Avalanche Accident January 1, 2009, Val d'Isère: Fornet Galcier

Occurred at approximately 12pm at 3000 metres on a Southwest facing slope. Slope steepness about 35°. Victim triggered avalanche and slid with it, but was not buried (just skies etc buried). Crown looked about 30-45 cm from a distance - see the middle of the 3rd & 4th photo below for crown in middle of image  (click on image to enlarge in web browser). The victim was taken about 150 metres and is in image below in lower right hand side.

(Photo just below) I was riding up the 'pays desert' teleski in Fornet Glacier secteur of Val d'Isère. I saw a person heading to a steep suspect slope in front of me. I got my phone out and took a the photo of him/her (see photo below).. The eventual vicitim is on top middle part of image just above small, thin, long, rock outcropping in upper middle part of photo (click on photo to enlarge in browser).. 

  (photo just below) the lift kept pulling me up the hill and out of site of the slope and the vicitm, but I kept the phone/camera ready and.. sure enough... the avalanche came flying down into view of my iPhone - image below in middle (again click on photo to enlarge in browser).

  

(Photos 3&4 below) Overview of accident area in images below (crown is in centre of each image and vicitms are 150 metres or more in lower right hand side of image). Top of Pays dessert teleski in lower left corner and top of Cascade lift in upper left in image just below:

  
 There's been several accidents in the Norther French Alps over the last few days see http://pistehors.com especially due in large part to a significant depth hoar layer. The skiing has been great (these are tracks from my group this morning below) over the last week with intermittent sun, snow (some rain at low altitudes), clouds and the odd clearing. I'm just sticking to low angle slopes and the rare times when I've gone a bit steep.. trying to take all the precautions: one at a time, safe areas to stop in, avoiding terrain traps etc.

 

Have fun, be safe in this new year!

Henry
   

Comments

[Henry Schniewind]

Thanks for the comment David. I've only heard bits and pieces about the accidental avalanches yesterday, but I think Andreas knows the story of at least one of those avalanches that occured in the 'arcel' area of the solaise secteur of Val d'Isere: a guide leading a group road 150 metres- he's ok which is probably why it didn'take the news. The other incident is confirmed by the pisteurs, but I don't have any details at all on that.. will let you know if i hear anything. Cheers, H

[Davidzof]

Hi Henry

Good reflexes. I heard you had a couple of incidents yesterday. One involving a a group of 4 partially buried and one involving an off piste skier. Didn't see anything in the papers about this though.

David