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Deadly Avalanche in the Massif Central kills four
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Poster:
A snowHead
Poster:
A snowHead
A guided group of nine triggered an avalanche in the Val d'Enfer near Mont Dore at around 1600m killing four.
https://www.sudouest.fr/faits-divers/puy-de-dome-quatre-skieurs-tues-dans-une-avalanche-deux-personnes-toujours-portees-disparues-18726610.php
http://youtube.com/v/tATDIXggtDQ
Obviously
A snowHead
isn't a real person
Obviously
A snowHead
isn't a real person
This is yet another tragedy on a large scale, it's to be hoped the injured come through their ordeal.
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?
I read a machine translation of the article and I understand it as if the whole group was on a rope, which sounds dangerous as a swept person can pull the rest to the avalanche. There are no glaciers in the area and even on a glacier it would be safer to split into multiple groups. Could some french speaker clarify? It's unfortunate articles for generic audience don't contain enough details for other snow enthusiasts to learn from the tragedy.
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petris wrote:
I read a machine translation of the article and I understand it as if the whole group was on a rope, which sounds dangerous as a swept person can pull the rest to the avalanche. .
Indeed that is a risk of 'moving together'. The positive spin on the concept is that if one falls then all four can attempt and ice-axe self arrest and save them - and the team.
The details depend on the terrain. This type of
movement
would only be used on an 'easy' snow slope where the risk of a slip was considered low (relative to the experience of the party) Four on a rope is also unusual as it's usually a max of guide +2 if ropes are needed IME
My experience is climbing / summer mountaineering so others may have more winter insight.
That said - avalanche is inescapable in certain conditions and this sounds like that scenario.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:
The positive spin on the concept is that if one falls then all four can attempt and ice-axe self arrest and save them - and the team.
If I remember well there is a chapter about this in Pit Schuberts "Safety and Risk in Rock and Ice" and it says without attaching the rope to fixed points it more often happens the whole team is doomed than that the falling member is saved.
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Short report from Radio Riviera
Quote:
Deadly Avalanche - Four ski mountaineers have been killed in an avalanche in the Auvergne region of central France. Three others were injured. The avalanche took place on Sunday at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,250 feet) above the village of Mont-Dore in an area known as the Val d’Enfer. Those hit by the avalanche were ski mountaineers from a nearby club who had gone on an off-piste route with a guide. An investigation is underway.
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