Fresh Warnings for Off Piste Skiers as More Avalanche Deaths in France
18th December 2022
Last modified on December 20th, 2022
Seven people have already died in avalanches this season in France alone. The authorities are urging people to exercise caution and follow the rules. UPDATED
There has been an avalanche warning risk of 3 on a scale of 5 in many areas in France after recent fresh snow.
More people die when the level is at 3, than any other level.
In the latest incident two skiers were caught by a slab avalanche at 2,300m near Courchevel.
One person was partially buried.
The other was totally buried and died at the scene.
Normally at this time of year in France there are one or two deaths, but seven is very high for mid-December.
There haven’t been huge amounts of snowfall, but it has been steady and fallen on a thin and persistently unstable base at altitude.
There has been rain at lower elevations, and this has stabilised the base.
PlanetSKI has been in Les Arcs where the risk is Level 3 – considerable.
There has been some excellent and safe off piste to the side of the marked runs.
Les Arcs, France. Image © PlanetSKI
But not everyone has been sensible.
These two people were in a group of four that ignored the safety warnings and climbed over the barriers to ski a closed area.
Les Arcs, France. Image © PlanetSKI
On a neighbouring slope the piste patrol had already set off an avalanche as they recognised the slopes to be unstable.
Les Arcs, France. Image © PlanetSKI
It is a similar picture across parts of the Alps.
In Switzerland three people have died already this winter.
There have been 12 avalanches with 17 people caught.
“Distinct weak layers in the old snowpack necessitate caution,” advises the Swiss Institute for Avalanche Research.
Image c/o Swiss Institute for Avalanche Research.
Switzerland has now introduced a new warning system that sub-divides the warning scale.
We reported on it earlier on PlanetSKI:
Avalanche in the Alps. Image © PlanetSKI
Authorities across the Alps are urging people who ski off piste to take extra care, especially at altitude.
In the USA there are also warning of avalanche danger after some record amounts of December snow.
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