 Poster: A snowHead
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An announcement was made yesterday by the Valais police in Switzerland that two skiers sadly died yesterday in an off piste area on the Swiss border with Avoriaz ski area.
According to the statement, the deceased skiers had left the area of Avoriaz with the intention of heading to the Col de Cou, near the ski area of Champery & Crosets.
A cornice of snow about 2,150 metres long, apparently collapsed underneath the skiers and the 47 year old ski instructor from Morzine and his 59 year old client fell about 50-100 metres.
The Swiss patrol team were the first on the scene and were quickly joined by other emergency workers and a French doctor, who tried in vain to resuscitate the two men.
Our thoughts are with both men's family, friends and colleagues at this sad time.
My thoughts go out to the families of both skiers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@lamperter,
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A cornice of snow about 2,150 metres long
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I assume that is the contintal habit for using a comma as a decimal point?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@foxtrotzulu, it certainly stood out to me! Couldn't imagine the effect of a 2km cornice slipping 
Sad news though, shows that even skiing with a guide is dangerous.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sad indeed.
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even skiing with a guide is dangerous
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a. it is
b. an instructor is not necessarily a guide...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Sounds like the guide/instructor did not know the area, if they were standing on a 2m overhanging cornice.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Unfortunately as in Lech last week and the Avy forecaster killed in Oregon it seems that it is the experienced local pros getting killed (add to the numbers of people in guided groups that have been killed this season). As the meme goes "the mountain doesn't care that you're an expert".
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| under a new name wrote: |
| b. an instructor is not necessarily a guide... |
True, but you'd like to think that any instructor taking someone off-piste during high avy risk would be experienced in the region. From the sounds of the article he's made out to be a sensible guy who just got caught out.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've seen a couple of French reports and they've had the altitude at 2.150m (continental style so 2,150m UK style) not the size of the cornice.
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Off piste skiing isn't safe and never will be however experienced, knowledgeable and careful you are - wild terrain is unpredictable.
I think it's always good to remember that - I still choose to do it anyway - but we should be cognisant of the risks and aware that it doesn't always happen to someone else.
RIP
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Off piste skiing isn't safe and never will be however experienced, knowledgeable and careful you are
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I agree with your point generally, but there's plenty of love mellow 20° powder meadow skipping out there too with absolutely zero avalanche/cornice fall risk.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Gaza, sadly not related. Just a bad week in Morzine Avoriaz 
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You know it makes sense.
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@Gaza, There was also a fatal accident in La Rosiere yesterday - a 26 year old British Freefreerider, who fell over a rocky ridge, maybe this is the link?? RIP both.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@chocksaway, Aaron was in La Rosiere (@Gaza post above)
Awful news in both cases.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@clarky999, I agree. There's off piste and off piste. And there's freeriding. Nothing is without risk but there's a spectrum in many sports. Sad deaths indeed but doesn't mean everyone out there is equally at risk. Any one of us could be dead next week, for a whole range of reasons and I agree strongly with the sentiment above that we should all be cognisant of this. Death isn't something that only happens to others, or only to people doing risky sports. A lot more people today died a premature death for lack of sport! Perhaps that's even sadder.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Aaron was one of the best. Completely inspirational. It's a devastating loss. No words to express it.
It's a lot more than "sad" it's a serious, awful tragedy. The end of a story. A heartbreak.
I heard it was just a bad landing from a jump. (I hope those concerned with such things learn the reality of the full risks).
Thoughts are with his girlfriend Amy and his family.
This is the worst news I've heard for years.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Rip... in Peace.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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My friends had Aaron instructing them last week and he was brilliant. I even emailed the ski school yesterday asking for him for a lesson in two weeks time.
How very sad. What a great chap.
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