A 37 year old local man has been killed by an avalanche close to the ski resort of la Rosière in the Savoie department. The man and a friend were ski touring when they were hit by the slide in the Mont Valezan sector.
The slide measuring 350 meters with a depth of 40cm occured at 1950 meters altitude and seems to have been triggered by the two skiers. The alarm was given by the second skier at 13h30. The PGHM found the skier, Didier Perret, resident of Thorens-Glières in the Haute-Savoie, at the foot of the avalanche but were unable to revive him. A helicopter and 12 rescuers along with two avalanche rescue dogs took part in the operation. The two skiers were spending a weekend in the ski resort. Neither was wearing an avalanche transceiver.
The avalanche risk at the time was 3 [considerable] on a scale of 5. Fresh snow with a strong wind from Italy has made all sectors, but in particular the mountain ridges on the border particuarly dangerous. Slab avalanches can be triggered by the passage of a single skier, snowboarder or snowshoer. These slabs are more likely on northern slopes above 1800 meters.
Hello
In what area/lift did this happen?
Skirolf
Mont Valezan is the mountain at the top of the ridge to the right of the Col de la Traversette. There is a ski tour which basically follows the Petit St Bernard road. 1950 meters is quite low down the valley.