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Archive Index - All Editions

Avalanche-injured skier saved by GPS on phone

A skier was caught in an avalanche in Colorado’s backcountry that left them too injured to ski back out of the forest, rescuers said. It happened Dec. 3 just after 3 p.m. on Mines Peak near Berthoud Pass. Rescuers tracked the skier’s location with GPS coordinates from their cellphone, officials said. They were partially buried and able to free themself from the avalanche debris, but their injuries prevented them from skiing out.

Once rescue teams arrived, they treated the skier’s injuries, including mild hypothermia. The teams used a rescue toboggan and rope uphaul systems to haul the skier out of the backcountry and back to Highway 40 to transfer them to Grand County EMS.
More ... (Lewiston Tribune)

SNOW2025 Symposium, Sept 30 - Oct 3, Iceland

The Association of Chartered Engineers in Iceland (VFÍ) will hold an International Symposium on Mitigation Measures against Snow Avalanches and Other Rapid Gravity Mass Flows in Ísafjörður, northwest Iceland, from September 30th to October 3rd, 2025. This conference is the third of its kind to be held in Iceland, following previous events in Egilsstaðir in 2008 and Siglufjörður in 2019.

In 2025, we will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the catastrophic avalanches that devastated the communities of Súðavík and Flateyri in 1995, causing tragic loss of life, significant community disruption, and extensive infrastructure damage. VFÍ believes it is essential to honor the memory of these events and their permanent impact by hosting the next SNOW conference in the Westfjords in 2025.
More (nothing more at this time) ... (LinkedIn post)

Skier seriously injured in avalanche near Revelstoke, BC

A skier was seriously injured in an avalanche near Revelstoke on Sunday. According to the Avalanche Canada website the man was checking on snow conditions on the southeast side of Mount Mackenzie when he was caught. The man was part of a group of 9 people skiing in the area at the time of the avalanche, at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Dec. 22. The skier sustained serious injuries and was evacuated with the assistance of Revelstoke Mountain Resort Ski Patrol and Revelstoke Search and Rescue.

“(A) skier looking into Highway Bowl for observations was standing on a rock then took one step out onto cornice and it failed below his skis,” noted the incident report. “He was unable to hang on and fell into Highway Bowl. The cornice failure initiated an avalanche that propagated into a size 3 slab.”
More ... (Castanet)

Avalanche Injures Two Adolescents At Val D'Isère

On December 23, two adolescents aged 12 and 17 were injured when they were caught by an avalanche at Val d'Isère, Savoie. The incident occurred when the siblings were skiing off-piste with their father, who rescued them before ski patrol arrived. While the younger brother was completely buried by the snow, the elder sibling managed to stay on the surface during the avalanche. "One was completely buried by the snow, whereas the other was able to stay on the surface," said Cédric Bonnevie, director of the Val d'Isère ski patrol. The ski patrol quickly took over the situation after the father’s intervention. The elder brother sustained an injury to his leg from hitting trees, and the younger one suffered head trauma when his helmet was removed during the slide. "There was no urgent threat to life," stated authorities at the scene. Both adolescent victims were quickly transported to the medical center within the station for evaluation and treatment.

Initially, emergency rescue operations faced challenges due to adverse weather conditions, with no helicopter support possible. Weather conditions leading up to the incident were severe, with Météo France indicating 43 centimeters of fresh snow had accumulated by the previous evening and predicting another 20 to 40 centimeters were expected throughout December 23. Areas across the Haut-Tarentaise region had been placed on high alert with avalanche risks rated at 4 out of 5.
More ... (The Pinnacle Gazette)

Large Natural Avalanche caught on camera in NH

A large avalanche in New Hampshire's White Mountains was captured on video on Tuesday. The slide, recorded by the Mount Washington Avalanche Center, happened on Hillman's Highway after several inches of fresh snow. According to the avalanche center, the slide was triggered naturally. Persistent wind had caused an additional buildup of snow on the mountainside, and weather conditions are expected to create an elevated risk for avalanches in the coming days.

The link below includes the video. It's an impressive avalanche for the northeast.
More ... (WMUR)