A British ski mountaineer has been killed by an avalanche on the Grande Casse in the Savoie this morning. This is the 34th avalanche fatality this season. The long term average is 31.
The incident occured while the group were climbing at 3150 meters altitude around 10h30 this morning. The slide was 150 meters wide and ran some 800 meters. The victim, 39 year old W. E., resident of Courchevel, was described as "very experienced" by the police. Two other skiers who suffered leg injuries and were taken to hospital by the PGHM from Modane. A fourth person escaped the slide. At 3855 meters altitude the Grande Casse is the highest summit in the Vanoise range.
There is only a limited avalanche bulletin for the Savoie at the moment. It warned of a limited refreeze below 2400/2800 meters and some fragilites above that altitude but principally on West to North sector slopes.
29 year old Lionel Broche from Macot-la-Plagne was killed skiing in the couloir des Forteresses in the Dents-du-Midi in Switzerland. He was with a friend when he fell around 300 meters. The NNW facing couloir is rated 5.2/E4. The reason for the accident is unknown. Lionel was well known both in his native Tarentaise and on the international scene for his work on snowparks.
http://www.camptocamp.org/routes/53596/fr/dents-du-midi-la-forteresse-couloir-nnw
http://www.skipass.com/videos/building-frostgun-jump-2013-.html - Frostgun jump timelapse by Lionel Broche.