Avalanche fatalities

Since 1980, less than one percent of avalanche fatalities in North America have occurred within the ski area boundaries on open runs. The vast majority of incidents occur in the backcountry where no avalanche control is done, save to protect adjacent highways.

But the number of avalanche fatalities in North America has risen steadily since the 1950’s with the 5-year average moving up from close to zero in the early 1950’s to around 28 deaths per annum in the U.S. and around 14 deaths in Canada (9 year average from 1996-97 to 2004-05).

The risk areas are different in Europe: a great deal of terrain within resort confines is without avalanche control (off piste) where avalanches are as likely to occur as they are in the backcountry; the sole consolation is that help may be relatively close at hand. Nevertheless, in a particularly rough 2005/6 season, over 50 people were killed by avalanche in France alone.

Avalanche fatalities
In the 2002–2003 season there were 54 recorded incidents in North America involving 151 people (73 were snowmobilers), 82 of whom were completely buried, 58 killed and 14 injured. Not a big number when compared to the total numbers of people participating in winter sports, but for those caught and completely buried the picture is bleak. This record high figure resulted mainly from an unusually high 25 fatalities that season in British Columbia. Thankfully, fewer deaths resulted in the two seasons 2003-04 and 2004-05 with around 60 people caught each year and 34 and 37 fatalities respectively.

The increase over many years is largely attributable to a significant rise in the numbers of people heading off into the backcountry, assisted by improvements in equipment which make it easier for skiers, boarders, and snowmobilers to venture into avalanche terrain. What is also interesting is that although most victims are experienced and skilled, their avalanche skills invariably lag far behind their sports skills.

Avalanche victim profile
Eighty percent of all incidents in the U.S. happen in just five states Alaska, Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming and in 90 percent of cases the avalanche is triggered by the victim or by someone in the victim’s party, but the biggest increase is over the border in British Columbia.

According to Bruce Tremper: “Almost all avalanche fatalities in North America involve recreationists, most notably snowmobilers, climbers, backcountry skiers, and boarders, in that order. Almost all are very skilled in their sport, male, fit, educated, intelligent, middle class, and between the ages of 18 and 40.” Does this sound like you?

Most times when people venture into the backcountry nothing happens, again and again, except they gain in confidence and look forward to the next time. And since snow is stable about 95 percent of the time you get the 95 percent-success rate even if you know zero about avalanches. And in most cases, the average person has no idea they’ve even had a close call.