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2025 Archive Index - All Editions

This will be the last edition for 2025. Best wishes for a happy and safe 2026.

There have been a number of avalanche incidents added to the website archives. We generally do not repeat that information here, and incidents that are included in these news updates are usually not added to the archives on the web. With a few exceptions now and then.

In This Edition:

Fatal Avalanches in Europe

In France a mountain guide died near La Plagne and another person perished near Albertville. Four hikers have died in the Greek mountains.

A group of six skiers including a professional guide from La Plagne was descending the Rodzins Couloir on the north face of Bellecôte on Boxing Day. It is a steep and well-known off-piste route above the resort. Four of the skiers, including the guide, were carried and buried while the other two alerted authorities. Two helicopters were deployed- carrying five rescuers, two doctors, and a dog handler. An initial slab fracture approximately 2m released near the top of the couloir, followed by a second, much larger slide measuring up to 200m wide.

Three members of the group were buried in the debris, while a fourth skier remained on the surface. All were wearing avalanche transceivers. Two people were dug out. A third skier had been partially buried and had managed to free themself. A fourth skier, the 60 year old guide, was found in cardiac arrest. After approximately 15 minutes of resuscitation efforts, rescuers were able to restart his heart. He was transferred to hospital but died later that day. A 50-year-old woman in the group has been treated for multiple injuries, while the two others were lightly injured.

The avalanche danger at the time was 2 out of 5 – moderate. An investigation is underway.

Another skier died in a separate avalanche in the Savoie region in France near Albertville. The avalanche swept away four backcountry skiers. One of the was found in cardiac arrest and could not be revived.

There have been a number of other non-fatal avalanches near the France/Italian border after fresh snow. Incidents occurred in Val d’Isere, Molines-en-Queyras and Montgenevre. All the avalanches in France happened in areas considered to be low-risk, but weather conditions in recent days had made the situation treacherous, the authorities warned.

In Greece the bodies of four hikers who died in an avalanche were discovered on Boxing Day after a large search operation. [This is archived on avalanche-center.org with more information.]
Source ... (planetski.eu)

Lack of snow keeps Swiss Avalanche danger low

Dec 26 - According to the Swiss Avalanche Research institute the Swiss Alps are experiencing an unusually poor snow cover and a generally low risk of avalanches. Experts noted that most alpine regions are only lightly blanketed in snow due to prolonged dry conditions, with fresh powder often hard to find. Although isolated weak layers have formed within the snowpack, these have been largely covered by only a thin overlay of new snow, limiting the potential for widespread avalanche activity.

“There is little snow cover overall, and the quality of the existing snow has been poor,” the report explains, pointing out that surface crusts and faceted snow crystals are now typical across many slopes. However, with the fragile layers capped by only modest snow thickness, major avalanche releases remained unlikely at present.
More ... (PisteHors.com)

Mammoth Mountain Patroller Dies From Avalanche

Dec 29, 2025 8:33 AM EST - Mammoth Mountain, California, confirmed on Sunday, December 28, 2025, that ski patroller Cole Murphy, 30, had passed away from injuries sustained in an avalanche. The avalanche occurred on Friday, December 26, 2025, at approximately 7:30 a.m., according to the ski area. A second ski patroller sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the slide.
[ The original incident is archived on avalanche-center.org, and has been updated to reflect 1 fatality ]
More ... (Powder)