In a press release issued on the 19th April 2011 the Swiss Snow and Avalanche Research Institute (SLF) highlighted how a winter marked by above average temperatures and a thin snow pack led to an explosive situation by early March where the majority of fatal avalanches were recorded. It is a message we at PisteHors.com repeated throughout the season in our snow report threads. The number of deaths in Switzerland is already equivalent to the long term annual average despite fewer risk 3 and 4 avalanche days.
Avalanches, such as this on in the Simplon on a north slope above 2500m, were easy to trigger by one or more backcountry travellers at the end of winter 2011. (Photo: C.Höhener, 06.03.2011)