Skier Carried in Early-Season Avalanche in California’s Eastern Sierra, Walks Away Uninjured A skier was swept about 150 feet in an avalanche on Mt. Olsen in the Virginia Lakes area of California’s Eastern Sierra Mountains on Sunday, November 30, according to an update shared by the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center (ESAC) on December 2. The avalanche occurred at roughly 10,600 feet on a northeast-facing slope and broke 12 to 24 inches deep […] Avalanche AvyBrains | December 2, 2025 0 Comments
[PHOTOS] 2 Skiers Carried and Partly Buried by Avalanche in Alberta Backcountry Two skiers were caught in the first avalanche of the season in Kananaskis Country, Alberta, on Saturday, November 15, but both escaped without injury, according to Avalanche Canada and Kananaskis Mountain Rescue. Related: The Dangers of Early Season Backcountry Skiing The incident occurred near the top of the north alpine slope below the headwall of Pocaterra Ridge at Highwood Pass, […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 21, 2025 0 Comments
[PHOTOS] Skier Escapes Unharmed After Being Carried 1,000 Feet by Large Avalanche in Chugach State Park, AK A skier-triggered slab avalanche occurred in Chugach State Park, Alaska, on November 17, running about 1,000 feet down a northwest-facing slope on Peak 3. The slide originated just below Bail Out Rock, a prominent ridgeline feature, and was triggered on a wind slab that had formed on faceted snow buried a day earlier. “While skinning up the upper face of […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 20, 2025 0 Comments
onX Backcountry Releases 18 New Avalanche Terrain (ATES) Zones, Mapping 15 Million More Acres of U.S. Backcountry Ski Terrain New zones can be found in Washington, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, California, Oregon. onX Backcountry, a navigation and discovery app for outdoor adventurers, today released 18 new Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) zones, expanding ATES coverage across nearly 15 million additional acres of the United States, providing backcountry skiers, splitboarders, fat bikers, nordic skiers and other snowsports enthusiasts with a new […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 12, 2025 0 Comments
[PHOTOS] Skier Carried Over Steep, Rocky Cliff After 2 Separate Skier-Triggered Avalanches in British Columbia Backcountry skiers triggered two separate early-season avalanches in British Columbia on November 8, just before the official winter permit season opening at Rogers Pass. Related: The Dangers of Early Season Backcountry Skiing The more severe incident occurred at Balu Pass, where a Size 2 avalanche swept a skier over a steep rocky cliff for 165 to 330 feet (50 to […] Avalanche AvyBrains | November 11, 2025 0 Comments
AIARE Launches Free Avalanche Aware Online Program to Make Backcountry Safety Education Accessible to Everyone New online resource developed with CAIC and NWAC helps outdoor enthusiasts learn the fundamentals of avalanche awareness before heading into the mountains. The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), in collaboration with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC), today announced the launch of Avalanche Aware, a free, online educational program designed to […] Avalanche AvyBrains | October 28, 2025 1 Comment
[PHOTOS] 1st Skier-Triggered Avalanche of the Season Reported in Colorado A skier triggered the first avalanche of Colorado’s 2025-26 winter season near Treasury Mountain in the Elk Mountains on Friday, October 24, following an overnight storm that delivered more than eight inches of fresh snow to the area. Treasury Mountain is roughly seven miles southwest of Aspen’s Snowmass Mountain. Related: The Dangers of Early Season Backcountry Skiing According to a […] Avalanche AvyBrains | October 27, 2025 0 Comments
[VIDEO] 3 Skiers Carried and 1 Partially Buried Following Avalanche in Treble Cone, New Zealand, Backcountry A group of four backcountry skiers narrowly escaped serious injury, or worse, after triggering an avalanche in the Treble Cone backcountry near Wānaka, New Zealand, on Saturday afternoon. The incident, approximately two kilometers (1.25 miles) from the Treble Cone Ski Field boundary, resulted in three members of the party being swept down the slope, including one buried up to […] Avalanche AvyBrains | September 8, 2025 1 Comment
Solo Skier Survives Being Carried and Partially Buried in Avalanche Near Aspen, CO A solo backcountry skier narrowly escaped serious injury after triggering a wet slab avalanche on June 1 in the Fourth of July Bowl area of Independence Pass, near Aspen, Colorado. The skier was swept 400 vertical feet downhill and became partially buried, with his head and one arm above the snow, according to a report on the Colorado Avalanche Information […] Avalanche AvyBrains | June 4, 2025 0 Comments
2 Rescued After Getting Caught in Avalanche Near Byron Glacier Valley, AK Two people were rescued by emergency crews Saturday afternoon after being caught in a spring avalanche in the Byron Glacier Valley near Portage Lake, Alaska, reports the Anchorage Daily News (ADN). Related: [VIDEO] Why Colorado Has Dangerous Avalanches Near Summer The Girdwood Fire Department and Alaska State Troopers responded to a call just before 1 p.m., launching a coordinated rescue in […] Avalanche AvyBrains | June 2, 2025 0 Comments
Bodies of 5 Backcountry Skiers Found After Avalanche Near Zermatt, Switzerland [Updated May 26] Five backcountry skiers were found dead Saturday, May 24, near the Rimpfischhorn, a towering 13,800-foot peak in the Pennine Alps east of Zermatt, Switzerland, after they failed to return from a high-altitude tour. Rescue services were alerted around 4:30 p.m. local time when two other skiers noticed several sets of abandoned skis near 13,100 feet on the […] Avalanche AvyBrains | May 26, 2025 0 Comments
Pro Snowboarder Eliot Dänzer, 23, Among 2 Killed in Eiger Avalanche Swiss authorities have confirmed that professional snowboarder Eliot Dänzer was one of two people killed in an avalanche on the Eiger on Saturday, May 17. The deadly slide, which struck at approximately 1:45 p.m., buried seven people who were part of two ski touring groups, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving helicopters, avalanche dogs, and mountain rescue teams. Related: 2 […] Avalanche AvyBrains | May 20, 2025 0 Comments
Two Backcountry Skiers Killed in Avalanche Near Saas-Fee, Switzerland Two backcountry skiers tragically lost their lives on Saturday, May 17, after being caught in an avalanche while ascending the Alphubel, a 4,206-meter (13,799 feet) peak in the Swiss canton of Valais. The accident occurred at approximately 4,165 meters (13,665 feet) in the area known as the “ice nose” above the Täschhütte, a popular base for backcountry ski tours in […] Avalanche AvyBrains | May 19, 2025 0 Comments
2 Dead After 7 Swept Away and Buried by Avalanche on Eiger Peak, Switzerland [UPDATED: 12:45 p.m. PST] In a press release at 8:23 p.m. local time (12.23 p.m. PST), the Bernese cantonal police confirmed that seven people had been swept away and buried by an avalanche on the Eiger, Switzerland, killing two of them. The release is below: Lauterbrunnen: Five people rescued after avalanche – two dead On Saturday afternoon, an avalanche occurred […] Avalanche AvyBrains | May 17, 2025 0 Comments
Black Diamond Parent Company Offloads Pieps Avalanche Brand Following DSP Transceiver Controversy Clarus Corporation, the parent company of Black Diamond, has reached an agreement to sell its Pieps avalanche beacon brand and the JetForce avalanche pack intellectual property to a private investment firm for €7.8 million ($8.75 million). The deal, which includes both cash and debt, is expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2025, pending customary closing […] Avalanche AvyBrains | May 14, 2025 0 Comments
Special Avalanche Advisory in Effect Across Colorado This Week Amid Unstable Spring Conditions A special avalanche advisory remains in effect statewide as Colorado currently shifts from a winter-like storm cycle to more typical spring conditions, according to an update shared by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC). While recent May weather brought widespread snowfall across the high country, forecasters warn that the coming days could bring sudden and unstable conditions as skies clear […] Avalanche AvyBrains | May 8, 2025 0 Comments
[PHOTOS] Solo Skier Lucky to Escape Death After Huge Avalanche Carries Him 2,000 Feet in Alberta Backcountry A solo skier narrowly escaped death and injury after triggering a large avalanche in Miner’s Gully near Canmore, Alberta, on Saturday. The slide carried the skier almost 2,000 feet (600 meters) down a narrow gully, miraculously resulting in only a lost ski pole. The avalanche, witnessed by a third party who immediately called 911, began on weak basal facets in […] Avalanche AvyBrains | April 29, 2025 0 Comments
Unprepared Hikers Lucky to Survive 2 Avalanches in French Pyrenees Two young brothers from Bordeaux, France, narrowly escaped tragedy on Thursday after being swept away by two successive avalanches while hiking above Lake Estom, near Cauterets in the French Pyrenees. The pair, both in their twenties, were not equipped for winter weather and lacked avalanche detection gear, according to rescue officials. Related: Last Week’s Level 5 Avalanche Rating in Europe […] Avalanche AvyBrains | April 28, 2025 0 Comments
After 2 Deaths in 3 Days, Experts Warn That Spring is ‘the Most Dangerous Time of the Year’ in the British Columbia Backcountry Rescue teams are urging caution following two deaths in three days as spring transforms British Columbia’s backcountry, reports the Canadian Press. Related: Man Killed After Falling 800 Feet on Closed Run at Sugarloaf Mountain, ME, While Retrieving Glove Dropped From Chairlift Doug Pope, search manager with North Shore Rescue, describes spring as “probably the most dangerous time of year” in […] AvyBrains | April 24, 2025 0 Comments
Skier Injured by Avalanche Near Loveland Pass, CO, Rescued via Flight for Life Helicopter On Sunday, April 20, a skier sustained a severe ankle injury after being swept approximately 700 feet down the north face of Grizzly Peak, located near Loveland Pass in Colorado. The Summit Daily reports that the incident occurred during a wind slab avalanche, a common type in the region, which forms when wind deposits snow onto a leeward slope, creating a […] Avalanche AvyBrains | April 22, 2025 0 Comments
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