A skier has been killed by an avalanche in the Pas des Griffes sector of the Valmeinier ski resort in the French Maurienne. He was part of a group of six ski tourers who were skiing with a female ski instructor. The incident occurred a little after midday between 2100 and 2300 meters altitude on a NE facing slope. Buried under a meter of snow the victim was found in a state of cardio-vascular arrest by other members of the group after having been carried 500 meters downhill. Mountain rescue attempted to revive the man. The rescue helicopter was hampered by poor visibility and high winds.
The avalanche risk was ⅖ (Moderate) principally concerning west, north and east slopes above 1500 meters. The bulletin warned of “rare fairly soft slabs that are easily triggered by a single skier on shaded slopes, frequently far from ridge-lines where the wind-speed has dropped. Near to cols there is a risk of hard slabs”