Avalanche
A 44-year-old woman died Saturday in an off-piste avalanche at La Norma ski resort in Savoie, France. The victim, from Bourgneuf, was skiing with her partner and a friend when their group triggered a massive slide in the Saint-Antoine valley.
The slide was reportedly 650 feet wide and ran for 2,000 feet, with debris up to 10 feet deep in places.
Emergency services received the alert at 12:14 p.m., and within 15 minutes, a team, including a dog handler and three gendarmes from the High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon (PGHM), were on site. They were quickly joined by three La Norma ski patrollers and additional reinforcements.
A rapid rescue effort was hampered because the victim was not equipped with an avalanche transceiver. She was eventually located by RECCO and probe at 1:10 p.m. and extracted from under four feet (120 centimeters) of snow five minutes later. Despite resuscitation attempts, she was pronounced dead at 1:45 p.m.
“The snow cover is unstable and very dangerous. It’s imperative to be equipped with an avalanche victim detector, a shovel, and a probe, and be accompanied by a professional when going off-piste.”
This was the second avalanche fatality in Savoie within a week, following a 14-year-old’s death at Les Arcs resort on Christmas Day. The current avalanche risk rating in the area is “considerable,” or 3 out of 5.
La Norma was in the news last week when a chairlift malfunction left 107 people dangling for up to four hours, requiring a rope evacuation.
La Norma is a family-friendly ski resort celebrated for its accessibility and charm. With 65 kilometers (about 40 miles) of pistes and 14 lifts, the resort caters to skiers of all levels. Its forested runs and compact village atmosphere make it a favorite for families seeking an intimate alpine experience. Though smaller than neighboring mega-resorts like Val Thorens or Les Arcs, La Norma’s lower altitude (1,350 to 2,750 meters) and sheltered slopes often result in excellent snow conditions, especially in winter. The resort is also part of the expansive Eskimo ski pass network, connecting visitors to over 300 kilometers of runs across six resorts.
