A ski tourer has been taken to hospital in a critical condition following an avalanche in the Belledonne this morning. The avalanche occured near the Refuge d’Oule (1800m) a little before midday. The slopes are known to be avalanche prone and there have been a number of incidents at this spot over the years. In 2004 a couple were killed in the sector: http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/woman-killed-by-isere-avalanche/ and http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/fifteen-minutes/ (retrospective on the Marie Gros-Perrin accident in 2004).

The avalanche risk is 3 today following 50cm of fresh snow in the mountains.

Just spoke to my friends who were at the col de Gleyzin above the scene of the avalanche today. They hadn’t seen the helicopter but they were touring on the east face of the col. A lot of snow, some cornices, they had to do 1500 meters of trail breaking with a route that stuck to low angled slopes as far as possible. Glad they are safe but thoughts too with the victim today.

Photo: archive CamptoCamp.org

The victim, a 40 year old male snowboarder, local to the area, was climbing the very steep and exposed South-West couloir of the Grandes Lanches. It appears he was near the top of the couloir in the “avalanche” funnel when he triggered a slab and was carried 500 meters by the slide over rocks. He was on his own, the alert was given by eye witnesses. Unfortunately he was DOA at the hospital.

According to CamptoCamp the couloir is a real “headache” because the couloir is there to funnel avalanches coming off the Grandes Lanches, to be attempted where there is little avalanche risk.

http://www.camptocamp.org/routes/51460/fr/pic-des-grandes-lanches-grand-couloir-sw-depuis-gleyzin

A skier also triggered an avalanche on the east face of the Malissard in the Chartreuse range this afternoon (see our TR from last Sunday for route http://pistehors.com/news/forums/viewthread/1390/ ). The skier used his airbag and was apparently unharmed.