A local skier has been killed ski touring on the North face of the Pic Blanc du Galibier (2995m) in the Maurienne today at 14h40. The victim was buried under two meters of snow. The avalanche was triggered as the skier engaged in the descent. His companion gave the alert.
The avalanche risk was Considerable (3/5) above 2200 meters in the sector with the avalanche bulletin warning of a Persistent Weak Layer in the snow-pack and wind blown snow. A combination that can make safe travel complicated. The bulletin warned of the likelihood of slabs on E, N and W sectors with the recent 10 to 20cm of fresh snow transported by winds from the south then north-west. Skier triggered slabs were to be found near summits and ridges but also mid slope where the snow is in the shade with the risk of big slides where windslab had formed on the PWL. As we reported yesterday there has been a lot of avalanche activity in the area which continued today with two skier triggered avalanches on La Blanche in the ski resort of Vallouise.