Avalanche

News relating to avalanches. Check the Avalanche Bulletins when planning a trip outside of open ski slopes.

Sunday, 01 March, 2009

Avalanche on the Ventoux

An climber has been injured by an avalanche on the northern slopes of Mont Ventoux close to Avignon yesterday. The area has been experience exceptional snow conditions this winter. The slide was triggered by a ski tourer and hit the climber 200 meters lower down the combe de Fonfiole.

Posted by davidof at 12:01 PM
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Wednesday, 28 January, 2009

Pic du Midi avalanche kills cop

A senior police officer and qualified high mountain guide, member of a specialist mountain unit of the CRS, has been killed by an avalanche while preparing a ski competition route in the Pyrenees.

Posted by davidof at 10:45 AM
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Saturday, 24 January, 2009

Avalanches leave five dead in Northern Alps

A series of avalanches in the Northern French Alps have killed five skiers and snow-shoers. The two snow-shoers were killed late this afternoon by an avalanche in the Flaine area. The alert was given around 16h00. The group were in near the summit of the Arbaron when a cornice collapsed beneath them triggering an avalanche 140cm deep in places.

Posted by davidof at 08:45 PM
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Glencoe Avalanche

3 mountaineers were caught in a slab avalanche today in Glencoe Scotland. They were swept 500 feet from a cornice scarp on the normal ascent route of the mountain Buachaille Etive. All 3 were in cardiac arrest. 2 were dug out by companions and one was located by spot probe.

Posted by Davy Gunn at 06:11 PM
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Tuesday, 20 January, 2009

MD of Club Med Avalanched at Valmorel

Henri Giscard d’Estaing the Managing Director of the holiday group Club Méditerranée (Club Med) was part of a group of five off piste skiers involved in an avalanche at Valmorel today. Giscard d’Estaing was in the region to open newly renovated apartments in Tignes. In les Gets a ski instructor was killed by an avalanche and another skier was seriously injured in la Clusaz.

Posted by davidof at 05:28 PM
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Friday, 09 January, 2009

Ski tourer in serious condition after Corsican avalanche

Yesterday at a little after 15h00 the fire-brigade in Corte (Corsica) received an urgent call from a ski tourer somewhere between the lac du Melo and the farm at Grutelle. He had been involved in an avalanche and his buddy was still buried. on the east side of the Bocca Soglia ridge and the lac. The pair had left Grutelle to climb the GR 20.

Posted by davidof at 10:54 AM
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Sunday, 21 December, 2008

Mountain guide killed by avalanche in the Pyrenees

A 26 year old High Mountain Guide has been killed by an avalanche close to the ski resort of Eyne in the Western Pyrenees. He had set out for a ski tour with a friend who suffered leg injuries in the slide.

Posted by davidof at 06:35 PM
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Sunday, 14 December, 2008

Snowshoer killed by avalanche in the Jura

A Swiss snowshoer has been killed by an avalanche in the French Jura at 15h00, the slide seriously injured his wife. The avalanche occurred near the ski resort of the col de la Faucille on steep slopes under the Petit Montrond at around 1200 meters. The couple were apparently following the steep vie de Chaux trail in the wooded Pailly sector. It appears the man was killed instantly after colliding with a tree.

mont rond, jura
Jura from the Petit Montrond(archive photo)

Posted by davidof at 07:36 PM
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Monday, 08 December, 2008

Off piste snowboarder injured by avalanche at l’Alpe d’Huez

A snowboarder has been seriously injured off piste in the ski resort of l’Alpe d’Huez. The man was alone at the time. He had originally planned to board with a friend but he had turned back, worried about the avalanche risk. The accident occurred in the early afternoon at 2500 meters in the Côtes Rivet / Sarenne sector. The large avalanche carried boarder 800 meters into a terrain trap close to the Sarenne road.

Posted by davidof at 05:46 PM
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Sunday, 07 December, 2008

Police launch appeal after grim series of avalanche fatalities

The High Mountain Police (PGHM) have called for skiers to be “more prudent” after a grim series of avalanches took the lives of three skiers in the Alps. The avalanches follow a warning issued on on Friday by the French Weather service. A warning repeated by the Préfecture of the Alpes-Maritimes on Saturday morning.

Posted by davidof at 07:39 PM
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