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Breaking news on BBC , avalanche Tignes

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:


Quote:


Thank you for demonstrating that you know nothing about the resort or about how French ski resorts are run


@chocksaway, Agreed, I have nothing but huge respect for the work those guys do and the risks they take to keep US safe.

Hoping everything is ok for you personally, but very sad for anyone involved. Thinking of you all out there in resort.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Local news is strongly suggesting that the 4 victims found so far were wearing transceivers, as to the remainder of the group, if indeed there are any more, we do not know.
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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?
@haigie, Again to be confirmed but local reports are saying ESF Le Lac, and Le Dauphine has named the instructor as Laurent Ruiz.
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Very sad
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Alex A wrote:


It's not that simple to get there at all. You cannot get to as high as they were from just "a small trek from a simple chair"


Can't you go up the aeroski down Tignes side, swoop above Lavechet lift (can't remember the name of the red) and then traverse across from there (granted its probably a good 300/400m trek but that is far from a long hike, or make things even easier and take the Combe Folle drag up to give you the height to make its an easier trek across?
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chocksaway wrote:
ESF Le Lac, instructor Laurent Ruiz.


RIP Sad
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Really hope the five that are unaccounted for did just skip it today. Looking at that route is quite sobering as I'm not sure I wouldn't have chosen to ski it. Heavily tracked, no signs of other slides, easy traverse from a lift, avalanche level 'only' 3 without a known really bad layer on that aspect, under 40 degrees, not in the sun, etc.

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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Reports also now suggest that five of the group didn't actually turn up for their session today!
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@James the Last, thanks.. that shows what I can see. What's interesting is that there looks like a fracture from slightly above where they are placed and have come in on the traverse. So It could have released from just above them and they didn't even start skiing.. that would answer why all of them were taken down Sad its very sad indeed
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L'Equipe now reporting that the other 5 did not show up this morning and that they have been contacted and are fine. So hopefully this tragedy is not going to get worse, if that is possible. All 4 victims were on snowboards.
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Above now confirmed by sous-prefect of Albertville live on French news.
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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.
@Steve77, is that a Fatmap screenshot?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@galpinos Yes it is
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Steve77 wrote:
Really hope the five that are unaccounted for did just skip it today. Looking at that route is quite sobering as I'm not sure I wouldn't have chosen to ski it. Heavily tracked, no signs of other slides, easy traverse from a lift, avalanche level 'only' 3 without a known really bad layer on that aspect, under 40 degrees, not in the sun, etc.



Slightly OT but where are these images from? Very useful for future planning.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
that is indeed a fatmap screenshot , if you have the premium version .
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
James the Last wrote:
Alex A wrote:
I wish I knew how to post a Gif file as it looks pretty clear when you toggle between 1030 and 1040 and you see what appears like people there and then you click and they are gone..


10.20 not there; 10.30 there - just below the red blob; 10.40 slipped.


Alex - thanks. Can see what you mean now. The 10:20 to 10:30 comparison makes it clearer.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Whitegold, you just hit an all time low for a renowned troll. Please try and engage your brain or stay away.
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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?
Quote:

And on a personal note, I don't know if I have lost a mate today so please knock it off.


@chocksaway Sad
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It's definitely Laurent Ruiz who was leading it. That man was one of 3 or 4 who taught me to ski. A sad day.
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Apparently a statement from the resort has said one was 15 and one was 18. The slide was started from skiers above the four boarders.

My thoughts are with the families affected and those who dug them out. A terrible day.
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very sad indeed
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Alex A wrote:
@James the Last, thanks.. that shows what I can see. What's interesting is that there looks like a fracture from slightly above where they are placed and have come in on the traverse. So It could have released from just above them and they didn't even start skiing.. that would answer why all of them were taken down Sad its very sad indeed


I know nothing about avalanches. I agree the fracture looks higher than where the group was. Would it be possible that they have triggered the slide and because the snow above them had nothing to hold it, then that slide too making the fracture look like it was above them? Could the rocks above them have anything to do with it?

RIP
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Laurent Ruiz was 59, the father was 48, his son 15 and his half brother 19.

There are no mentions of being triggered from above by another group in the latest news bulletins.

Avalanches can trigger above you, and do propagate along the break line. As the rocks were not in the sun at the time they probably just mean that was as high as it could go. When rocks are in the sun they heat up and can trigger an avalanche.
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I believe One reason the debris is so thick is that that barrier wall is there to protect the buildings beyond its a snow trap
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Terrible terrible news, know the area well - unbelievable so sad to hear that 4 people lost there lives - God bless then RIP
Crying or Very sad
I
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The track that leads to Lavachet village from the Lavachet run is called Digues which I believe means ditches. Presumably because of the counter-avalanche ditches above it.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
More info from PisteHors

http://pistehors.com/serious-avalanche-at-tignes-24783257.htm
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@chocksaway, thanks for explaining that.

They certainly slid a long way 😔
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Two of them still kids. Very sad indeed Crying or Very sad
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Steve77, indeed. Although i'm paranoid about terrain traps.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Tignes press release states that only 4 people were taken in the slide, none survived. The additional 5 believed to be buried did not join up with the group today and were not present at the time of the avalanche.

All were wearing transceivers. The instructor was a local and very experienced.
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I have skied that face.
Its got a name that escapes me , its the name of the pizzeria / pizza guy which is practically at the base of it on the top road out of town.
We used to traverse across the slope from the black run to get back to the hotel we were staying in without a hike down the road. By traversing and dropping in it made it a very short walk indeed. Cant remember exactly how steep it was, but it cant be very steep as I would not have attempted it
Guesssing by the probe line either not all the group had beepers ,not good.
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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?
There are blobs moving in the fences when it goes but unless people have said they triggered, from the still photos it looks unlikely third parties were not involved. May be Tignes have video from the webcams.

Going down into the ditch would be very difficult to survive even with a bag. Your skis or board would hold you half buried and concreted in, as the rest kept coming down.

An utterly horrific avalanche.
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So sad, condolences and thoughts with those affected. My son is in Tignes, on his first snowboarding trip on his own (with a ski group) !! Could not believe it when I got the call form Action Outdoors. Very good, quick communication. Not so applicable to my 17 year old who clearly doesn't understand the worry we were experiencing... he was like "I'm ok, why do you ask? .. oh yeah I heard there was an avalanche" (sigh) Shocked
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https://www.facebook.com/Tignes.net/photos/a.166092903418410.39271.132972980063736/1532484943445859/?type=3&theater


Release from Tignes.
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@Thorney, thanks for posting the link to the report on PisteHors, as often it's a sober assessment. Dug out my little off piste guide to Val & Tignes by Steiger and Bonnevie. Under the heading the Lavachet Slopes it lists the dangers as avalanches and slides and suggests for snowboard you should be an expert. It says:
These slopes are easy to get to and they overlook Tignes Le Lac. This wind-blown slope is nevertheless very dangerous after snow falls. After the route guidance it concludes: You come out at the top of the Lavachet slopes, just above the resort. You can ski the whole width of these 35-40 degree slopes, always being worry (sic) of avalanches.
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Doesn't look like trigerred from above - although anyone familiar with the route would be able to say. Looks from the photos posted from the webcam that they've traversed out from a path that leads from the avalanche barriers. Only route from above looks like a steepish gully coming down from above the face. Some reports say they were walking - why would you walk that, would it be easier with a board to walk the traverse?

So so sad, heartbreaking.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I wonder how pisteurs and lift staff do it. Someone they know, perhaps a friend, and a few tourists die. Yet they have to get up, go to work again, ferry people up the mountain, loads of people laughing and joking having fun on holidays expecting the show to keep going on and inside the people who know the dead must be devastated and questioning the whole thing. Or ski school staff.
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Very sad news. Unfortunately that terrain trap and the size of the slide ment that the burials were very deep, they were struggling to locate victims with 6m probes so in the end had to bring piste bashers in from what I've just read.
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http://www.tetongravity.com/story/news/tragic-on-resort-avalanche-kills-4-including-2-teenage-boys

Article refers to the avalanche as "on resort" and "within the resort boundary" - does this concept apply in Europe? I feel like this is an unhelpful way to characterise the circumstances and seems to imply the Tignes resort was at fault or what they were skiing should have been safe due to proximity to the town/piste. As as far as I'm concerned, if you're not on a marked run, you're off-piste and that's that.

Anyway, as I said before this is a tragic, tragic event but the angle of the article really irked me...
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