Avalanches > Accident Statistics
The following table is a summary of the winter sports accidents recorded by PisteHors.com for the 08-09 season. This covers a nivological year, from the 1st October 2009 to the 30th September 2010. It is just a small cross section of off-piste and winter sports accidents although the figures for avalanche fatalities is complete. This information is provided to give an idea of the dangers posed to backcountry travellers. The information is compiled from reports sent to us and from some media reports.
The French Avalanche Research Association (ANENA) maintain statistics of avalanche accidents compiled principally from information supplied by the rescue services. Their database contains all incidents involving fatalities and probably around a quarter of non-fatal incidents.
Data Avalanche is another database of avalanche incidents.
An analysis of backcountry and off-piste accidents for last season is available for download.
| Date | Injuries | Deaths | Range | Department | Location | Experience | Activity | Cause | Remarks | Rescue | Nationality | Time | altitude | Aspect | Risk | |
| 22/12/2009 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Lauziere | Savoie | Valmorel/Combe de Roche Blanche | - | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | CRS/Pisteurs/RECCO | British | 12h30 | ||||
| 22/12/2009 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Savoie | Valmeinier/col des Marches | - | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Pisteurs | |||||||
| 22/12/2009 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Vanoise | Savoie | Courchevel/combe des Avals | Y | Piste Preparation | Avalanche | French | 11h00 | |||||
| 22/12/2009 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Savoie | Valmeinier/Crey du Quart | Pisteurs | Piste Control | Avalanche | ABS Used | Companion/Beacon | French | |||||
| 23/12/2009 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Hautes-Alpes | Crete de la Gardette | Y | Ski Touring | Avalanche | Companion/Beacon | French | 2200 | 4 | ||||
| 25/12/2009 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | Solanges/le Tour | - | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Skiing Alone | British | 2050 | NW | 3 | ||
| 26/12/2009 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Cinto | Haute-Corse | Asco | - | Snow Shoeing | Avalanche | Alone | Mobile Phone Triangulation/Probe | British | 1900 | |||
| 31/12/2009 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Vanoise | Savoie | Orelle | With instructor | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Beacon/buried for 15 minutes under 1.5 snow | French | 2 | ||||
| 1/1/2010 | 3 | 0 | 3 | Vanoise | Savoie | les Arcs/combe des Lanchettes | With guide | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Beacons + ABS | French | 12h00 | 2500 | NE | 3 |
| Ski Touring | 1 |
| Off Piste Skiing | 4 |
| Snowboard Touring | |
| Off Piste Snowboarding | |
| Snowshoeing | 1 |
| Climbing | |
| Walking | |
| Skiing |
| Total for the season |
Last updated: 2nd January 2010
PGHM - Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute-Montagne. Special units of the Gendarmerie under the control of the Pr�fet. They are generally qualified as mountain guides.
GMSP - Special Units of the fire brigade. Groupe Montagne des Sapeurs Pompiers
GRIMP - Special Units of the fire brigade. Groupe de recherches et d'interventions en milieux p�rilleux
CRS des Alpes - Compagnie R�publicaine de S�curit�. Part of the National Police Force. They provide a search and rescue service in rotation with units of the PGHM. The CRS des Alpes was set-up in Grenoble during the winter of 1947/48. In 1954 national training centers were created in Chamonix and then Val d'Is�re.
Securitie Civile - Provide permanent helicopters and crew for urgent rescue missions and for transporting equipment and specialist rescue workers.
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