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2025 Archive Index - All Editions

Avalanche blocks Parks Highway near Cantwell

Friday, Jan 24: An avalanche closed the Parks Highway near Cantwell around 10 a.m. on Friday morning, dumping about six feet of snow and debris across mile 219. Nobody was hurt, but the section of highway has been blocked from both sides for most of the day. Sean Rose said he was driving north on the Parks Highway when he got caught in the avalanche. “Then out of nowhere is a huge powder plume with zero visibility, so I just started braking,” he said, adding that his van quickly bogged down in the snow. “But I’m totally fine. The van still runs and drives.”

Update: Two more avalanches came down near the same spot on the Parks Highway over the weekend. Department of Transportation spokesperson Danielle Tessen says crews are still working to clear the road and monitoring for new avalanches, but drivers can pass through the area between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
More ... (Alaska Public Media)

Avalanche buries two sisters on Swiss cross-country trail

Two female cross-country skiers were caught in an avalanche on a cross-country ski trail near the village of Isola in Maloja on Sunday afternoon. One woman was completely buried, the other partially buried. At around 2.45 p.m., a piste machine operator reported an avalanche to the Graubünden cantonal police control center via a cross-country ski trail in Isola/Maloja. One person was completely buried and a second person partially buried. Together with other winter sports enthusiasts, he was able to free the two women, a 63-year-old and a 59-year-old, from the masses of snow. After first aid, Rega flew the two sisters to Samedan Hospital for further investigations.

The source article has a photo of the avalanche
More ... (Bluewin)

Founder of hiking club “DaiDushki” died in avalanche (Tajikistan)

Jafar Asimov, the founder of the hiking enthusiasts' club "DaiDushki," died on January 25 while skiing at the highest point of the Safed Dara ski resort. According to the Emergencies Committee under the Government of Tajikistan, the tragedy occurred on Saturday: at the time of the avalanche, Jafar and two of his friends were skiing “without observing safety measures” when they were buried by the snow mass.

"Two of them managed to free themselves from the snow on their own, they called for help, and the ski resort staff excavated Jafar's body from under the snow," said Umeda Yusufi, a spokeswoman for the Emergencies Committee. Jafar's two friends sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital, Yusufi noted.
More ... (Asia-Plus Tajikistan)