Swiss Avalanche Stats 2004-2005 Season

[TeleAl]

An article I found today that I thought some of you would appreciate.


I will do a rough translate:

The number of victims of avalanches in Switzerland more than doubled in 2004-2005, over last season.
26 died, compared to 11 in 2003-2004.
2000-2001 saw a worse year with 32 dead caused by avalanches.

Among the 26, 17 were ski touring, 3 by following wild skiing (off-piste out of bounds?), 3 snowboarders, 1 snow shoer, and 2 were ice climbing.

11 fatal avalanches in Valais, Grison lost 8 people, Glaris 3, Berne 2, Schwytz and St. Gall 1 each.

Or something like that.



Doublement meurtrières en 2004-2005
[Photo : Keystone]
Le nombre des victimes d'avalanches en Suisse a plus que doublé en 2004-2005, par rapport à l'hiver précédent. Les coulées de neige ont coûté la vie à 26 personnes, contre 11 personnes en 2003-2004.
[ats] - Le passage du millénaire, entre 2000 et 2001, avait été encore plus meurtrier avec 32 personnes décédées dans des avalanches, indique la dernière statistique de l'Institut fédéral pour l'étude de la neige et des avalanches à Davos.

Parmi les 26 victimes recensées l'hiver passé, 17 étaient des skieurs de randonnée, trois des adeptes du ski sauvage, trois des snowboardeurs et une était partie en une randonnée en raquettes. Enfin, deux personnes ont été emportées alors qu'elles escaladaient des chutes de glace.

Onze coulées de neige mortelles ont eu lieu en Valais. Dans les Grisons, la neige a emporté huit personnes et dans le canton de Glaris trois. Berne a recensé deux morts alors que Schwytz et St Gall ont comptabilisé chacun une victime.

Adresse de l'article :
http://fr.bluewin.ch/infos/index.php/faitsdivers/i/20050505:brf054/


If you have this years stats in your area, I am interested.
Can we make this a Stats thread? Knowledge is power.

Think Snow.

[skifishbum]

Utah 8 deaths

1st; Incident Twin Lakes pass LCC/ BCC BC. 2 skiers set off a slide skinning out.Danger that day high


2 snowshoers traverse underneath a steep slope. No safety gear no chance Mineral fork BCC. Danger was also high that day I belive

Snow boarder Mt. Pleasant Soutern Wasatch Plateau

Another snow boarder Outside of Ephriam Southern Wasatch not sure of any details on this one

An "experienced mountain guide" and his partners, If I am to belive Grayford Schafer's Outside article. Leave through a BC gate at the Canyons w/out any avvy gear. Snowboarder hucks into 35+ degree slope which slides killing him. The danger that day was considerable, w/ unsurvivable consequences, down from high the day before, after a 2 week storm cycle that brought about 100 year slides.

The rest were snowmobilers One in Trout creek, one in Farmington Canyon, One on Monte Cristo/Whiskey Creek

Uac is only listing 7 deaths but I thought 8 was the total. I am sure someone will correct any mistakes I've made.

Props to Bruce Tremper and all at UAC. Outstanding job

Aditional info at http://www.avalanche.org/~uac

Edit; CAIC is listing 26 deaths in US

Linkhttp://geosurvey.state.co.us/avalanche/default.aspx?tabid=46

Edit: Once again I have managed To cram a size 12 into my maw. My apologies to anyone involved in these incidents. Rip to all who have lost their lives pursuing that which they loved. Edits made and actions to make amends taken. SFB

[AltaPowderDaze]

2, 20 something skiers ski a 35+ degree chute manage that but set off a slide skinning out Poor route finding and poor beacon search from what I hear.
Danger that day High


i would agree that it was poor route finding and the search was flawed but where did you hear about a 35+ chute?

[skifishbum]

Pretty sure they skied the Sythe in Wolverine you could see slight tracks the next morning.
Most of the info I got was from the first Patrollers on the scene.
Went out and examined the site 2 days after. Much cracking and fracturing visible adjacent to slide path.
Soli's patrol had done control work on backside of Honeycomb to protect Highway to hev. So a safe route was avalible. Late and getting dark was my guess as to there reason for not using that route.
Its a shame 23 is way to young to leave.
One of my touring partners worked at GMD, were I guess these guys worked the season before.

[AltaPowderDaze]

One of my touring partners worked at GMD, were I guess these guys worked the season before.

who's the guy from the gmd that you tour with?

[skifishbum]

I got to run will pm when I get back

[skifishbum]

Sorry had to take the mutts to visit a Youth Detention facility. Did quite a bit of fn up when I was young. My way of making amends. Long PM sent. Sorry

[Ripzalot]

here's an unofficial list for the french alps:

Avalanche Fatalities By Activity
Ski Touring 9
Off Piste Skiing 6
Snowboard Touring 0
Off Piste Snowboarding 5
Snowshoeing 0
Climbing 0
Walking 0
Total for the season 20

http://www.pistehors.com/articles/avalanche/avalanche-accidents.htm

i think there is something similar for switz but can't find it now.