Further Avalanches in The Alps take five more lives.

Fatal avalanches occurred today in Courchevel, Serre Chevalier and St. Moritz. There were further serious avalanches in La Clusaz and Val Thorens.

* This morning in St.Moritz, Switzerland, an avalanche buried two people, one of whom was killed.

* A 16-year-old snowboarder was buried above Monetier, Serre Chevalier this afternoon in the area of ??Cucumelle. Although quickly located and rescued by mountain guides from Briançon, and flown by helicopter to hospital in Grenoble, he died of his injuries.

* Also this afternoon, the guardian of a refuge above Courchevel - skiing with his son - was killed by a slide.

* An avalanche was triggered in the early afternoon by two backcountry skiers close to the Col de la Madeleine. One woman was completely buried, but located by transceiver and dug out by her companion. Although suffering from hypothermia, hospitalization was not necessary.

* Two skiers were located with their transceivers and recovered alive from a slab avalanche next to the Torchere piste in La Clusaz.

* Also this morning, a group of skiers triggered an avalanche above the Combe Caron. The three persons caught by the slide were rescued, although one needed to be resuscitated.


Source (in French) :- Le Dauphine

As we said yesterday - considerable avalanche risk will continue in many areas for the next week at least - please stay safe!

And in the German speaking areas:

On Thursday a 53 year old German bloke was caught in two avalanches at Montafon in Austria. At the time of the first one he was climbing alone to the place where a friend had been caught and killed in a previous avalanche, where he wanted to pay his respects. He was swept for 150 metres and buried up to his neck he managed to dig himself out, but couldn't find one of his skis. He then started to retrace his steps on his remaining ski. In the mean time a rescue party had set off to investigate the first avalanche, when they came into sight he set off in a direct line towards them in spite of being told to stay put. He was then caught in a second avalanche which swept him a further 200 metres and buried him up to his waist, the rescuers were able to dig him out unharmed and he was able to walk down to the valley unaided.

At Ratschingser also in Austria a piste machine was caught in an avalanche which rolled it over several times. The driver was thrown from the cab, but was able to dig himself out and call for help. He was taken to hospital but was not seriously injured.

At St. Vigil in Enneberg, part of the Kronplatz area in the Dolomites the fresh snow on the 'Erta' piste (black) avalanched down to the village, fortunately no one seems to have been caught in it.
There are lots of photos in the local newspaper report http://www.suedtirolnews.it/d/artikel/2013/12/26/st-vigil-teil-der-skipiste-erta-zu-tal-gedonnert.html

A 27 year old Irish guy living in Zürich was caught in an avalanche on the way to the Rotondohütte not far from Andermatt, he was reported missing yesterday, but the weather was too bad to start a rescue so his body couldn't be recovered until this morning.

Today a 13 year old youth was buried up to his neck in Sölden and a skier was caught in one at Ischgl, both escaped unharmed. Two people were caught in an avalanche in St Moritz (already mentioned by admin) this morning; unfortunately one of them didn't survive. There was another avalanche there this afternoon that reached a piste, fortunately nobody was caught in that one.

At Feldberg in Germany two ski tourers were caught in an avalanche and seriously injured.

SwingBeep wrote:On Thursday a 53 year old German bloke was caught in two avalanches

Good grief. Sounds like he really needs to re-think his risk assessment... :shock:

We have just heard that the two skiers recovered from the avalanche in La Clusaz yesterday, a 33-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, both died this afternoon in Annecy hospital.

RIP

Huge snow ongoing now in Northern Alps, so am sure we are in for more bad news tomorrow. Badly needed to fill in crevasses to open up the high glacier skiing but at what cost. Just checked my beeper battery and am planning on piste only because of knee.

It brings it home when you hear of people being killed on slopes you have skied on yourself.

Tony_H wrote:It brings it home when you hear of people being killed on slopes you have skied on yourself.

Yes, this. I'm familiar with the slope at Serre Che, like you I guess, but have skied the run mentioned in La Clusaz (Torchere) many, many times over the years. If it was the particular pitch I think then it always looks tempting, but is prone to slide (has killed before) and is not one to be risked in current conditions. :(

One more death from Avalanche in Montgenevre / Claviere yesterday. Don't' go off-piste right now folks, it's dangerous out there.