A ski tourer has been killed by an avalanche on Monday in the ski resort of Sauze in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department. The resort has not yet reopened for the season. The avalanche occurred in the north-west facing bowl of the Montagne de l’Alpe at around 15h00 between the Col des Fours (2315m) and Jausier..
Completely buried by the slide the victim, local to the valley and aged in his 40s, was located by his avalanche beacon in a critical condition.. He was taken to hospital in Gap then transferred to a critical unit in Marseille where he succumbed to his injuries. His companion, named as Nathalie Bourillon, was taken to Briancon with back injuries. Mrs Bourillon is a former member of the French ski mountaineering team with a number of international results including the Patrouille des Glaciers, Pierra Menta and World Championships. The rescue involved piste workers and the PGHM from Jausiers.
Monday was sunny after a snowy weekend. Around 35cm had fallen in the sector. The avalanche risk 3 above 2200m and the bulletin warned of fresh, wind blown snow with thin, easily triggered fresh slabs due to the recent snowfall at altitude especially on Monday morning with a stabilization during the day.
There have been a number of other avalanches in the same area.
On Sunday the 4th an ice climber was seriously injured by an avalanche climbing the appropriately named Lavine de Gauche, in the Cristillan valley at Ceillac.
On Monday at Chazelet near la Grave two skiers triggered a slide traversing above a rollover. The face broke over 400 meters taking one of the skiers. The other skier called the rescue services on 112 and began to search with his beacon. Not finding a signal he skied down to where he lost sight of his friend and began to climb with his beacon. At that point the rescue helicopter arrived, dropping a dog handler 50 meters above the searcher and another person below. The dog handler started climbing where he got a signal from the victim's beacon. The victim was buried vertically with their head 50cm below the snow. The victim was buried for 23 minutes but was able to breath (with difficulty) under the snow thanks to a scarf and was uninjured.
A ski tourer filmed a small plaque his friend triggered on the Pic Blanc du Galibier on the same day: (3) AVALANCHE BRIANÇONNAIS, SECTEUR PIC BLANC DU GALIBIER - 6 décembre 2022 - YouTube