The Green Timberwolf

Danger In the French Alps

By.April

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Over the past month, there have been a number of deaths and injuries due to Avalanches in the mountain range. As a popular tourist destination for activities ranging from skiing and snowboarding to mountain climbing, mass amounts of unstable snow, and the use of closed-off trails has caused many accidents so far this season.

The tragedies began when two climbers were caught in an avalanche on January 3rd 2016 near the Mont Blanc range. The climbers, later identified as a man and a woman from Lithuania unfortunately did not survive the accident, and were the first casualties of the season.

Later in the month, on January 13th there were reports of an avalanche on one of the slopes at “Les Deux Alpes” resort that had impacted students on a field trip in the area. Two students, and an adult male died while skiing through a closed section of the Mountain. The area of the collapse had received heavy snowfall in the days prior to the incident, after having little snow activity at the beginning of the season. Two others were injured in the event. The fresh snow had been causing avalanches in the area around the resort, an article in the telegraph states “Shortly before the tragedy in Les Deux Alpes, six skiers were swept away by an avalanche in Avoriaz, 120 miles to the north, but survived. In Tignes, 75 miles to the south of Les Deux Alpes, an adult skier was caught in another avalanche and swept into a lake. The skier survived and was rescued from freezing waters shaken but unharmed.” (Telegraph.co.uk).

Unfortunately the casualties due to avalanches in the French Alps continues as five French Foreign Legionnaires were killed and several others were injured on Monday, January 18th during a training exercise.

As the snows continue to fall, and shift on the mountains, several more avalanches are expected 

from the region this season. Watches and warnings for specific slopes should always be followed and 

kept in mind while enjoying the beautiful but dangerous area.