Looking Back at the Avalanches Fatalities Across North America During Winter 2024-25

Avalanches are among the most dangerous natural hazards, and the science behind their formation and prevention is fascinating. These mass movements of snow often disrupt the operations of ski areas and public roads, leading to significant investments in prevention. Triggered by animals, humans, heavy snowfall, earthquakes, and other natural variables, avalanches have the most significant risk of sliding on slopes greater than 30 degrees. Avalanches kill more people in National Forests than any other natural hazard. Over the last 10 winters, an average of 27 people died in avalanches each winter in the United States.

There have been more avalanche fatalities this year than in the previous year, according to statistics compiled by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) and the National Avalanche Center. So far this season, there have been 23 fatalities in the U.S. due to avalanches compared to 16 during the 2023-24 season. The most recent fatality was a skier who was confirmed dead after being caught in a soft slab avalanche on Mt. McKinley in Alaska on June 10, 2025. The avalanche year runs like a hydrological year from October 1 to September 30.

• Related: [PHOTOS] Solo Skier Lucky to Escape Death After Huge Avalanche Carries Him 2,000 Feet in Alberta Backcountry

The Utah Avalanche Center reported over 800 avalanches in the backcountry this season, resulting in five avalanche deaths this year.  All avalanche deaths occurred in Western states, with Utah accounting for the most deaths, with five. Alaska had four deaths, while Oregon and Colorado had three fatalities.

The deadliest avalanche this past season happened in Alaska, where three guided clients were killed on March 4. There were 16 avalanche deaths in 2023-24 compared to the 23 fatalities this season. The accident occurred when three clients from a helicopter-based ski guiding operation were caught, buried, and killed in an avalanche. Guides from the operation located the three skiers using avalanche rescue transceivers and determined the skiers were buried between 40 and nearly 100 feet deep. The guides could not complete a recovery due to how deep the skiers were buried.

The 2024-25 season saw a rare inbounds avalanche incident involving a ski patroller at Mammoth Mountain, California. The patroller died from injuries sustained in an avalanche that occurred during routine mitigation work. The incident involved two patrollers on Lincoln Mountain on Friday, February 14. The ski patrollers were conducting avalanche mitigation efforts with a colleague when the slide occurred around 11:30 a.m. The area had been closed to the public following a storm that dumped approximately six feet of snow on the resort in 36 hours. The ski patroller suffered serious injuries and was initially transported to Mammoth Hospital before being airlifted for advanced care. The patroller passed away due to their injuries eight days later. Three other in-bounds avalanches also occurred at Snowbird, Big Sky, and Palisades Tahoe this past season, stressing the importance of being aware of conditions and surroundings even when skiing at a resort.

According to Avalanche Canada, there have been seven avalanche fatalities in Canada this year, compared to 12 the previous season. The Canadian 10-year average fatality rate in avalanche fatalities is 10.9, compared to the United States’ 10-year average of 27 a year. British Columbia has had 80 deaths since 2015, making it the deadliest Province in Canada for winter enthusiasts. To compare, the Province of Alberta comes in second with 18 over the same period. British Columbia had the most avalanche deaths this season, with five out of the seven avalanche fatalities in Canada.

The deadliest avalanche occurred on March 22 at Clute Creek watershed in the British Columbia backcountry. According to a Royal Canadian Mounted Police press release, two groups had just completed their run in an alpine bowl and were waiting in a staging area below the treeline. As a transport helicopter approached to pick them up, the pilot spotted the oncoming avalanche and sounded the alarm. One group managed to escape the avalanche path while four men were swept into the treeline by the wall of snow. Despite immediate rescue efforts, three were found dead. According to Advnture, these were: Stellar Heli Skiing owner Jason Remple, 53, from Kaslo, pro snowboarder Jeff Keenan, 44, from Whistler, and Alex ‘Pash’ Pashley, 45, a sports marketer at The North Face, from Idaho. A fourth skier, a 40-year-old man from Nelson, B.C., was critically injured and evacuated from the scene.

• Related: Multiple Fatalities and Injuries After 9 Heli-Skiers and Guide Caught in Avalanche Outside British Columbia Ski Resort

As people continue to go to the mountains, understanding the science and risk of avalanches becomes increasingly vital. While ski areas have made significant strides in avalanche prevention, the backcountry remains largely unmanaged and inherently dangerous. The United States and Canadian fatality statistics serve as a harsh reminder of the unpredictability and lethality of these natural hazards.