          
28/2/2009 1 0 Vecors Isere Gresse/Pas de la ville   Ski Touring Laceration by skis   PGHM          
28/2/2009 1 0 Mont Blanc Haute-Savoie Vallee Blanche   Off Piste Skiing Crevasse Fall   PGHM          
28/2/2009 1 0     Ventoux/combe de Fonfiole   Climbing Avalanche   Fire Brigade          
28/2/2009 1 0 Ecrins Isere les Deux Alpes   Walking Roof Avalanche              
28/2/2009 1 0 Chablais Haute-Savoie Petit Mole   Ski Touring Fall   Army   10h30      
3/3/2009 1 0   Hautes-Alpes Fonts de Cervières   Ski Touring Fall   CRS          
3/3/2009 1 0 Ecrins Hautes-Alpes la Grave/Chirouze   Off Piste Skiing Fall   CRS   11h30      
5/3/2009 1 0   Hautes-Alpes Serre Chevalier/Cibouit   Off Piste Skiing Fall   CRS          
5/3/2009 1 0   Hautes-Alpes Montgenevre/Chaberton   Off Piste Skiing Fall   CRS          
5/3/2009 2 0 Maurienne Savoie Val Cenis   Off Piste Skiing Avalanche   Piste Service          
6/3/2009 1 0 Ecrins Hautes-Alpes la Grave/Vallons   Off Piste Skiing Fall   CRS   13h00      
6/3/2009 1 0 Vanoies Savoie les Arcs/vallon des Rossets with instructor Off Piste Skiing Fall   Piste Service          
7/3/2009 1 0   Hautes Alpes Puy St Vincent/vallon de Narreyroux   Off Piste Skiing Collision with tree     French 13h00      
7/3/2009 1 0   Hautes-Alpes pic de Chateaurenard   Ski touring Fall     French        
7/3/2009 1 0 Mont Blanc Haute-Savoie Pas de Chevre/Rectilign   Off Piste Skiing Fall              
7/3/2009 0 3 Belledonne Savoie Le Chapotet Y Ski Touring Avalanche     French 11h30 1570 N 3
7/3/2009 0 1 Maurienne Savoie Mont Cenis Y Ski Touring/EDF Avalanche     French        
11/3/2009 2 4 Maurienne Savoie Valmeinier/Col des Marches Y Ski Touring Avalanche with guide PGHM French 12h15 2625 SW 3
12/3/2009 1 0 Belledonne Isere Chamrousse/Couloir de la Via Ferrata   Ski Touring Avalanche Blocked bindings   French 10h15 2000 E 3
12/3/2009 2 0 Vercors Isere Cornafion   Ski Touring Avalanche             3
12/3/2009 1 0 Pyrenees   Saint lary Soulan/Espiaube   Piste Skiing Avalanche Warming temperatures            

Avalanche Fatalities By Activity

Ski Touring   14*
Off Piste Skiing 8
Snowboard Touring   0
Off Piste Snowboarding   1
Snowshoeing   3
Climbing 2
Walking 0
Skiing 0
Total for the season 28

Last updated: 24th March 2009

* Includes member of the EDF (French Electricity Generator) on professional duties.

Glossary

PGHM - Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute-Montagne. Special units of the Gendarmerie under the control of the Pr�fet. They are generally qualified as mountain guides.

GMSP - Special Units of the fire brigade. Groupe Montagne des Sapeurs Pompiers

GRIMP - Special Units of the fire brigade. Groupe de recherches et d'interventions en milieux p�rilleux

CRS des Alpes - Compagnie R�publicaine de S�curit�. Part of the National Police Force. They provide a search and rescue service in rotation with units of the PGHM. The CRS des Alpes was set-up in Grenoble during the winter of 1947/48. In 1954 national training centers were created in Chamonix and then Val d'Is�re.

Securitie Civile - Provide permanent helicopters and crew for urgent rescue missions and for transporting equipment and specialist rescue workers.

<< Glossary | Avalanches | http://www.avalanches.fr/ >>

1992-2009 All text and images copyright:  pistehors.com;
Page last modified on December 07, 2008, at 08:48 PM

Members

Log-in
Register
Headlines
Contact

Page Operations

Print View
 

 
Google
 
About PisteHors