A ski tourer was buried by a large avalanche in the Belledonne massif on Sunday, February 22, but was miraculously rescued unharmed after being trapped under more than a metre of snow.
The slide, around 400 metres wide, released shortly before 2:15 p.m. on a south-east facing slope at approximately 2,350 meters altitude, below the Cime de la Jasse in the Belledonne range in Isère. The peak is one of the most popular ski touring destinations for Grenoble-based skiers, with as many as 200 cars often filling the trailhead car park on a sunny Sunday.
Buried Under 1.5 Metres of Snow
According to the Isère mountain rescue service (PGHM), the ski tourer was swept away by the avalanche and buried under around 1.2 to 1.5 meters of snow. He was located rapidly by another skier touring nearby, who witnessed the slide and immediately began a search. The rescuer reported hearing a sudden fracture before seeing a large slab release across the entire south face. He caught sight of an orange airbag deployed as the victim was carried approximately 200 meters down the slope.
Switching his avalanche transceiver into search mode, the witness followed the signal to a ski tip protruding just five centimeters above the surface. After several minutes of digging, he uncovered the skier’s helmet and established verbal contact. The victim, named Xavier, was conscious and responsive despite being buried under more than a meter of dense snow.
He was later assessed by a doctor from the SAMU emergency medical team and found to be uninjured.
Major Rescue Operation Deployed
Nine members of the PGHM, including a search dog handler, were deployed to the site to ensure no other skiers had been caught in the avalanche. Two helicopters were involved in the operation: a Sécurité Civile helicopter with three rescuers and a dog arrived first, followed minutes later by a second helicopter carrying additional personnel and another search dog. Rescuers confirmed there were no further victims.
Popular Route, Persistent Danger
The avalanche occurred on a slope regarded as a classic in the massif, despite a forecast avalanche risk rating of 3 out of 5 (considerable) above 2,200 metres that day.
The regional avalanche bulletin had warned of large quantities of wind-transported recent snow at altitude, with hard slabs capable of producing fracture lines exceeding one metre in thickness if triggered. North winds had formed significant accumulations, while rising temperatures were expected to increase the risk of wet snow avalanches on sun-exposed slopes.
The slide was triggered in the early afternoon, at a time when warming conditions on south-facing terrain may have further destabilised the snowpack. Forecasters had also warned that in sheltered areas above 2,200 meters, recent snow remained insufficiently stabilised and sensitive to the passage of a skier.
While the skier’s airbag likely reduced the depth of burial, rescuers noted that he was still covered by more than a metre of snow, a depth that can quickly prove fatal without immediate companion rescue.
Sunday’s incident serves as a stark reminder that even extremely well-travelled and familiar routes can present serious risks when snowpack instability combines with wind loading and rising temperatures. The brother of the founder of the skitour.fr website was involved in a large avalanche on the same slope on the 13th February 2026, the avalanche risk was 4, his ski companion was buried up to her neck by the slide but had also used her airbag. This was followed by another skier triggered slide on the 15th.
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