avalanches

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 […]
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Avalanches in Val Thorens, France, Leave One Critically Injured and Force Ski Area Shutdown

Worlds Best Ski Resort

A series of avalanches swept through Val Thorens ski area in the French Alps today, leaving one person critically injured and forcing the closure of the entire ski area as authorities raised the avalanche risk to its highest level, PisteHors reports. Related: Avalanche Risk at Maximum as Season’s Biggest Snow Storm Shuts Down European Ski Areas Local officials reported that […]
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Separate Avalanches Kill 2 in Swiss Alps Amid Warming Temperatures

The avalanche at Bourg-St-Pierre, Switzerland. | Photo: Valais Police

Two skiers died in separate avalanches last week in Switzerland’s Valais Alps. The incidents occurred just days apart in popular backcountry zones, prompting rescue teams to emphasize the need for caution as spring arrives and temperatures rise, creating unstable snowpacks. Related: World Cup Star Ivica Kostelic Denies Being Buried in Austrian Avalanche Bourg-St-Pierre Avalanche On April 3, a 34-year-old Swiss […]
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2 Skiers Killed in Separate Alberta Avalanches Near Lake Louise Ski Resort and Kananaskis

Photo of the Lake Louise avalanche with a red dot indicating the approximate trigger point. Notably, there are small to medium sized trees in the start zone and track. | Photo: Avalanche Canada

Two backcountry skiers died in separate avalanches west of Calgary, Alberta, on Friday, March 14. The first incident occurred around 3 p.m. near Pipestone Bowl, an out-of-bounds area near Lake Louise Ski Resort, and the second incident was near Mount Black Prince in Kananaskis Country. Related: Champion Ski Racer Killed in Avalanche While Cat-Skiing With Diamond Lake Resort, OR Incident […]
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Patroller Injured and Skier Partially Buried Following Inbounds Avalanches at Palisades Tahoe, CA, Yesterday

A ski patroller at Palisades Tahoe, California, was injured Thursday morning while en route to perform avalanche control work near the KT-22 chairlift, reports the SF Chronicle. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. after a major storm dumped over two feet of snow in 24 hours, creating significant avalanche risk across the Sierra Nevada. The patroller suffered a leg injury […]
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Colorado Has Twice as Many Avalanche Deaths as any Other State

Avalanches can occur in mountains as snow accumulates on steep slopes. If the snowpack becomes unstable, it can suddenly release and rapidly descend downslope. Some avalanches have occurred in the Northeast but do not happen nearly as much compared to the Western U.S. Alaska, Washington, Utah, and Montana are known for being prone to the risk of avalanches. However, Colorado […]
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90 Avalanches, 18 Human-Triggered, 6 People Carried, and 3 Partial Burials in Colorado Last Week

avalanche crown

90 avalanches were reported in Colorado from November 21 to 27, 18 of which were human-triggered and involved six people caught and carried and three people partially buried, according to data on the Colorado Avalanche Information Center’s website. A slide off Raspberry Ridge near Aspen caught four skiers and partially buried three on November 25. The CAIC reports it was […]
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Revolutionary New Backcountry App Will Help Manage Avalanche Risk

AspectAvy is a new app launching on November 24, 2023, that aims to eliminate avalanche fatalities in the backcountry. The tool aims to prevent 100% of avalanche fatalities by providing decision-making resources that take human error out of backcountry travel. Related: Another Deadly Year for Colorado Skiing How does it work? AspectAvy has researched avalanches and avalanche death data over […]
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Avatar photo Brent Thomas |
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Avalanches Closed Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT, For 1,480 Hours Last Season (Nearly 2 Months of Restricted Access)

As a result of record-breaking snowfall virtually all season long, Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon experienced an extraordinary surge in closures last winter. One disgruntled observer aptly pointed out, “You didn’t close Little Cottonwood this much last year or the year before, what’s the deal?” The statement reflects the sentiment of many who have been affected by the extensive closures and […]
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Martin Kuprianowicz |
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[PHOTOS] Massive, Tree-Uprooting Avalanches Bury Highway and Keep Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT, Closed Indefinitely

What do you get when five-and-a-half feet of snow falls in three days on top of an already 800+ inch season?  Avalanches. 🚧#RoadClosureUpdate🚧@UtahDOT road operations slide debris clearing resumes at the #SR210 Maybird (MP 7.5) slide (and above). @UDOTavy avalanche mitigation is ongoing this morning. ‼️NO ETO for opening. @UDOTRegionTwo @UtahDOT @AltaCentral @AltaAlerts @SnowbirdAlerts @UPDSL pic.twitter.com/s4Ri6Y4Sfj — UDOT Cottonwood Canyons […]
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Brighton, Solitude, Snowbird, and Alta, UT, Will Not Open Today Due to Exceptional Avalanche Danger

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alta Ski Area (@altaskiarea) On top of an already record-breaking winter, it’s been an impressive week in terms of snowfall for Utah’s Cottonwood Canyons, home to world-class ski areas Brighton, Solitude, Snowbird, and Alta. The mountains have received upwards of 5 feet of snow this week since Sunday. With continued snowfall […]
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Martin Kuprianowicz |
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Colorado Has Seen More Avalanches Than Same Period in Last 12-Years | 637 Avalanches, 142 Triggered by People

wet slabs are extremely dangerous

Colorado has already seen 637 avalanches this season—more than the same period in the last twelve years. One hundred forty-two of those slides were triggered by humans, according to data in the new CAIC avalanche explorer tool. Related: Avalanche Buries Patroller at Steamboat Resort, CO Almost a third (204) have been in the Gunnison range. Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) […]
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1 Killed and Multiple Burials After 3 Avalanches in British Columbia Backcountry

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On Saturday, February 5th, 2022, at approximately 1:20 pm Pemberton RCMP received multiple emergency rescue calls in a 10 minute period from the International Emergency Response Coordination Centre, In-Reach text messages, and calls from witnesses in the areas of Cassiope Peak area and Mount Cayley. Witnesses in the area stated that three separate avalanches: two on Cassiope Peak and one […]
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11 People Killed as More Than 100 Avalanches Hit Austrian and Swiss Mountains

Avalanches killed eleven people in four days when more than 100 avalanches struck Austria and Switzerland, local media reported Sunday. “The past three days have seen some 100 avalanche-type incidents requiring 70 interventions.” – Tyrol regional authorities said Sunday One person died Thursday, and several others were injured in avalanches in the Graubunden region of Switzerland, which borders Austria’s Tyrol. […]
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Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY Closed the Tram and 2 Lifts Yesterday After 2 Inbounds Avalanches

Two inbounds avalanches at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY, yesterday forced the resort to close three lifts in the interests of skier safety, the Jackson Hole News and Guide reports. The slides were in the Laramie Cliffs area and also near the Expert Chutes. Both slides released naturally and no skiers or riders were involved. Related: Teton Range, WY Report: The Deepest […]
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CNFAIC Warns of Human Triggered Avalanches as Snowfall Finally Reaches Sea Level at Girdwood, AK

After record-breaking amounts of rain last week, lower elevations in Alaska have finally seen snow, causing the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center to warn of human-triggered avalanches. Related: Alyeska Resort, AK, Got a Record-Breaking 19″ of Rainfall Last Week The base of Alyeska Resort, in Girdwood, saw 19-INCHES of rain just last week, but yesterday saw 5-8″ of fresh […]
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Brain Post: When is the Most Dangerous Time of Year for Avalanches?

Avalanches are typically at the forefront of any backcountry skier’s mind when it comes to backcountry skiing. After all, they can be the difference between life and death in the mountains. However, some times of the year can be more dangerous than others. Snowpack stability fluctuates throughout the season in reaction to weather events, so any snowpack could theoretically be dangerous […]
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Clay Malott |
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