Stories from Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding
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Unqualified guide in fatal accident
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Jul 22, 2010
Amongst the many missions flown by the PGHM based in Chamonix on the 11th July was the recovery of the body of a Polish climber killed after falling in the couloir du GoAter. The GoAter is the normal route to the summit of Mont Blanc from St Gervais. The climber,… Full Story »
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Topics:
- Mountains
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Explosion in number of ski touring fatalities in Switzerland
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Apr 15, 2010
Three-quarters of avalanche fatalities this winter involved ski tourers according to figures from the Swiss Snow and Avalanche Research Institute (SLF). The average over the last decade has been 42%. In total 27 people have been killed in avalanches since… Full Story »
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Topics:
- Snowboard
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French police warn skiers off mountains
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Apr 5, 2010
The Rescue Services had flown seven rescue missions by the early afternoon today in the Isere department alone. There has been one fatality and one serious incident. Sebastian Rigaud, a spokesman for the mountain police in Grenoble has advised skiers… Full Story »
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Topics:
- Mountains
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Review of the 2009/2010 Winter conditions in the French Mountains
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Apr 4, 2010
For each month we will take the weather stations at Tarbes at 360m in the French Pyrenees and Bourg St Maurice (BsM), 865meters in the heart of the Savoie ski resorts as our references. Average are calculated from 1971 to… Full Story »
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Topics:
- Mountains
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Avalanche Training Winter 2010
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Dec 13, 2009
After a few years gap it is good to see that Chamonix Experience are once again running the AIARE Level 1 courses in Chamonix this winter. The American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education course curriculum is the result of… Full Story »
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Topics:
- Mountains
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Review of the 2008-2009 ski season in France
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Nov 16, 2009
Snow cover in 2008/9 was very good in all the French mountain ranges, especially in the Pyrenees, the border areas with Italy and Corsica. The Pyrenees and Southern Alps saw periods of severe natural avalanche activity that closed ski areas… Full Story »
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Topics:
- Mountains
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Avalanche Days 2009
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Oct 14, 2009
The ANENA (National Association for the Study of Snow and Avalanches) is running its Avalanche Days this autumn. The days will be held on the 7th November in Brianon, 21st November in Toulouse and the 5 December in Nice. They… Full Story »
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Topics:
- Mountains
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Avalanche families long wait for closure
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Oct 5, 2009
In April 2005 two young snowboarders, Sam Harber and James Rourke, were killed by a massive avalanche in the French Alps. More than four years on and the fallout from that slide is still reverberating far beyond the sparkling glaciers… Full Story »
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Topics:
- Snowboard
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Karine Ruby killed by crevasse fall
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull May 29, 2009
Olympic snowboarding champion Karine Ruby and a client have been killed by a crevasse fall on Mont Blanc. A second client is in a serious condition. Ruby won Olympic gold for the snowboarding giant slalom at Nagano in 1998. Ruby… Full Story »
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Karine Ruby trains to be mountain guide
Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding &bull Sep 5, 2008
The Chamonix based ENSA has just announce the 46 new traininee guides for France. Amongst the list of names on the ENSA website is Karine Ruby. Karine won Olympic gold for snowboarding at Nagano in 1998. The first time this… Full Story »
