Avalanche kills two in French Alps near Les 2 Alpes

Col de Sarenne - Clavans-en-Haut-Oisans-France. Photo: Nicolas Outh- Unsplash. What Will Happen to the English Consumers of the French Mountains after March 29?

Avalanche kills two in the French Alps near Les 2 Alpes

From: AP – The Sun Herald and Le Dauphine –

French officials say two have died after an avalanche in the Alps near the Deux-Alpes ski resort.

St Christophe-en-Oisans. Photo: Quentin Lagache- Unsplash. Avalanche kills person in French Alps; another missing.
St Christophe-en-Oisans. Photo: Quentin Lagache- Unsplash. Avalanche kills person in French Alps; another missing.

The police unit in charge of setting up the rescue operation and authorities in the Isere region said the avalanche struck late Tuesday morning.

The avalanche struck in on off-piste sector near the small town of Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans.

Update from Le Dauphine:

14 H 05  : The accident occurred outside the landscaped area of ​​Les Deux-Alpes, on an area on the Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans side of La Toura, downstream and south of the Grand Creux breach. (2804 m). Côté Deux-Alpes (on the northern slope), several lifts lead to this sector of off-piste skiing: the chairlifts of Toura and Lac Noir. 

Many rescuers are currently working alongside Civil Safety and FAS helicopters. A dog team from the CRS Alpes, two from the resort of Les Deux Alpes and a dog team from Huez are on site. A dozen police officers from the CRS Alpes, trackers and station staff are involved in the research. 

Meteo France, in its bulletin snow and avalanche, reports for Tuesday of a risk 3 (scored) on a scale of 5.

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7 killed as helicopter and light aircraft crash over the Ruitor Glacier near La Thuile in the Italian Alps

7 killed as helicopter and light aircraft crash over the Ruitor Glacier near La Thuile in the Italian Alps

7 killed as helicopter and light aircraft crash over the Ruitor Glacier near La Thuile in the Italian Alps.

From CNN and AFP/NST

Emergency services on Saturday found the bodies of two people missing after a helicopter and a small plane collided above a glacier in the Italian Alps the previous day, taking the total number killed to seven.

The crash occurred over the Rutor glacier near La Thuile, in the Aosta Valley, close to northern Italy’s border with France and Switzerland.

7 killed as helicopter and light aircraft crash over the Ruitor Glacier near La Thuile in the Italian Alps. Photo: Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico.
7 killed as helicopter and light aircraft crash over the Ruitor Glacier near La Thuile in the Italian Alps. Photo: Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico.

Five people were confirmed dead and two injured on Friday.

The two people who remained missing were found after the search resumed Saturday morning.

Two helicopters were sent up carrying medical personnel and emergency rescue workers to scour the area, the officer said. All those on board the two aircraft are now accounted for.

The helicopter was carrying six people — the pilot, an alpine guide and four passengers who were heli-skiing. Three people were aboard the light aircraft, all of them pilots who were training in mountain flying.

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More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.

Stowe Mountain Resort. More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.

More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.

From The State – AP

STOWE, VT.

State regulators are looking into why a chairlift stopped running at a Vermont ski resort, prompting the evacuation of approximately 160 skiers and snowboarders.

Stowe Mountain Resort. More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.
Stowe Mountain Resort. More than 150 evacuated from stuck chairlift at Stowe, VT.

The Lookout Double lift stopped operating around 10:30 a.m. Sunday because of an interruption in the electrical system, Stowe Mountain Resort spokesman Jeff Wise said in a written statement. An auxiliary engine also did not work so the ski patrol started evacuating the lift at 10:45 a.m. using rope to rappel people down. All guests were safely off the lift by about 1 p.m., Wise said.

Some were stranded for hours. Keri Crafts, of Burlington, and her two daughters were about halfway up when the lift stopped. She told WCAX-TV they sat there for about 2 ½ hours, and at one point, she saw people start to jump from chairs to the ground.

“We got off and we were so frozen, it was probably 20 degrees, maybe,” she said. “With the winds and snow, many people we talked to were like, we can’t even ski down,” said Keri Crafts of Burlington.”

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A glance into the future: First ski and snowboard helmet with Augmented Reality is being tested in Schladming-Dachstein

On the visor of the Mohawk helmet, the user can call up various visual data such as speed, altitude and a navigation system. A glance into the future: First ski and snowboard helmet with Augmented Reality is being tested in Schladming-Dachstein.

A glance into the future:  First ski and snowboard helmet with Augmented Reality is being tested in Schladming-Dachstein

– The new “Mohawk” helmet is equipped with a miniature camera, a headset, GPS and a navigation system

– Various stats can be called up on the visor and the helmet enables live communication with friends via test messaging, audio and video

 

– Free trial for skiers and snowboarders in Schladming Planai resort

Ski helmets too are becoming “smart”. In a worldwide exclusive, visitors to the Austrian holiday region of Schladming-Dachstein are currently being offered the opportunity of trying out the ski and snowboard helmet “Mohawk”, which is equipped with the latest Augmented Reality (AR) technology. A built-in miniature camera scans the surroundings on the piste, and on the visor the user can call up various visual data such as speed, altitude and a navigation system. Built-in headphones and a microphone enable live communication with friends by text messaging, audio or video. Particularly useful: an SOS button that may save your life in an emergency situation.

You will find all the details online at www.schladming-dachstein.at/mohawk

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Jammu (Gulmarg) Cable Car Accident: 2 workers died and four injured

Gulmarg- Unsplash photo by Anjali Mehta. Jammu (Gulmarg) Cable Car Accident: 2 workers died and four injured.

Jammu (Gulmarg) Cable Car Accident: 2 workers died and four injured.

News from NDTV and Greater Kashmir News:

Two workers were killed, and four others were injured on Sunday after a cable car of the Jammu ropeway project where work is going on, crashed during a mock rescue drill, days before it was likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said.

The crash took place due to some technical snag near Mahamaya temple, a police officer said.

https://youtu.be/Jz-n7OJhnIQ

The executing agency was conducting a mock rescue drill and due to imbalance, one of the trolleys carrying six workers fell down.

One of them, 45-year-old Rakesh Kumar from Bihar, died on the spot. The rest five – Hari Krishan (45), Manjeet Singh (32) and Lovely of West Bengal, Ravinder (30) of Uttar Pradesh, and Engineer Balkirat Singh (32) of Jammu and Kashmir – were rushed to Government Medical College hospital where Mr Krishan died, they said.

Jammu (Gulmarg) Cable Car Accident: 2 workers died and four injured.
Jammu (Gulmarg) Cable Car Accident: 2 workers died and four injured. Gulmarg in Kashmir is a very renown ski area in India by its beautiful landscapes.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident and announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs. 5 lakh to family of those who died. He also directed the divisional administration to provide free medical treatment to the injured, an official spokesman said.

On the instructions of the Governor, advisor Khurshid Ahmed Ganai and Chief Secretary BVR Subramanyam visited the injured people at the hospital late on Sunday. The Chief Secretary also visited the accident site, the spokesman said.

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THE-SKI-GURU TRAVEL takes you to a long Ski Safari in the Dolomites

The-Ski-Guru Travel takes you to a Long Ski Safari in the Dolomites. Photo: Giuseppe Ghedina.

 The-Ski-Guru Travel takes you to a long Ski Safari in the Dolomites. If you are one of those that likes variety, and want to know lots of places in one go, and perhaps, gets bored to ski in one area all week long, then you should come and do a ski safari with us. The place, the mighty Dolomites, with their sun drenched pink mountaintops – caused by the Enrosadira effect. This Ski-Safari takes you from hut-to-hut in the Dolomites, using the lift-serviced pistes and having your small luggage delivered for you every day so you can concentrate in your skiing.

The-Ski-Guru Travel takes you to a Long Ski Safari in the Dolomites. Photo: Giuseppe Ghedina.
The-Ski-Guru Travel takes you to a Long Ski Safari in the Dolomites. Photo: Giuseppe Ghedina.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Experience the Dolomiti Superski – a “carousel” of 12 inter-connected resorts with 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) of prepared pistes!
  • Ski “hut-to-hut” staying in family-run mountain rifugios and charming hotels – the perfect combination of mountain accommodations
  • Savour the delicious, hearty cuisine the Dolomites are known for as you taste your way from valley to valley…
  • Enjoy superb skiing with our world-class, certified ski mountain guides, who will show you the best of the Dolomites on skis!

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Deadly fire at Courchevel ‘may have been arson’

Deadly fire at Courchevel 'may have been arson'

Deadly fire at Courchevel ‘may have been arson’.

From France 24.

French investigators suspect that a fire that killed two people in the ski resort of Courchevel may have been an arson attack, a prosecutor said Friday.

The blaze, which ripped through a building where ski season workers were staying in the early hours of Sunday 20th, has shocked one of the most upmarket resorts in the French Alps.

It left 25 people injured, four of them seriously.

Deadly fire at Courchevel 'may have been arson'
Deadly fire at Courchevel ‘may have been arson’

“We are treating seriously the theory that this could have been a criminal act, but we do not have enough evidence to be able to identify the perpetrators,” local prosecutor Anne Gaches told reporters.

Investigators believe a flammable chemical may have been used to help the fire spread, Gaches added.

“The victims smelt petrol just before the fire, and witnesses also said they had smelt petrol a month earlier,” she added.

The former hotel houses around 60 people working for a hotel company in Courchevel, which is home to many luxury resorts and numerous Michelin-starred restaurants.

A 32-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man, both of whom had been working in mountainside restaurants, were killed in the fire.

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The ’12 hours Head NonStop’, the toughest test in skiing, arrives in the Sierra Nevada

Archive Cetursa Sierra Nevada.Sierra Nevada: Cetursa approves an investment of 10 million for the next season and addresses the installation of a new ski lift.

The ’12 hours Head NonStop’, the toughest test in skiing, arrives in the Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevada resort will host this Saturday the event in which the participants, in individual category or teams, face a huge challenge from 9.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Sierra Nevada welcomes this Saturday, January 26 the “12 hours Head NonStop”, a test of endurance of the harshest of alpine skiing, in which, in individual participants or teams of 2 or 3 members, must keep on skiing uninterruptedly from 9 in the morning until 9 p.m. (this reminds me to the 24 hours of Aspen that were for teams of 2 but skiing all day and all night…24 hours, with time only to breathe on the gondola!)

The skier or team that makes the greatest number of descents in the circuit designed for the competition will be the winner of the second edition of a competition. Last year the winner was the local runner Tato Peinado.

The Maribel and Rio trails illuminated at night. Photo: Archive Cetursa Sierra Nevada. The '12 hours Head NonStop ', the toughest test in skiing, arrives in the Sierra Nevada.
The Maribel and Rio trails illuminated at night. Photo: Archive Cetursa Sierra Nevada. The ’12 hours Head NonStop ‘, the toughest test in skiing, arrives in the Sierra Nevada.

The “12 hours Head NonStop” of Sierra Nevada will take place this Saturday at the Peñones and Perdiz (Borreguiles) tracks, during the day, and on the Maribel track, during the night. The tent for relays and logistics will be installed in the Nevasol restaurant.

The test is conceived as a physical and mental challenge for runners, who must show their skills with their skis, as well as know when to relieve themselves, refresh themselves and rest.

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First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.

Mt Hood Meadows. Learn to Ski and Snowboard. First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.

First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.

Approximately 6,200 Beginner Ski or Snowboard Lessons Taught on 1/11/19 – National Learn to Ski or Snowboard Day

I have always be interested in how to create skiers and boarders, and when I was young and working at CBMR (Crested Butte Mountain Resort), I remember they had a program of Learn to Ski Free with no strings attached! It was a massive success and it made lots of people learn their first steps in the snow in Crested Butte, and wanting to come for more! I can see this, (without too much science behind), having started with my youngest son skiing in Pila, Aosta Valley, Italy. He does not want to go to any other resort, he is so not interested. You create very loyal skiers of learners, so that is something for the industry to think about. This kind of program in the States is something to imitate. I am not aware of something like that in Europe, though there might be programs like that – I would be keen to know – please email me at info@the-ski-guru.com if you have such info. But here is the story of today:

Mt Hood Meadows. Learn to Ski and Snowboard. First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.
Mt Hood Meadows. Learn to Ski and Snowboard. First National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day in the US.

Friday January 11, 2019 was the snow sports industry’s first National Learn to Ski or Snowboard Day at resorts throughout the U.S. Many resorts offered special deals for newcomers to take beginner lessons from professional instructors as a way to celebrate the sports. It was part of the industry’s annual Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month.

Organizers estimate that participating resorts provided approximately 6,200 beginner lessons on that day. Results are based on information reported by resorts that signed up on the www.learntoskiandsnowboard.org web site as well as others that participated but did not sign up on the web site.

 

“We wanted to create a special day that would shine a spotlight on taking beginner lessons from professional instructors and to set an industry record for the most beginner lessons provided in a single day at U.S. locations,” explained Mary Jo Tarallo, director of the Learn to Ski and Snowboard (Month)/Bring a Friend initiative. “We tried for a Guinness World Record in 2016 but their requirements are strict and not really suited for compliance by multiple locations in four different time zones. So, we decided to do our own thing.” The Guinness try generated about 6,000 lessons but no official record.

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What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.

Winter at Les 2 Alpes. Photo Nils Louna - Les 2 Alpes. Skiing amongst friends. What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.

What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season – Les 2 Alpes season is well underway and the resort will be opened until 27th April 2019. This young, dynamic and international resort has guaranteed snow with ski-in/ski-out accommodation. Located at 1650 m with slopes from 1300 m to 3600, it offers a great vertical drop of 3000 m. Les Deux Alpes is home to 2,100 inhabitants, 3,000 seasonal workers and 29,265 tourist beds. The French make more than half its clientele, with 55.9% total visits while Britain is the leading non-French source of guests with 18.8% visits. This is followed up by Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic and Canada.

These tourist beds include 29 hotels, with two 4-star, eight 3-star, eight 2-star hotels amongst others.

Winter in Les 2 Alpes. Photo b Yoann Peisin. Les 2 Alpes. What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.
Winter in Les 2 Alpes. Photo b Yoann Peisin. Les 2 Alpes. What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.

To get to Les 2 Alpes you can go by plane to Grenoble Alpes Isère airport (1h30m away), Lyon Saint Exupėry (2 hours) or Geneva airport (2h30m away). If you come by train, from Grenoble train station, it is one hour by car or 1h30 m by bus.

What is new in terms of investment and future projects:

A number of these long-term development projects have started in May 2018. Les 2 Alpes is positioning as benchmark and market leader amongst French ski resorts. Over the next five years, Les 2 Alpes’ large-scale projects represent an investment of almost 500 million Euros (ski lifts, ski run equipment, expanding the artificial snow cover, leisure properties and public infrastructure).

Continue reading “What is New at Les 2 Alpes this season.”