Large inbounds avalanche at Crans Montana

[TQA]

A large avalanche completely covered a section of a red run at the Swiss Resort of Crans Montana this morning. An unknown number of skiers are missing but first estimates are 10 to 12.

It was slow moving slab avalanche but completely covered the run to a depth of 2 meters.

The Swiss authorities are mounting a major rescue effort with multiple helicopters and many military rescue specialists.One of the pictures shows a proble line with at least 100 people at work.

An AVI specialist was quoted as saying that they have not give up hope as this type of avalanche often has air pockets.

The posted risk was 2 / 5

 

[Pequenita]

Wow....

 

[jmeb]

Vibes. We've seen some incredible rescues over there this year, here's hoping for another.

"Inbounds" means such different things in N. America vs Europe. Sounds like this was a slide that started off piste (i.e. not avalanche controlled) terrain, and ran into a maintained piste.

Interested to hear more about what kind of avalanche this was. I usually think of slow-moving slabs as wet slabs which tend to be more a springtime phenomenon unless it was raining there recently?

 

[Bad Bob]

It is getting to be a tough year for avalanches all over. Hope for the best on that one.

Heard there was even some avalanche activity on Ajax in Aspen. Don't even remember the last one of those.

 

[jmeb]

Based on reporting -- sounds like a wet slab. Ran over a big cliff and onto the piste. Frightening stuff. A good reminder that rapid warming can cause big slides.

 

[CalG]

from the news
"Temperatures have warmed in recent days, leading to significant melting on the slopes which may have caused the slide."

 

[Swiss Toni]

There are currently around 240 people, 8 helicopters and 12 avalanche rescue dogs involved in the rescue. So far 4 people have been rescued, one of them is in a critical condition, the search will probably continue through the night.

 

[James]

Yikes.

 

[dbostedo]

Sounds like this was a slide that started off piste (i.e. not avalanche controlled) terrain...

My understanding (limited as it is) is that potential slides that would affect the inbounds runs are controlled too. They don't just leave all the out-of-bounds terrain unmitigated.

I hope they've gotten everyone out (the 4 reported found) and the reports of 12 people were not correct.

 

[jmeb]

My understanding (limited as it is) is that potential slides that would affect the inbounds runs are controlled too. They don't just leave all the out-of-bounds terrain unmitigated.

My understanding too. I imagine a big wet slab at this time of year isn't particularly common.

 

[Ulmerhutte]

More here: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/mountain-accident_crans-montana-avalanche-buries-skiers/44769096

It appears that the avalanche was not set off by skiers. Apparently there is video of it, but I have not seen it. That said, the Police are investigating.

It has had been an unseasonably warm February in the Arlberg, after a very cold January. Many avalanches over the last week. Thankfully no injuries (that I know of).

 

[Primoz]

"Inbounds" means such different things in N. America vs Europe. Sounds like this was a slide that started off piste (i.e. not avalanche controlled) terrain, and ran into a maintained piste.

True, but thing is that lift companies/resorts are still obligated to protect pistes and lifts. So this shouldn't happen and terrain should be checked/bombed/closed. On pistes you should be safe even if avi comes from terrain above piste. Ok it can't come from elsewhere anyway, but that's not point.

I usually think of slow-moving slabs as wet slabs which tend to be more a springtime phenomenon unless it was raining there recently?

I admit I have no idea about weather conditions in Crans Montana, as it's some 600km away, and no intention to go that far at the moment, but pretty much all over Alps, we currently have spring conditions for some 10+ days. Down in valley we have +15c through the day, up in mountains it depends, but normally 0c level is around 3000m above sea level. And perfect sun, so south slopes are in quite strong sun from 7am to 5:30pm, and snow is wet and pretty much exactly like spring snow, even though it's middle of February.

 

[Jacob]

Here's another view of the slide.

https://www.ledauphine.com/france-m...a-une-avalanche-ensevelie-plusieurs-personnes

 

[Tricia]

Wow, that slide is crazy.

 

[Jacob]

GoPro footage from someone who just barely missed being buried.

Oh, and that is a snowmobile on the right that you can see as the skier gets going. Apparently, a patroller was on the scene to treat an injured skier, and they were in the worst possible spot.

 

[Primoz]

Not much of news about this around here, but if I got it right, they quit search action today morning, finding 4 (or was it 5) and they don't expect noone else to be under snow. Out of those 4, 3 were lightly injured, while one was in critical conditions and died later in hospital. If I'm getting this right, then outcome of all this is really really good, unfortunately not for that one that died, but "just" one dead after something like this is really good outcome in my mind. But I agree, it's still one dead too much.

 

[Mike King]

The dead person was, as I understand it, a patroller. The video of the avalanche is chilling — lots of people in the path of the slide.

 

[TQA]

There were 8,000 people on the mountain. The slide covered the piste to a depth of 4 m in places. The authorities are now saying that i ski patrol member was seriously injured and died in hospital. Three others were dug out with cuts and bruises. The patroller was giving first aid when the slide hit and was covered As no people are reported as missing overnight they now believe only 4 were caught in the slide.

 

[Bolder]

My cubicle neighbor is a regular at CM -- she is going in a few weeks in fact, and knows that run well. She was stunned.

Even though off piste is technically of out bounds at most ski stations, the patrollers still control for avalanches if they could affect posted pistes. In fact they sometimes will set off loaded areas that are completely off piste. we rented an apartment from the chief pisteur at Valloire last year and he explained how they worked. In this case I am surprised that the potential slide wasn't flagged or triggered, but nature always bats last...

 

[John Webb]

I'm amazed at the inbound avalanche at Crystal Mt WA about 5 years. 4 ski woman patrollers, one being the wife of the owner, were throwing charges.
One triggered a massive slide that totally wiped out the High Campbell Lift (my favorite lift anywhere) base station & several towers. Owners wife
was cool about it -she even posted about it on her ski blog. They kidded her that "you just destroyed Daddy's ski area".