A French backcountry skier in his forties was killed on Saturday, April 4, after being swept away by a large avalanche in the Pyrenees, authorities said. The incident occurred near the summit of Pic d’Endron (2472m) in the Ariège region, where a massive size 4 avalanche, the highest classification on the European scale, swept down the mountain’s north-west face.
According to the mountain rescue unit (PGHM) based in Savignac-les-Ormeaux, the avalanche traveled approximately 600 meters. The victim, who was skiing alone, is believed to have triggered the slide as he passed across the slope. Witnesses located around two kilometers away raised the alarm shortly after 12:10 p.m. after seeing the skier being carried away.
Rescue teams were quickly deployed but faced significant danger due to the risk of secondary avalanches. The skier was eventually located using his avalanche transceiver and found buried around 300 meters below the release point. Despite the presence of emergency medical services and a resuscitation team, he could not be revived.
The avalanche occurred amid unstable snow conditions in the Haute-Ariège massif. According to the avalanche bulletin, the risk level was rated “considerable” (level 3) above 2,000 meters, with warnings of wind-loaded slabs particularly on north-west to eastern aspects. Recent snowfall of 50 to 70 centimeters had created fragile layers in the snowpack, making human-triggered avalanches possible. Authorities also warned that warming temperatures could increase the likelihood of spontaneous slides on sun-exposed slopes.
On Sunday, April 5, another fatal accident occurred in the Mont Blanc massif. A skier in his thirties died after falling while beginning his descent of the Whymper Couloir, a steep and exposed line on the Aiguille Verte.
The man, who was from the Lyon area, was accompanied by a friend who was uninjured. Mountain rescue teams were unable to save the victim, and his companion was evacuated by helicopter back to the valley.
The Whymper Couloir is considered one of the classic steep-skiing routes in the Alps, featuring a 600-meter descent with slopes exceeding 50 degrees. While heavy snowfall in early April has left many high-altitude routes in good ski condition, experts caution that extreme terrain leaves little margin for error. Falls in such environments are frequently fatal.
In the past five years alone, at least six skiers have died in the Whymper Couloir, including professional guides and their clients. The recent tragedies serve as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers of high-mountain skiing, even under seemingly favorable conditions.