Avalanche kills teenager above 1950

The young man, who came from the nearby Ain department had been buried by a fresh snow avalanche. He is the first avalanche fatality in France this season. The avalanche risk was 3 (Considerable) on a scale of 5 below 2200 meters, 4 (high) at altitude.

The accident occurred at around 13h00 at 2100 meters altitude in the Dailles off-piste sector above Arc 1950. The man had left some friends to ski alone during a snowstorm. When he didn’t return to the resort his friends gave the alert. After an extensive search the ski patrol found the man’s glove and then recovered his body.

The avalanche bulletin had warned that rain had fallen to 2700 meters in some sectors on Monday morning and this was followed by fresh snow and violent winds forming many new slabs and accumulations on diverse slopes. Above 2200 meters the fresh snow had either fallen on a wind or freeze/thaw crust or on unstable facetted snow crystals. Lower down the risk was of snow purges, powder and soft slab avalanches all of which could be trigged by a single skier.

The Savoie PGHM is advising everyone to stay on piste, but for those determined to head off piste, the message is to never ski alone, to always be equipped with an Arva, shovel and probe. This season they are also strongly advising people to equip themselves with an airbag.