A speed rider has been killed by an avalanche in the ski resort of l'Alpe d'Huez early this afternoon. The man, aged in his forties, was with a group of four. They were off piste in the Combe de Charbonnière when the victim triggered the slab.
Despite the speedy arrival of rescue workers the man, who was a paragliding instructor working in the resort, could not be saved. The avalanche occurred at 2500 meters and the avalanche risk was 3 (Considerable) with the principal risk on north sector slopes.
A club group was hit by a wet snow slide on the nearby Col de l'Aigleton. Concerned about slabs on north facing slopes they had chosen a low angled route oriented to the south-east. Two of the group were taken 75 meters by the snow with one buried. They were able to rescue their friend in less than 5 minutes. The other skier suffered my injuries. They put the slide down to a poor appreciation of the spring conditions on the slopes above them (Pic du Pin - slopes directly to the east) and the amount of snow that could be mobilized.