Condolences to any affected parties ... not sure yet who was involved or of any first hand details but just read in the Dauphiné online that a skier died today around 4pm in an avalanche in Chamonix described as being in the couloirs around the area under the Rond glacier, near the right bank of the Les Bossons glacier after an avalanche came down from above them, at around 2300m. Three other skiers with the deceased were not buried. He was wearing a beacon, but it took the PGHM 2 hours to locate him, so assume it was a large slide. Avalanche risk was level 2 today, but with written warnings in the forecast that instabilities are still hidden in the snowpack and that very large slides could still occur but that it would be hard to detect where ... the article shows pictures on google maps of the area where the slide occurred.

http://www.ledauphine.com/haute-savoie/2012/01/29/un-skieur-pris-dans-une-avalanche?image=176C9725-AC21-48D8-81C2-C31107D3FEBB#galery

First avalanche death of the season in France. Really sad news. Thanks for posting the link

He was a very well liked local, a very good skier and mountaineer, and it is a sad time in Chamonix at the moment. There is a tribute post to him here, http://rosshewittblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/poubelle-and-brevent-lowers/ which offers more insight to the snow conditions up high. According to Radio Mont Blanc, it was the Cosmiques Couloir off the Midi which went. RIP ... http://vimeo.com/felixhentz/videos

Great videos, such a shame.

Sincere sympathy to his family and friends and his partner Lotti in particular.

Really sorry to hear such devistating news and hope that you can take a little comfort from the fact that he died doing what he loved.

RIP