Avalanches > Accident Statistics > 2008 - 2009
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 2008 to the 30th September 2009. 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.
| Date | Injuries | Deaths | Range | Department | Location | Experience | Activity | Cause | Remarks | Rescue | Nationality | Time | altitude | Aspect | Risk |
| 5/10/2008 | 1 | 0 | Vanoise | Savoie | Tignes/Grand Motte | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | edge of piste | Piste Services | - | |||||
| 14/10/2008 | 2 | 0 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | Mont Blanc du Tacul | Climbing | Avalanche | triggered by seracs | PGHM | Polish | 19h30 | ||||
| 23/11/2008 | 0 | 1 | Alpes-Maritimes | Auron/Donas | Y | Ski Touring | Fall | alone | PGHM | French | |||||
| 29/Nov/2008 | 1 | 0 | Isere | Taillefer | Y | Ski Touring | Avalanche | CRS des Alpes | French | 11h30 | |||||
| 29/Nov/2008 | 4 | 0 | Isere | Col d'Ornon | Climbing | Avalanche | Fire Services | ||||||||
| 30/Nov/2008 | 0 | 1 | Belledonne | Isere | Grand Sorbier | Y | Ski Touring | Avalanche | CRS des Alpes | French | SW | ||||
| 06/Dec/2008 | 0 | 1 | Beaufortin | Savoie | Arêche/Couloir du Chornay | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Surface Indication | French | 10h20 | 1950 | W | |||
| 7/Dec/2008 | 1 | 0 | Belledonne | Isere | Grand Vans | Y | Ski Touring | Avalanche | NW | 4 | |||||
| 7/Dec/2008 | 0 | 1 | Ubaye | Alpes de Haute-Provence | Col de Larche | - | Ski Touring | Avalanche | Italian | 15h00 | 2300 | NE | 4 | ||
| 7/Dec/2008 | 0 | 1 | Mercantour | Alpes Maritimes | Isola 2000/ Boumphrey black | - | Off Piste Snowboarding | Avalanche | buried under 2m snow | Organized Probe Search | French | 12h00 | 2500 | NE | 4 |
| 8/Dec/2008 | 1 | 0 | Grandes Rousses | Isere | Alpe d'Huez/Sarenne | - | Off Piste Snowboarding | Avalanche | 2500 | SE | |||||
| 13/Dec/2008 | 1 | 0 | Vanoise | Savoie | La Plagne/Couloir Rosset | - | Off Piste Snowboarding | Avalanche | Fractured Vertebrae | No beacon/Surface Slide | British | 14h00 | 2300 | N | |
| 13/Dec/2008 | 0 | 0 | Massif Central | Puy-de-Dome | Puy Barbier | - | Ski Touring | Avalanche | One skier completely buried | Surface indications/Self | French | - | - | E | |
| 14/Dec/2008 | 1 | 1 | Jura | Ain | Mont Rond | - | Snowshoeing | Avalanche | surface | Swiss | 15h00 | 1200 | SE | - | |
| 14/Dec/2008 | 1 | 0 | - | Savoie | Pont de Beauvoisin | - | Snowshoeing | Train | |||||||
| 14/Dec/2008 | 1 | 0 | Chablais | Haute-Savoie | Bernex/Thollon-les-Mémises | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Self rescue | |||||||
| 23/Dec/2008 | 0 | 1 | Vanoise | Savoie | la Plagne | - | Off Piste Snowboarding | Fall | into river | PGHM | French | ||||
| 28/Dec/2008 | 0 | 2 | Savoie | Champigny en Vanoise | - | Off Piste Snowboarding | Fall | over cliffs | PGHM | Belgium | 1700 | ||||
| 1/Jan/2009 | 1 | 0 | Chablais | lac de la Tavaneuse | Ski Tour | Avalanche | 1800 | ||||||||
| 8/Jan/2009 | 1 | 0 | Restonica | Corsica | Lac de Melo | - | Ski Touring | Avalanche | Skier buried by 50cm of snow | Surface indication | French | 16h30 | 1700 | ||
| 10/1/2009 | 0 | 2 | Chablais | Sixt | Y | Climbing | Avalanche | Surface/dog | French | E | 2 | ||||
| 11/1/2009 | 1 | 0 | Hautes-Alpes | Montgenevre/Plane | Off piste snowboarding | Avalanche | Russian | 17h00 | 2500 | ||||||
| 20/1/2009 | 0 | 1 | Chablias | Haute-Savoie | les Gets/Mont Chery | Y | Off piste skiing | Avalanche | Probe | French | N | ||||
| 20/1/2009 | 0 | 1 | Lauziere | Savoie | Valmorel | Y | Off piste skiing | Avalanche | Beacon | French | 13h15 | ||||
| 20/1/2009 | 1 | 0 | Aravais | Haute-Savoie | la Clusez/Etale | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Beacon | |||||||
| 20/1/2009 | 0 | 0 | Mont-Blanc | Haute-Savoie | Brevent/couloir sous la Bergerie | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Eye-witness/PGHM | |||||||
| 20/1/2009 | 5 | 0 | Alpes-de-Haute-Provence | col de Larche | Y | Ski touring | Avalanche | French | |||||||
| 22/1/2009 | 1 | 0 | Hautes-Alpes | Serre Chevalier/Montagnole | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | CRS des Alpes | 16h00 | 2300 | 3 | |||||
| 22/1/2009 | 1 | 0 | Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye | Y | Ski touring | Avalanche | Self rescue | ||||||||
| 22/1/2009 | 1 | 0 | Maurienne | Savoie | St Sorlin d.Arves | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | fall through ice into stream | CRS des Alpes | ||||||
| 24/1/2009 | 0 | 2 | Giffre | Haute-Savoie | Flaine/Arbaron | Snow shoeing | Avalanche | triggered by cornice fall | Piste Patrol/Fire brigade/Dog | 16h00 | |||||
| 24/1/2009 | 0 | 1 | Ecrins | Isere | les Deux Alpes/combe de Thuit | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | closed run | CRS des Alpes | 15h00 | 1600 | ||||
| 24/1/2009 | 0 | 0 | Savoie | Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis | - | Off piste skiing | Avalanche | Self rescue | |||||||
| 24/1/2009 | 1 | 2 | Lauziere | Savoie | Valmorel/Marquis | - | Off piste skiing | Avalanche | Piste patrol/Probe | ||||||
| 24/1/2009 | 1 | 0 | Mont-blanc | Haute-Savoie | les Houches/Prarion | Y | Off piste skiing | Avalanche | PGHM/Beacon | French | 10h45 | ||||
| 25/1/2009 | 0 | 2 | Beaufort | Savoie | Areches/Legette du Mirantin | Y | Ski touring | Avalanche | Eye witness/Piste Patrol/Dog | French | 13h00 | 2000 | |||
| 25/1/2009 | 0 | 1 | Maurienne | Savoie | la Toussuire | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Avalanche dog | Swiss | ||||||
| 25/1/2009 | 0 | 0 | Savoie | Valfrejus/couloir du Seuil | Off Piste Snowboarding | Avalanche | Self rescue | ||||||||
| 27/1/2009 | 0 | 1 | Pyrenees | Hautes-Pyrenees | Bareges/col de Sencours | Y | Ski touring | Avalanche | members of CRS | CRS/PGHM | French | 16h00 | 4 | ||
| 14/2/2009 | 0 | 1 | Parpaillon | Hautes-Alpes | Crevoux/crete de la Ratelle/vallon du Pellat | Trainee Guide | Ski Touring | Avalanche | PGHM | French | 2500 | 3 | |||
| 22/2/2009 | 0 | 1 | Grandes Rousses | Isere | Alpe d'Huez/Campanules | Between Pistes | Fall | CRS | French | 13h00 | |||||
| 22/2/2009 | 0 | 2 | Vanoies | Savoie | Bonneval Sur Arc/Couloir du Midi | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | Piste Service/PGHM | French | ||||||
| 25/2/2009 | 0 | 1 | Alpes-de-Haute-Provence | montagne de Lure/Petit-Sommet | Snow Shoeing | Fall/Corniche | PGHM | French | |||||||
| 26/2/2009 | 1 | 0 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | Crest Volond | Off Piste Snowboarding | Fall | Fire Brigade | British | PM | |||||
| 27/2/2009 | 1 | 0 | Ecrins | Isere | la Grave/Chancel | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | 14h00 | |||||||
| 28/2/2009 | 1 | 0 | Ecrins | Hautes-Alpes | la Grave | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | PGHM | |||||||
| 28/2/2009 | 1 | 0 | Vecors | Isere | Gresse/Pas de la ville | Ski Touring | Laceration by skis | PGHM | |||||||
| 28/2/2009 | 1 | 0 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | Vallee Blanche | Off Piste Skiing | Crevasse Fall | PGHM | |||||||
| 28/2/2009 | 1 | 0 | Ventoux/combe de Fonfiole | Climbing | Avalanche | Fire Brigade | |||||||||
| 28/2/2009 | 1 | 0 | Ecrins | Isere | les Deux Alpes | Walking | Roof Avalanche | ||||||||
| 28/2/2009 | 1 | 0 | Chablais | Haute-Savoie | Petit Mole | Ski Touring | Fall | Army | 10h30 | ||||||
| 3/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Hautes-Alpes | Fonts de Cervières | Ski Touring | Fall | CRS | ||||||||
| 3/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Ecrins | Hautes-Alpes | la Grave/Chirouze | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | CRS | 11h30 | ||||||
| 5/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Hautes-Alpes | Serre Chevalier/Cibouit | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | CRS | ||||||||
| 5/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Hautes-Alpes | Montgenevre/Chaberton | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | CRS | ||||||||
| 5/3/2009 | 2 | 0 | Maurienne | Savoie | Val Cenis | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Piste Service | |||||||
| 6/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Ecrins | Hautes-Alpes | la Grave/Vallons | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | CRS | 13h00 | ||||||
| 6/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Vanoies | Savoie | les Arcs/vallon des Rossets | with instructor | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | Piste Service | ||||||
| 7/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Hautes Alpes | Puy St Vincent/vallon de Narreyroux | Off Piste Skiing | Collision with tree | French | 13h00 | |||||||
| 7/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Hautes-Alpes | pic de Chateaurenard | Ski touring | Fall | French | ||||||||
| 7/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | Pas de Chevre/Rectiligne | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | ||||||||
| 7/3/2009 | 0 | 3 | Belledonne | Savoie | Le Chapotet | Y | Ski Touring | Avalanche | French | 11h30 | 1570 | N | 3 | ||
| 7/3/2009 | 0 | 1 | Maurienne | Savoie | Mont Cenis | Y | Ski Touring/EDF | Avalanche | French | ||||||
| 11/3/2009 | 2 | 4 | Maurienne | Savoie | Valmeinier/Col des Marches | Y | Ski Touring | Avalanche | with guide | PGHM | French | 12h15 | 2625 | SW | 3 |
| 12/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Belledonne | Isere | Chamrousse/Couloir de la Via Ferrata | Ski Touring | Avalanche | Blocked bindings | French | 10h15 | 2000 | E | 3 | ||
| 12/3/2009 | 2 | 0 | Vercors | Isere | Cornafion | Ski Touring | Avalanche | 3 | |||||||
| 12/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Pyrenees | Saint lary Soulan/Espiaube | Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Warming temperatures | Piste Patrol | |||||||
| 21/3/2009 | 0 | 1 | Aravis | Haute-Savoie | Blonniere/ampe de Chauchefoin | Y | Ski Touring | Fall | PGHM | French | 10h00 | 1900 | E | ||
| 20/3/1009 | 0 | 1 | Belledonne | Isere | Chamrousse/cascade de l'Oursiere | Snow shoeing | Fall | CRS | French | ||||||
| 22/3/2009 | 2 | 0 | Belledonne | Isere | Chamrousse/cascade de l'Oursiere | Snow shoeing | Fall | CRS | French | ||||||
| 22/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Ventoux | Mont Serein | Ski Touring | Fall | minor injury | GRIMP | 14h00 | ||||||
| 22/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Belledonne | Isere | Col du Badon | Ski Touring | Fall | head injuries | CRS | ||||||
| 24/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Ecrins | Hautes-Alpes | la Grave | Off Piste Skiing | Fall | broken femur | PGHM | Belgium | 12h30 | ||||
| 25/3/2009 | 1 | 0 | Hautes-Alpes | crete du Lauzet/vallons de Siguret, | Ski Touring | Fall | serious head injury | PGHM | French | 12h00 | |||||
| 4/4/2009 | 1 | 3 | Vanoise | Savoie | Val d'Isere/Solaise | Off Piste Skiing | Avalanche | Serious injury | Witnesses | French | 10h30 | 2950 | N | 2 | |
| 4/4/2009 | 0 | 1 | Aravis | Haute-Savoie | Mont Charvin | Y | Ski Touring | Avalanche | Major slide | French | 11h20 | 2100 | |||
| 5/4/2009 | 0 | 1 | Maythesine | Isere | Taillefer/Pas de la Mine | Ski Touring | Fall | French | |||||||
| 12/4/2009 | 1 | 0 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | glacier d.Argentiere | Guide | Ski Touring | Fall | Crevasse | PGHM | French | 10h30 | |||
| 13/4/2009 | 3 | 1 | Ristolas | Hautes-Alpes | Pointe Joanne | Y | Ski Touring | Avalanche | Group of 16 | Self | French | 09h00 | 3000 | NW | 3 |
| 13/4/2009 | 0 | 0 | Vanoise | Val d'Isere | Point Pers | Ski Touring | Avalanche | ABS | 3300 | W | |||||
| 16/4/2009 | 0 | 1 | Saint Paul sur Ubaye | Alpes de Haute-Provence | Ski Touring | Avalanche | |||||||||
| 4 May 2009 | 2 | 0 | Pyrenees | pic d'Endron | CAF | Ski touring | Fall | cornice collapse | French | 2300 | |||||
| 17 May 2009 | 1 | 0 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | Cunningham couloir | Ski Touring | fall | Italian | |||||||
| 17 May 2009 | 1 | 0 | Ecrins | Hautes-Alpes | Pic Maitre | Y | Ski Touring | fall | 400m over rocks | French | 9h00 | 3000 | |||
| 29/5/2009 | 3 | 0 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | glacier du Geant | with guide | Climbing | Fall | French | 11h00 | 3300 | ||||
| 24/6/2009 | 2 | 0 | Mont Blanc | Haute-Savoie | Droites | Y | Climbing | Avalanche | French | AM | 3600 | - |
| Ski Touring | 18* |
| Off Piste Skiing | 8 |
| Snowboard Touring | 0 |
| Off Piste Snowboarding | 1 |
| Snowshoeing | 3 |
| Climbing | 4 |
| Walking | 0 |
| Skiing | 0 |
| Total for the season | 34 |
Last updated: 20th July 2009
* Includes member of the EDF (French Electricity Generator) on professional duties.
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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