This recent real life (and death) event in France provides a very good case study on how amazingly easy it is to die as a result of traversing 100m from the chairlift drop point on a day after a bit of cross wind loading mixed in with a seemingly trivial amount of overnight snow (20cm).

It is worth reading and keeping in mind as you take advantage of the off-piste assets which you are free to enjoy.

http://pistehors.com/comments/540_0_1_0_C/

Good comment,"just a bit off-piste is like being just a bit pregnant."

Scary stuff.

Excuse my morbid habits. I read these things as they 1) educate, b) remind me not to kill my girl friend or myself. I post them here as they are events that come as a result of non-extreme off-piste activity that many of us take part in. Other amateur BC users like myself may benefit in the same way.

Even if you go with a guide, you are not 100% safe (obviously)

Info taken from pistehors.com. All slides happened today.

Incident 1:
- Les Menuires in France, patrol av risk was high (4 out of a possible 5) after 50cm of new snow yesterday
- Guide + 2 skiers
- 1 skier unharmed, guide had ABS and was caught and injured but not buried, second skier (ski instructor) died after being found by injured guide with beacon.

Incident 2:
- Combe des Lanchettes (Lanchettes means avalanche?) in Les Arcs
- 1 guide and 5 skiers involved
- 2 of the skiers died
- Apparent uncertainty as to who triggered the slide (the guided group or another unrelated group of snowboarders)

Incident 3:
- Les Duex Alps, patrol av risk was 3/5.
- Two ski patrol members, off-piste in a resort area marking danger spots. One died.
- Immediately after this slide another one released nearby and killed another skier.