Backcountry Skier Killed in Avalanche Near Lake Tahoe, CA A backcountry skier was killed in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe on Monday, February 17. The incident occurred in the Powderhouse Peak area, a popular backcountry zone about 16 miles south of Lake Tahoe. On Monday, after 4 p.m., the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office (EDSO) received reports of an overdue skier. The skier’s vehicle was found in a parking […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 18, 2025 2 Comments
[PHOTOS] Loveland Pass, CO, Closed After Avalanche Sweeps Truck Off the Road On Friday evening, an avalanche struck Loveland Pass, Colorado, sweeping a pickup truck off U.S. Highway 6. The incident occurred around 7:15 PM in an area known as Seven Sister 6, shortly after Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) officials had initiated a precautionary closure due to rising avalanche danger. Related: [UPDATED] Berthoud Pass, CO, Remains Closed as More Avalanches Impact […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 15, 2025 0 Comments
Mammoth Mountain, CA, Closed After Inbounds Avalanche Seriously Injures Patroller An avalanche at Mammoth Mountain, California, caught two ski patrollers today, prompting the resort to close for the day. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. during routine avalanche mitigation work on Lincoln Mountain, an area known for its steep, challenging terrain. Related: 2 Avalanches Reported at Palisades Tahoe, CA One patroller was successfully extracted from the scene and is responsive, […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 14, 2025 0 Comments
2 Avalanches Reported at Palisades Tahoe, CA Palisades Tahoe, California, reported two small avalanches today, requiring ski patrol and rescue teams to respond. The slides occurred around 10:50 a.m. on the Palisades side of the resort, one in the Enchanted Forest area and another near Olympic Lady. Resort officials reported no injuries from the incident. Ski patrol members and avalanche rescue dog teams were immediately dispatched to […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 14, 2025 0 Comments
Black Diamond Recalls Recon LT Avalanche Transceiver Due to a Corrosion Issue In conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada, Black Diamond Equipment is recalling the Black Diamond Recon LT avalanche transceiver and related avalanche safety sets due to a corrosion issue that may cause it to malfunction. Recon LT owners can have their transceivers repaired, exchanged for a different model, or refunded. Related: A Deeper Look […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 14, 2025 0 Comments
Federal Cuts Threaten Sierra Avalanche Center’s Forecasting Operations The Sierra Avalanche Center (SAC), responsible for avalanche forecasting in the Tahoe region, faces an imminent reduction in its forecasting capabilities due to federal staffing cuts. The U.S. Forest Service has announced plans to lay off one of SAC’s three avalanche forecasters as early as next week, a decision that could severely impact public safety during the heart of winter. […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 10, 2025 2 Comments
3 Skiers Caught in Avalanche in Dutch Draw After Ducking Rope From Park City Mountain Resort, UT On Saturday afternoon, three backcountry skiers were caught in a skier-triggered avalanche in Dutch Draw, just outside Park City Mountain Resort, Utah. The incident, which occurred at 1:15 p.m., prompted an immediate response from Summit County Search and Rescue and Park City Ski Patrol. Two skiers successfully extricated themselves from the slide, while a third was buried. The unburied skiers […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 8, 2025 0 Comments
Skier Killed in Avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT A skier was killed and another injured in an avalanche today in the Silver Fork area of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, today. Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Arlan Bennett confirmed that rescue teams responded at 12:48 p.m. The avalanche buried two skiers, both in their 50s. One managed to escape with a leg injury and was transported to the hospital, […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 8, 2025 0 Comments
[VIDEO] Cody Townsend’s The FIFTY+ | Bonus Episode: Behind the Scenes of Avalanche Forecasting Avalanche forecasts are as important as skis for a backcountry skier. But how exactly is the forecast made? Related: Avalanche Forecasting 101: The Framework of a Professional’s Daily Avalanche Forecast Going behind the scenes with the Sierra Avalanche Center, in benefit of the American Avalanche Association (A3), to see what goes into those daily avalanche forecasts that help backcountry skiers […] Avalanche SnowBrains | February 7, 2025 0 Comments
[VIDEO] German Skier Escapes Avalanche Death Thanks To Airbag A 50-year-old German man escaped death thanks to his emergency airbag after being swept away down a mountain by an avalanche. The incident happened at Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in western Europe, which straddles parts of France, Italy, and Switzerland. As the man started sliding down the slope, he could be seen inflating his anti-avalanche airbag to keep him […] Avalanche Gregg Frantz | February 7, 2025 0 Comments
Seasoned Mountain Guide Killed in Avalanche Near Chamonix, France A seasoned mountain guide was found dead late Tuesday night, February 4, after an avalanche buried him while backcountry skiing near the Les Houches ski resort in Haute-Savoie in France. The 59-year-old had set out alone on the slopes of Mont Lachat, an area he knew well. An alarm was raised by concerned friends around 4:30 p.m. when he failed to […] Avalanche Julia Schneemann | February 5, 2025 0 Comments
Patrollers Evacuated From Closed Chairlift After Mitigation Caused Huge Avalanche at Big Sky Resort, MT During avalanche mitigation work on Wednesday, February 5, an avalanche was triggered in the Bone Crusher area at Big Sky Resort, Montana, before the resort opened. A significant amount of snow was deposited in and around the upper lift terminal of Swift Current 6. Related: Inbounds Avalanche Ushers Upper Mountain Closure at Alyeska Resort, AK The Big Sky Resort Ski […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 5, 2025 2 Comments
Group of 7 Caught and Carried in Avalanche Outside Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY, Boundary Yesterday, a group of seven triggered a large hard slab avalanche south of the boundary of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming. All members of the party were caught and carried. Related: Snowmobiler Killed by Avalanche in Utah’s Monte Cristo Snowmobile Area The large skier-triggered avalanche occurred on a northeast-facing slope at 9,400′. It likely failed on the new/old interface buried […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 4, 2025 0 Comments
Snowmobiler Killed by Avalanche in Utah’s Monte Cristo Snowmobile Area A 37-year-old snowmobiler from Evanston, Wyoming, was killed in an avalanche on Monday afternoon in Utah’s Monte Cristo Snowmobile Area. The avalanche, near the Rich County and Cache County line, sparked a massive multi-agency rescue operation that lasted several hours. Related: Head On A Swivel – Snowmobile Avalanche Awareness The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed pending family notification, was snowmobiling […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 4, 2025 0 Comments
2 More Avalanche Fatalities in the Alps Bring Europe’s Death Toll to 13 This Week Two backcountry skiers died in separate avalanches in the French Alps on Sunday, February 2, bringing the total number of avalanche fatalities in Europe to 13 in just one week. The incidents occurred in Bessans, Savoie, and Puy-Saint-Vincent, both areas where avalanche risk was high due to unstable snow conditions following recent heavy snowfalls. Related: Deadly Day in the French […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 3, 2025 0 Comments
2 Backcountry Skiers Killed in Avalanche Near Davos, Switzerland, Despite Guide & Safety Gear, Marking the 11th Avalanche Death This Week in the Alps An avalanche in the Swiss Alps claimed the lives of two skiers on Thursday afternoon, January 30, as they attempted to summit Sertig Pass, a popular backcountry route near Davos. A Swiss ski instructor and three guests had set out from Sertig Dörfli in the morning, making their way through the Chüealptal valley on their way to the 2,739-meter (8,985-foot) pass. […] Avalanche AvyBrains | February 1, 2025 0 Comments
Snowboarder Dies in Avalanche in Arosa-Lenzerheide Ski Area, Switzerland A snowboarder was killed in an avalanche on Wednesday, January 29, at Arosa-Lenzerheide ski area in the Swiss Alps. Arosa-Lenzerheide is located in the south side of the Alps in the canton Graubünden which has been facing heightened avalanche danger following days of heavy snowfall. The Swiss Avalanche Institute (SLF) announced a Level 4 warning for Wednesday. Related: Tragedy in […] Avalanche Julia Schneemann | January 30, 2025 0 Comments
British Skier Killed by Massive Avalanche Over 3,000 Feet Long in Chamonix, France A 55-year-old British man was killed after a massive avalanche swept him away in the French Alps on Tuesday, January 28. According to local authorities, the slide occurred in an off-piste area of the Grands Montets ski resort in the Chamonix Valley, near Mont Blanc. The avalanche, described as “very large,” measured over 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) long and 1,300 […] Avalanche AvyBrains | January 29, 2025 0 Comments
European Avalanche Institutes Urge to Exercise Restraint Post Snowstorm The European Avalanche Warning Services (EAWS) has issued a stark warning for winter sports enthusiasts on Wednesday, January 29, following significant snowfall in the Alps. Up to 1 meter (3 feet) of snow has accumulated on the south side of the Alps since Sunday, January 26, creating hazardous conditions for off-piste skiing and snowboarding. “On this first sunny day, restraint […] Avalanche AvyBrains | January 29, 2025 2 Comments
Heroic Snow Groomer Driver Rescues Sisters as Avalanche Hits Cross-Country Ski Trail near St. Moritz, Switzerland Two cross-country skiers were caught in an avalanche on Sunday afternoon, January 26, near St. Moritz, Switzerland. The rare incident ocured on the cross-country trail near Isola along Lake Sils which is situated just below the Corvatsch ski area. Corvatsch is one of several ski areas in the Engadin Ski Area which joined the IKON pass this season. The incident […] Avalanche Julia Schneemann | January 28, 2025 0 Comments
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