History with SnowBrains: The Incredible Notes from a Swiss Avalanche Researcher’s Travels to Western USA in 1949

In 1949, the ski industry in the United States was just beginning to emerge. The first chairlift in the U.S. started spinning at Sun Valley in 1936 as a way of boosting railroad tourism and a handful of other ski areas had been established with rope tows and T-bars. The Forest Service issued the first Special Use Permit for a […] >> читать далее

Recently Digitized Historic Reports Give Glimpses Into the Early Days of Avalanche Research

If you’ve ever taken an avalanche class in the United States, then it’s likely that your instructor has at least a tenuous connection to Ed LaChapelle. As a snow and avalanche researcher and educator for more than thirty years, LaChapelle had a hand in developing most aspects of modern avalanche safety, from the invention of the avalanche transceiver to forecasting […] >> читать далее

[VIDEO] 3 Skiers Carried and 1 Partially Buried Following Avalanche in Treble Cone, New Zealand, Backcountry

A group of four backcountry skiers narrowly escaped serious injury, or worse, after triggering an avalanche in the Treble Cone backcountry near Wānaka, New Zealand, on Saturday afternoon. The incident, approximately two kilometers (1.25 miles) from the Treble Cone Ski Field boundary, resulted in three members of the party being swept down the slope, including one buried up to the […] >> читать далее

Canada Approves Drone Based Avalanche Mitigation Technology

For nearly 80 years, avalanche crews in Canada have relied on risky and expensive methods to keep mountain slopes safe. These include firing World War II artillery, dropping explosives from helicopters, and sending technicians into dangerous terrain. While effective, these approaches put people at risk and cost a lot to run. A Canadian drone company, AVSS, believes it has a […] >> читать далее

Massive Avalanche Kills Mountaineer Above K2’s Basecamp

Friday afternoon, July 18, a massive avalanche on Pakistan’s notorious K2 claimed one life and left several others injured. Often called the “Savage Mountain,” K2 has earned its fearsome reputation for danger. The nickname was cemented in 1953 when American climber George Bell remarked, “It’s a savage mountain that tries to kill you.” Among the world’s five highest peaks, K2 […] >> читать далее

The Top 5 Deadliest Avalanches Ever Recorded

When in the mountains, avalanches are threats that need to be prepared for and taken seriously. Around the globe, an estimated 150 people are killed every year from avalanches. They are caused by four underlying elements: a steep slope, the snow cover, a weak layer, and a triggering event. These are the five deadliest avalanches ever recorded around the globe: […] >> читать далее

4 Backcountry Skiers Buried Following Avalanche Near Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand

As the Northern Hemisphere basks in summer warmth, winter currently blankets the Southern Hemisphere, luring skiers and snowboarders to the slopes of Argentina, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Much like the Rocky Mountains of North America—where shifting snowpack and rugged terrain pose avalanche risks—the Southern Hemisphere’s mountain ranges harbor similar dangers. A recent avalanche incident in New Zealand’s Tongariro region […] >> читать далее

Avalanche Near Mount Ruapehu, New Zealand, Underscores Dangers in Southern Hemisphere Backcountry

As the Northern Hemisphere basks in summer warmth, winter currently blankets the Southern Hemisphere, luring skiers and snowboarders to the slopes of Argentina, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Much like the Rocky Mountains of North America—where shifting snowpack and rugged terrain pose avalanche risks—the Southern Hemisphere’s mountain ranges harbor similar dangers. A recent avalanche incident in New Zealand’s Tongariro region […] >> читать далее

[PHOTOS] Ski Patrol Successfully Triggers Size 2 Slab Avalanche at Ōhau Snow Fields, New Zealand

The New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA) is New Zealand’s official backcountry avalanche forecasting network. NZAA provides public avalanche advisories for 13 regions across the country. These forecasts, explicitly written for recreational users of the backcountry, make up one component of traveling safely in ‘avalanche terrain’, along with carrying the appropriate rescue equipment and getting the proper training. On July 15, […] >> читать далее

[PHOTOS] Ski Patrol Successfully Triggers a Size 2 Slab Avalanche at Ōhau Snow Fields, New Zealand

The New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA) is New Zealand’s official backcountry avalanche forecasting network. NZAA provides public avalanche advisories for 13 regions across the country. These forecasts, explicitly written for recreational users of the backcountry, make up one component of traveling safely in ‘avalanche terrain’, along with carrying the appropriate rescue equipment and getting the proper training. On July 15, […] >> читать далее

[PHOTOS] Ski Patrol Successfully Triggered a Size 2 Slab Avalanche at Ōhau Snow Fields, New Zealand

The New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZAA) is New Zealand’s official backcountry avalanche forecasting network. NZAA provides public avalanche advisories for 13 regions across the country. These forecasts, explicitly written for recreational users of the backcountry, make up one component of traveling safely in ‘avalanche terrain’, along with carrying the appropriate rescue equipment and getting the proper training. On July 15, […] >> читать далее

Solo Skier Survives Being Carried and Partially Buried in Avalanche Near Aspen, CO

A solo backcountry skier narrowly escaped serious injury after triggering a wet slab avalanche on June 1 in the Fourth of July Bowl area of Independence Pass, near Aspen, Colorado. The skier was swept 400 vertical feet downhill and became partially buried, with his head and one arm above the snow, according to a report on the Colorado Avalanche Information […] >> читать далее

[VIDEO] 3 Cars Trapped by Avalanche on Little Cottonwood Canyon Near Snowbird Ski Area, UT

Got hit by an avalanche and lived to tell about it. We are lucky. @Snowbird @skiutah @KSL5TV @KUTV2News pic.twitter.com/bmesM5Zsw9 — Jp (@2investjp) March 19, 2025 State Route 210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon was hit by an avalanche on Tuesday evening, trapping three vehicles and forcing the Utah Department of Transport (UDOT) to close the road. No injuries were reported, but […] >> читать далее

[VIDEO] 3 Cars Trapped by Avalanche on Little Cottonwood Canyon Near Snowbird Ski Area, UT

Got hit by an avalanche and lived to tell about it. We are lucky. @Snowbird @skiutah @KSL5TV @KUTV2News pic.twitter.com/bmesM5Zsw9 — Jp (@2investjp) March 19, 2025 State Route 210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon was hit by an avalanche on Tuesday evening, trapping three vehicles and forcing the Utah Department of Transport (UDOT) to close the road. No injuries were reported, but […] >> читать далее

[VIDEO] 3 Cars Trapped by Avalanche on Little Cottonwood Canyon Near Snowbird Ski Area, UT

Got hit by an avalanche and lived to tell about it. We are lucky. @Snowbird @skiutah @KSL5TV @KUTV2News pic.twitter.com/bmesM5Zsw9 — Jp (@2investjp) March 19, 2025 State Route 210 in Little Cottonwood Canyon was hit by an avalanche on Tuesday evening, trapping three vehicles and forcing the Utah Department of Transport (UDOT) to close the road. No injuries were reported, but […] >> читать далее